Three-Point Lighting notes

Some of my old Schoolism-inspired notes and studies on different lighting techniques featuring one of my characters, Dinar, in his absolutely non-serious, non-canon, chibi-esque bull form. Don't ask. He was just easier (and more fun) to paint.

The classic three-point lighting technique is one of the most commonly used setups in visual media. You can see it being used a lot in character concept art where background is often non-existent, making the rim light an easy and convenient way to make the character 'pop' and offer some of the much needed depth and dimension. Each light has the capability to drastically alter the mood of the scene through color temperature, intensity or direction. This is just a basic setup, and the possibilities are limitless. It all really depends on what you're trying to achieve and convey within your scene.

upd2: Added a proper example and a few more notes!

Hope this is helpful to somebody. If you're struggling with lighting your characters, this is a great starting point.

art & character © Nayro

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