Using Gobos And Pro Lighting Techniques In Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine Pro Lighting Workflow

Want to work like a real photographer or cinematographer in 3D? In this tutorial, Jags will show you how to professionally light Metahumans inside of Unreal Engine 5. Using traditional photo and video lighting, you can create realistic studio lighting inside of UE5.

You’ll start by gathering photo references and add your Metahuman to your project. Then using level sequences you will setup various lighting setups. You can recreate real photo techniques like shaping light and shadow with gobos.

Greyscalegorilla lighting textures can help you achieve that look in 3D with an assortment of gobos, such as windows, trees, caustics, and more. You’ll also find true-to-life area lights maps of real fixtures or you can test looks with a variety of abstract area light maps.

Jags will also show you how to use the Studio app to import paper materials and use them for backdrops, and how to even edit your materials in Unreal Engine.

Greyscalegorilla Plus members have access to hundreds of area light maps, gobos, and even HDRI within the Studio desktop app.

If you aren’t a member, you can download the Studio app and connector for Unreal Engine (or your 3D app of choice) and get 50+ free assets, including a selection of gobos, textures, materials, and more.

Three Point Lighting in 3D

Want to start with the basics? Jags followed up with his Metahuman lighting tutorial to break down a standard three-point lighting setup for beginning 3D and UE artists.

You will learn how to use an HDRI to start with environmental lighting, and then create three light sources for your key, fill, and rim light. Each is place around your subject and focused on lighting specific parts, whether that the body or just a hair light. Then you can adjust your light temperature or color to dial in specific looks.