“How a CSG-based raytracer saves time: lighting and scripting for Ice Age” by Esneault, Kopelman and Whitsel
Conference:
Type(s):
Interest Area:
- Application
Title:
- How a CSG-based raytracer saves time: lighting and scripting for Ice Age
Session/Category Title: Making of Ice Age
Presenter(s)/Author(s):
Abstract:
At Blue Sky Studios, two overriding principles have guided the development of the renderer and production lighting tools: 1) the lighting model should be as physically accurate as possible, and 2) be straightforward and easy to use so that the computers take care of the technical work leaving the artists free to concentrate on the creative aspects of lighting a scene. Blue Sky’s proprietary renderer, CGIStudio™, has one of the most robust lighting models in the industry. The renderer’s realistic approach to how light actually behaves in the real world lets the artist add details like soft shadows, reflections, and radiosity at the flip of a switch. Artists are able to achieve complex and subtle lighting with relatively simple lighting rigs, allowing them to get the image as ‘right’ as possible in the original render.
