[Solved] Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

For all the users of Twilight Render (V1 & V2), to ask questions and get started
spreadcore
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[Solved] Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by spreadcore » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:00 pm

I'm using Sketchup 8 and twilight win32 V2 Hobby.(Yes I know their old versions)

In image #1 this is how it looks in Sketchup, Using basic colors and materials unrendered.

In image #2 this is how it looks when rendered. Materials have the Template presets (Metal: Aluminum, Glass:common) set to them and the background enviro. is set to Spherical Sky using a background image called softlight.hdr
This looks about what I want.

In image #3 this is how it looks when rendered with the Background enviro. changed to Background Fit Image using a space image 1920x1080. The Model now shows all Black. Note: This seems to mainly happen when using the Glass and Metal template presets
.
In image #4 this is how it looks when rendered with Background set to Background Fit Image and all Templates removed from materials.
While the model here looks kind of okay, it's not as good looking as the render using the template presets in image #2

What am I doing wrong? Settings are all at basically the defaults, Light source is just the sun.

Image

Image

Image

Image
Last edited by spreadcore on Sun Jan 16, 2022 9:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Fletch
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Re: Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by Fletch » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:25 pm

Metal material is reflecting your environment.

If you choose any environment with "Background" in the name, then it will NOT REFLECT or add light to your scene.
You need to use a spherical sky.

Try finding a spherical image with stars in the sky, use it in "sperical sky".
You may also need to add a couple long thin planes shining onto your model with emitter materials set to "invisible" and position them creatively to get the light reflections you want.

If it were me, I would render with exact studio lighting I wanted to make my object look best, then render the Alpha Mask and photoshop the sky image background in post-pro.

See also the post down below - the same lighting principles apply to your object in space.

Subject: Studio lighting template
Fletch wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:14 pm See also this thread where I show many designer light fixtures in-situ.

Subject: Louis Poulsen Designer Light Fixtures

In that thread you will find this post describing a studio setup you can create for full control and rendering your light fixtures:

Subject: Louis Poulsen Designer Light Fixtures
Fletch wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:58 pm Here is an idea for a very easy studio lighting setup for a chrome object like this light fixture.

Using 4 rectangular emitter planes to create a studio for this light fixture, place them in a box-like patter around the object.
Set the back planes as emitter material with power at 150w/m2
Set the Front Left and Front Right emitter planes with emitter at 500w/m2
Image

spreadcore
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Re: Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by spreadcore » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:57 pm

Fletch wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:25 pm Metal material is reflecting your environment.

If you choose any environment with "Background" in the name, then it will NOT REFLECT or add light to your scene.
You need to use a spherical sky.

Try finding a spherical image with stars in the sky, use it in "sperical sky".
You may also need to add a couple long thin planes shining onto your model with emitter materials set to "invisible" and position them creatively to get the light reflections you want.
Thank you for the reply, I'll study these and give it a go.
If it were me, I would render with exact studio lighting I wanted to make my object look best, then render the Alpha Mask and photoshop the sky image background in post-pro.
Using alpha masks in photoshop, Sounds good, Ive used them for other things.

Where's the setting for rendering the alpha mask in Twilight? I don't think I seen it. (Nevermind I found it)

spreadcore
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Re: Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by spreadcore » Sun Jan 16, 2022 9:23 pm

Fletch wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:25 pm
If it were me, I would render with exact studio lighting I wanted to make my object look best, then render the Alpha Mask and photoshop the sky image background in post-pro.
Thanks, I used this composting method and it worked great.

Here was a quick test, I need to make some tweaks. But it worked well Thanks!

Image

Image

Image

Fletch
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Re: [Solved] Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by Fletch » Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:09 am

Subject: How to use the Alpha Mask / Alpha Channel
Fletch wrote: Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:17 pm ...
Render the Alpha Mask at twice the resolution you will need in your final image and resize the mask in your image editing program. This increases the quality of your alpha mask image.
Then place that Alpha Mask rendering onto the Alpha Channel for your rendered image's layer.
...

spreadcore
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Re: [Solved] Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by spreadcore » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:41 pm

Fletch wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:09 am Subject: How to use the Alpha Mask / Alpha Channel
Fletch wrote: Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:17 pm ...
Render the Alpha Mask at twice the resolution you will need in your final image and resize the mask in your image editing program. This increases the quality of your alpha mask image.
Then place that Alpha Mask rendering onto the Alpha Channel for your rendered image's layer.
...
Okay I'll give that a shot too! Thank You Fletch

ntxdave
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Re: Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by ntxdave » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:00 pm

Fletch wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:25 pm See also the post down below - the same lighting principles apply to your object in space.
Why does this video not show up on my iPad? I have seen this several times. It shows up fine on my iPhone and laptop (Windows 10).

Fletch
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Re: Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by Fletch » Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:09 pm

ntxdave wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:00 pm
Why does this video not show up on my iPad?
:roll: :shrug:

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Re: [Solved] Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by ntxdave » Tue Jan 18, 2022 12:10 am

Is that the lighting tutorial?

Fletch
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Re: [Solved] Materials render Black in Twilight Render (Newbie)

Post by Fletch » Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:37 am

"environment"
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