For most of us lighting is something usual, something we do not pay much attention to. It repeats day after day, the sun rises and goes down; we switch the lights on and off. 90% of our experience with light is completely passive.
In 3D computer graphics lighting is an essential aspect!
It often happens that a well-modeled 3D object looks unconvincing and flat because of bad implemented lighting solution. On the other hand, well-chosen lighting techniques can significantly enhance the project's value.
If you're using Enscape for your architectural designs, getting the lighting right is key. Let's look at some easy ways to improve your lighting and create better 3D renders.
1. Understanding how light works in Enscape
Enscape is built to mimic real-world lighting, which means:
- Light bounces off surfaces naturally
- Shadows are dynamic and realistic
- Materials interact with light in a lifelike way
📌 Try this: Open Visual Settings and explore the Lighting tab to adjust exposure, artificial light brightness, and ambient lighting.
2. Mastering natural sunlight
Sunlight plays a huge role in architectural renders. With Enscape, you can easily adjust it to get the perfect look:
- Change the sun’s position and angle
- Adjust brightness and intensity (Visual Settings > Atmosphere)
- Use HDRI skies for realistic environments (Visual Settings > Sky Settings > Load HDRI)
📌 Pro tip: Move the sun around (Shift + U/J) to see how different times of day affect your design.
3. Adding and tweaking artificial lights
When working on interiors or night scenes, artificial lighting is essential. Enscape gives you several options:
- Point Lights (for general lighting)
- Spotlights / IES Lights (for directional lighting)
- Area Lights (for soft, ambient lighting)
- Emissive Materials (for glowing surfaces)
📌 How to add lights:
- Place light sources in Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, or Archicad
- Adjust brightness, temperature, and angle in Enscape Settings
- Use IES profiles for realistic light patterns
4. Making materials look more realistic
Light interacts with materials differently depending on their properties. To get more realism:
- Adjust Reflectivity to control glossiness
- Modify Transparency for glass
- Use Emissive Textures to create self-lit surfaces
📌 Try this: Open the Material Editor in your design software and tweak Reflection, Roughness, and Transparency sliders to see how they affect your scene.
5. Letting light bounce naturally
In real life, light bounces around a room, softening shadows and creating a natural look. Enscape does this automatically, but you can enhance the effect by:
- Using lighter materials to reflect more light
For example:
- White walls or light-colored floors reflect more light compared to dark materials.
- Glossy surfaces (like polished tiles or glass) will scatter light more effectively than matte surfaces
- Adjusting ambient brightness
- Adding subtle area lights to brighten dark corners
6. Changing light color for different moods
The color of your lighting can dramatically change the feel of your design:
- Warm light (3000K-4000K) = Cozy, inviting atmosphere
- Neutral light (4500K-5000K) = Balanced daylight
- Cool light (5500K-6500K) = Modern, high-tech look
📌 Try this: Adjust the light color temperature in Enscape Light Settings to set the mood of your space.
7. Using HDRI Backgrounds for Realistic Lighting
Want to instantly boost realism? Use HDRI backgrounds to simulate natural outdoor lighting:
- Creates lifelike reflections on glass and metal
- Enhances outdoor and open-space renders
📌 How to apply:
- Go to Visual Settings > Sky Settings
- Load an HDRI file ****and rotate it to change the light direction
8. Adding final touches to your render
To make your final render pop, use Enscape’s built-in effects:
- Depth of Field: Blurs the background for a more cinematic look
- Vignette: Darkens the edges for a professional feel
📌 Tip: Keep these effects subtle for a natural result.
Getting lighting right in Enscape doesn’t have to be complicated. With these simple adjustments, you can create beautiful, professional-quality renders in no time.
Now it’s your turn! Open Enscape, tweak your lighting settings, and see how much better your renders can look! You can also learn Enscape through my free rendering session.
