Mastering Light Movement In Substance Painter

how do i move light around substance painter

In Adobe Substance Painter, the light source can be moved using the Environment Lighting tool in the toolbar. This tool allows users to rotate the light source around their 3D scene to achieve the desired lighting effect. To move the light source under the model, users can adjust the rotation settings to either Free, Horizontal, or Vertical. Additionally, the light source can be moved using the hotkey combination Shift-RMB-Drag. Another method to manipulate lighting is by using fill layers, black masks, and generators to create and adjust fake lighting.

Characteristics Values
Software Adobe Substance Painter
Hot Keys and Mouse Move light source (Shift+RMB+Drag)
Rotate (Alt+LMB)
Pan (Alt+MMB)
Zoom (Alt+RMB)
Environment Lighting Tool Rotation (rotate the environment light around the scene)
Intensity (adjust the brightness of the environment light)
Rotation Type (Free, Horizontal, Vertical)
Maps Moved over the surface with Gizmo

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Use the Environment Lighting tool to adjust the light in your scene

The Environment Lighting tool in Substance Painter allows you to adjust the lighting in your 3D scene to achieve the desired rendering. This tool gives you control over the rotation and intensity of the environment light.

To use the Environment Lighting tool, first set up your scene in Substance 3D Stager. Once your scene is ready, switch to the Environment Lighting tool in the toolbar. This tool provides options to adjust the rotation and intensity of the environment lighting.

The rotation setting allows you to rotate the environment light around your scene. You can choose between "Free," "Horizontal," and "Vertical" rotation. "Free" rotation enables both horizontal and vertical adjustments, while "Horizontal" and "Vertical" constrain the rotation to their respective axes.

The intensity setting lets you adjust the brightness of the environment light. By modifying the intensity, you can create the desired lighting effect in your scene. Play around with different intensity levels to see how it affects the overall lighting and atmosphere of your render.

By utilizing the Environment Lighting tool, you can fine-tune the lighting in your Substance Painter scene, ensuring that your renders meet your desired vision. This tool gives you the flexibility to adjust the light's position and brightness, contributing to the overall visual quality of your 3D project.

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Rotate the light source using the viewport

To rotate the light source in Substance Painter, you must first ensure that your viewport is set to Material Mode. This will allow you to manipulate the HDRI map, which is one of the two light sources available. The other light source is the fake lighting generated by using the position baked map along with generators, particularly the "light" generator.

Once you are in Material Mode, you can use the Environment Lighting tool to adjust your environment lights. This tool can be found in the toolbar. By clicking and dragging within the viewport, you can rotate the light source around your scene.

The rotation can be constrained to either horizontal or vertical movement, or you can choose the "Free" option to rotate both horizontally and vertically without restriction.

It's important to note that the HDRI map can only be rotated horizontally, so if you need to add light to the bottom areas of your scene, you will have to adjust the maps manually. This can be done by creating a fill layer and adding a black mask, then adding a light generator within the mask and aiming it upwards.

By utilizing the Environment Lighting tool and adjusting the rotation and intensity of the light source, you can fine-tune the lighting in your Substance Painter scene to achieve the desired effect.

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Change the light's rotation from free to horizontal or vertical

To change the lights rotation from free to horizontal or vertical in Substance Painter, follow these steps:

  • Open the Environment Lighting tool in the toolbar.
  • Click and drag in the viewport to rotate the light.
  • To constrain the rotation to only horizontal or vertical movement, select the appropriate option. The "Horizontal" option will lock the rotation to horizontal-only, while the "Vertical" option will lock it to vertical-only.
  • Continue to click and drag within the viewport to adjust the lighting to your desired position.

By following these steps, you can change the lights rotation from free rotation to either horizontal or vertical movement, allowing for more precise control over your lighting setup in Substance Painter.

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Adjust the intensity of the light to make it brighter or darker

To adjust the intensity of the light in Substance Painter to make it brighter or darker, you must first set up your scene. Once your scene is ready, you can use the Environment Lighting tool to adjust the lighting to your desired effect.

The Environment Lighting tool allows you to rotate the light source and adjust its brightness. To do this, switch to the Environment Lighting tool in the toolbar and click and drag in the viewport to rotate the light. You can choose to rotate the light freely, both horizontally and vertically, or constrain the rotation to just horizontal or just vertical.

After positioning the light source, you can adjust its intensity by going back to the Environment Lighting tool settings. Here, you will find the option to adjust the intensity or brightness of the light. By increasing the intensity, you will make the light brighter, and decreasing it will make the light darker.

Additionally, you can use the HDRI map as one of your light sources, which can be rotated horizontally to add light to the bottom areas of your scene. The other light source is the fake lighting generated by using the position baked map and generators, specifically the "light" generator. By creating a fill layer and adding a black mask and a light generator, you can aim the light upwards to illuminate your scene from below.

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Move the light source with Shift-RMB-Drag

To move the light source in Substance Painter, you can use the shortcut Shift-RMB-Drag. This allows you to reposition the light source in your 3D scene. By pressing and holding Shift and the right mouse button, you can then drag the mouse to move the light source to your desired location.

This method provides a quick and efficient way to adjust the lighting in your scene. You can move the light source up, down, left, or right to achieve the desired effect. Keep in mind that this action is separate from rotating the light source, which would involve a different set of controls.

Additionally, when moving the light source, you can also adjust its intensity or brightness. This can be done by accessing the environment lighting settings. By increasing or decreasing the intensity, you can make the light source brighter or dimmer, respectively, allowing for further customization of your scene's lighting.

The ability to move the light source in Substance Painter is a powerful tool that grants you control over the lighting conditions in your 3D scene. By combining this with other lighting techniques, such as the use of masks and fill layers, you can create dynamic and visually appealing results. Remember to experiment and adjust the lighting until you achieve the desired outcome.

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