Lighting in Cinema 4D

1. The first thing we are going to do is change the default way we view scenes in Cinema 4D. Usually, we look at one view port. In this tutorial, we will be using four. Open a new document in C4D, and press F5.

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2. Quick overview if you have never worked with multiple view ports. Each box is a different view of the same scene. Your most familiar box is the perspective view. The view in the top right is your top view. The one in your bottom left is your side view port, and bottom right is your front view port. These different views will allow us to edit our scene more easily. Create 3 primitive spheres (Object > Primitive > Sphere). Align them in your top view port like so:

3. Apply any material of your choice that has transparency and reflections. You can download some materials in our downloads section if you do not know how to make them yourself, or can go take our tutorial on how to make glass materials.

4. This is what you renders probably usually represent. The next steps are crucial in making more realistic renders with dust, lighting, and more.

5. Create a new light (Objects > Scene > Light). Move it to the center of the 3 spheres:

6. Change the settings in the general attributes tab to match the following:

Details should be set up like:

Visibility:

ALSO UNCHECK ADAPT BRIGHTNESS IF NECESSARY

7. Now we need to rotate the light so that it shines through a sphere. Use your rotate tool and then use the view ports to move your light it the right direction of one sphere:

8. Copy the light, and paste it again. Rotate the new light so that it goes through another sphere. Repeat again for the last sphere:

9. Create another light, and move it up in your front view port so that it is above all of your other lights and spheres:

10. Create a floor object (Objects > Scene > Floor). Move it below all of your previous objects:

11. You can apply a material to your floor if you would like for better results.

Good Luck!