Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

Home About Spotlight Presentations Resources Tips and Tricks Tutorials Books Downloads News Contact

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 SketchUp Styles Collection 2011

Check out our latest SketchUp Styles in

By Nomer Adona
our 2011 collection. And don't forget
2010 and 2009...over 120+ in one place!
Previously Nomer Adona wrote a simple tutorial entitled “Interior Lighting for Beginners” which was
published at CGpinoy.org. In that tutorial he used version 1.05 of V-Ray for SketchUp. Since many
new features have been added with the latest version of V-Ray for SketchUp, we have decided to
do this mini series of tutorials with the latest versions.
Advertise Here

In this first tutorial I will be using V-Ray Beta version 1.48.99 (V-Ray for SketchUp User Manual SketchUp ur Space
Version 1.48) and SketchUp version 7.0. I will be focusing on IES, Spotlight, Rectagular and
emissive lighting. You will learn how to create a realistic lampshade material and how to position the
rectangular lights to achieve the right effect for your shade. In this tutorial I will be using the same
model that I used in the previous tutorial “Interior Lighting for Beginners” and will be adding
components and materials to achieve the desired effect.

Here is a screen shot of the particular interior that I will be using.

Latest News
Lots of Prizes! Maxwell Render for
Google SketchUp Competition

Interior Lighting with LightUp for

SketchUp

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp –

definitive guide part 3

Watercolor Style – SketchUp

Fotosketcher and Photoshop

LightUp for SketchUp

Four New Styles by Dave Richards

Dale Martens & Artisan – organic

SketchUp?
Basic SketchUp Interior SketchUp to Photoshop – no render
engine required by Alex Hogrefe
OK lets begin! Digital Watercolor Method:SketchUp
Shaderlight Photoshop
1. IES Lighting
SketchUp Ur Space Competition final
I have done this in a previous tutorial here at SketchUpArtists: Basic IES Tuorial using V-Ray for days!
SketchUp. The only difference is instead of using a rectangular light to show the light source, I will
be just using a Emissive map. Styles

Styles
One great way to enhance your final
presentations is with the use of a special
feature in Google SketchUp called
Styles. Styles are collections of display
settings, including new options like
Watermarks and Sketchy Effects, saved
in the new Styles palette. You can use

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

Style Builder to create custom non-

photorealistic (NPR) Styles for
SketchUp. NPR Styles can make your
models appear hand-rendered, super-
technical, and everything in
between......Read

Emissive Map and IES Light Icon

Artists/Authors

Here is the material I used for the Emissive map.

Adam Billyard

Adam Warner

Alex Hogrefe

Alex Jenyon

Daniel Tal

David Macdonald

Do Phu Hoang Nguyen

Eric Lay

Frederic Yves Moro

Ibon Enriques

Jacques Cleghorn

Jason Christiansen

Jean-Pierre Hurel

Jim Leggitt

John Higgins

Jonathan Pagaduan Ignas

Kate Marshall

Ken Nguyen

Laurent Brixius

Lewis Wadsworth

Settings for Material Majid Yeganegi

Mateo Soletic
This is the first render. Matthew L. Facundus

Michalis Zissiou

Mr Wip

Nguyen Tran Huy Vu

Nick Howlett

Nomeradona

Oliver Shea

Ricardo Cossoli

Robh Ruppel

Rocky Vezeau

S.Porobic (AKA `Sepo´)

Scott Baumberger

Snoopywang

Steven Man

Teofilo Pardo

Tina Stiles-Bryant

Render
Recent Comments
2. Spotlight fajar on Using HDRI in V-Ray for
SketchUp
Together with IES lighting, this is also a new feature with V-Ray 1.48.66 and up. Since this is a derek on Lighting with V-Ray for
tutorial, allow me to put 4 spotlights in my four recess lamps. SketchUp – definitive guide part 1

Jason Maranto on Maxwell Render for

Google SketchUp has Arrived

Sean Foley on Maxwell Render for

Google SketchUp has Arrived

Louis on Architectural Rendering with

SketchUp and Kerkythea

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

Mauro on IES Light Tutorial using V-

Ray for SketchUp

yacine on V-Ray for SketchUp – super

crash course

simmi on Making of Beauty Salon

4 Recess Lamps

The Image below shows the position of the Spotlight icon. I also use a Emissive map on the light
receptacle.

Position Spotlight Icon

Here is the settings for my Spotlight. For me the most critical setting is the Shadow Radius which
controls the softness of the shadows, Shadow Subdivision controls the smoothness of the shadow
and last but not the least is the Penumbra Angle. In the image below I used 0.3.

Spotlight Settings

Here is the render using Spotlight. In this render I used a very low resolution. This is the reason why
I have splotches and grains. This can be corrected easily by using higher Subdivisions and
Samplings.

Render Using Spotlight

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

3. Lampshades

Here is a simple lamp I modeled in SketchUp. I will show you how to place V-Ray rectangular lights.

SketchUp Lamp

Here I hid the shade of my lamp to show how I set up my rectangular lights. V-Ray rectangular 1
and 2 run along the height of the shade. They are double sided, visible but they don’t cast shadows.
The one that casts shadows is the third V-Ray rectangular light. This one casts shadows, double
sided but I made it invisible.

Rectangular Lights

Here are the settings of my V-Ray rectangular lights.

V-Ray Rectangular Lights 1 and 2

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

V-Ray Rectangular Light 3

Lampshade material: This is a 2 sided material with about 70% gray mixture.

Lampshade Material Settings

Here is the resulting render.

