Presenting your Work - Background Color
I am in the process of making a new digital portfolio and I wanted to have a standard setup of lighting and backdrops for my models.
When you render out a turnaround, what color backdrop do you use? Do you feel black is too dark? Is white to bright? Do you like using color lights?
Pedestals. Should the character / model float in space or should they be grounded on a pedestal?
Thoughts?
When you render out a turnaround, what color backdrop do you use? Do you feel black is too dark? Is white to bright? Do you like using color lights?
Pedestals. Should the character / model float in space or should they be grounded on a pedestal?
Thoughts?
Replies
Black is too dark, white is too bright, and colored lights are great.
When lighting your scene, keep it simple and easy to ready (nothing all shadowed out or dark). I usually use a warm (orange) light from below, a cool (aqua/blue) from above/behind and a main fill light that is white or slightly yellow (like sunlight). Test each light on it's own to see that they look good, and then all should look great together.
Characters don't "need" pedestals, but it can help ground the character, as in, give the viewer a sense of scale. I'm particularly fond of seeing a small environment cut-out for the pedestal. Nothing crazy, just again something to ground it within its own reality and tell a story about the character.
Look at the DomWar winners, these mostly all have awesome pedistals/background to help set the tone.
Or maybe you could go for a low contrast/saturation image or something. Maybe some nice abstract moving stuff (for reel/turntables) depending on the style and theme of your work.
I am personally in favor of pedestals. Free-float your character if you don't have it rigged yet. A character with their arms sticking out to either side looks silly on a pedestal. But if your character is ready for posing, than a pedestal helps to give it much-needed context. The pedestal itself is also another chance for you to strut your stuff. A touch of level and prop design to go with your modeling skills. It's a bit more work, but I think it is most likely worth it.
Also, kudos on bringing up this topic. Pointers on this subject are most welcome.
greenish/brownish/grayish
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