3D Enviroment - Lighting and Building Positions

After I finished modelling my buildings, I decided to test out my lighting. I did this before my texturing so I could see what atmosphere looked better with my scene. I did texture the floor with a granite filter and a desert floor image so I could see how textures looked with the lighting. Additionally, I knew I wouldn't change the floor texture for different atmospheres, so it was a good marker for my other textures.

I first set up my shot by moving the buildings into position and moving the camera to where it will be in the final shot. I was originally going to have the bar at the farthest end of the shot, however I had a lot of trouble fitting it in. I swapped it for the two smaller buildings, but I put them at an angle so the bar could be seen as well. Additionally, rotating the buildings helped create a cul-de-sac appearance, which makes the town seem bigger than it is.

I then added the floor texture by adding a plane and a granite texture, layered with a photo of the desert. I placed a light in the building at the back to work out which windows and doors I wanted lights to come out of. I put the light on full vibrancy, however it is still very dim. I might try moving it forward a little, or adding a second light. The light also lit up the rest of the inside, which isn't what I wanted so I might see if I can block out a lot of the inside of the house. I also experimented with a lower shot, which I think works just as well as the initial shot. I like that it shows more of the church, especially the details at the top.

After adding the first light, I tried out a lot of other lights in my scene. I was going to avoid putting lights at the front because I thought it would put too much attention on the building in the foreground. However, I tried it out and really like how it looks. I think it made the foreground stronger, and it helps draw the viewer into the scene. I also added a light to the church window, which helps take some focus off the foreground building.

Now I've got most of the lights in, I will texture the buildings and maybe add some more lights in. I also want to add some landscaping, such as mountains, behind the two smaller buildings as the space above them seems too empty.