Render With Rectangular Lights

Lastly, I will add a few more components. A special thanks to a friend BTH (Trang An) for some of
these great components.

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

SketchUp Scene with Extra Components

Here is the render.

Night Scene

I also attempted to render with the same scene, this time with GI and BG Colors on (no mapping).

Night Scene 2

Cheers! I hope you will wait for the second part of this tutorial and my guide to lighting with V-Ray
for SketchUp.

Nomer

Some of Nomer Adona’s other tutorials here at SketchUpArtists:

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 2

Basic IES Tutorial Using V-Ray for SketchUp
Using HDRI in V-Ray for SketchUp
IES Light Tutorial using V-Ray for SketchUp
Create a Tile Imprint SketchUp, Photoshop, Pixplant and V-Ray
Texture Workflow with SketchUp, Photoshop and Podium
Use Image Editing Software Inside SketchUp
A Watercolor Line Drawing Ink Effect

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

25 Responses to “Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive

guide part 1”

Alex on February 19th, 2011 4:29 pm

I just want to thank you for this tutorial, it was really helpful to me!

hector festin on February 25th, 2011 3:31 pm

this is truly helpful to all!

Okultika on February 27th, 2011 3:36 am

wow.. very helpful.. thanks..

Ibrahim on February 27th, 2011 7:25 am

hi, i really appreciate what i saw. i dont know if u can help me out on tutorials that
is v-ray for sketch up, i dont even know a thing about v-ray, so pls i will appreciate
any help, thanks.

Jeron Severino on March 13th, 2011 10:18 am

great tutorials.. god speed big help for starters.

aufialwi on March 16th, 2011 2:58 am

truly benefit from tis tutorial,

thanks nomer you are a great help

nomeradona on March 17th, 2011 12:21 pm

well i’m glad this is a great help. wait for part 2.

rarchitect on March 28th, 2011 8:44 am

Thanks for the great tutorial! But everytime i try rendering a completly enclosed
space i get a totally black rendering,its driving me crazy! Could you please post
the complete vray option settings ( camera setting, GI setting etc..) for this sort of
enclosed space.

nomeradona on April 2nd, 2011 4:42 pm

i guess your physical camera is on.

rarchitect on April 3rd, 2011 2:15 pm

Nope, thats what’s driving me nuts, physical camera is off. That’s also why i was
hoping you could post the complete vray option settings.

vicko on April 12th, 2011 1:00 pm

what a nice guy,,, thanks,,, very helpfull…

NoelFRJ on April 29th, 2011 2:52 am

Thanks!!!! I love to learn this way!

onin aure on April 29th, 2011 8:57 pm

uhm sir. i just want to ask how did you modify the default settings when dealing
with the lamp shade material? i mean, i’d tried it but the material was still opaque.
how would i use the two-sided material and the right translucency for it? thank you
sir. hope you could help me.

NoelFRJ on May 1st, 2011 9:36 pm

I have a problem, on the light editor i cant modify the intensity of lights and also in
other parameters is the same problem!

When I render and image whit rectangular lights they appear black, even if I
reverse it´s face. Other types of lights just dont appear the program doesnt
include them in the scene!

nomeradona on May 4th, 2011 4:43 pm

@onin. i think you need to click force one sided material. as for the material the
rule of thumb to me is to have 70% dark gray. (front 70% and 30% back
materials.

nomeradona on May 4th, 2011 4:50 pm

@Noel, what version of vray are you using? I think you are using vray 1.05.33
maybe if the other lights icon are not showing.

NoelFRJ on May 10th, 2011 7:17 am

1.49

bublee on June 11th, 2011 3:01 pm

why cant i change the number of the penumbra angle on the spotlight setting?it
happens also in the multiplier tab on IES setting..

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

Thx

TUAN on June 22nd, 2011 4:57 am

hi can you send for me your model i need it for practice it.thanks.i can’t make this
lamp material same yous .please so me more thanks

emerson oplas on July 17th, 2011 2:20 am

sir nomer sang window mu inopen ung asa taas nung select color mu… ung para
sa material.. tsak sir.. bat pag sakin di umiilaw ung lamp q.. e ganyan nmn
gingawa q…

caulacbo.org on July 17th, 2011 6:05 pm

Wow , nice tut . thank you very much !

marie on September 28th, 2011 2:21 pm

I’ve got a question,

all my lights that I want to use, don’t work, and I’ve tried everything..
I don’t understand, can you help me?

Sorry for my english

Marie from belgium

boudi on October 26th, 2011 9:44 pm

Thanks very much for these exemple, easy to understand and well explained.
Boudi from Paris, France

simmi on November 17th, 2011 9:37 am

such a grt tutorial!! u r doin wonders by tutoring beginners like me!! Thanks a
million for ur efforts!!

derek on December 4th, 2011 11:43 pm

your renders are awesome. quick question though: how do you get the light to
shine through the lamp shade? is your shade just a regular white color? is it just
one plane? i have some shades that have a 1/4″ thickness; is this not the way to
go? your response will be greatly appreciated!!!

Got something to say?

Name (required)

Email Address (required)

Website

Speak your mind

Submit Comment

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]

Lighting with V-Ray for SketchUp – definitive guide part 1 :: Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists

Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials SketchUpArtists • Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved • Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full
and clear credit is given to Sketchupartists and the original author/owner with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

http://www.sketchupartists.org/tutorials/sketchup-and-v-ray/lighting-with-v-ray-for-sketchup-definitive-guide-part-1/[07/12/2011 6:02:51 PM]