Unreal Engine 5- Beginner Lighting, Fog, and Post Processing from Udemy

If you're a game developer looking to level-up your lighting abilities in Unreal Engine 5, then you're in the right place.

In this course I'll teach you everything you need to know to start lighting beautiful scenes, by taking advantage of all the different light types, as well as teach you the basics of post-processing, and fog.

If you don't have any experience in Unreal Engine 4, or 5, I've got you covered. I've dedicated part of this course to teaching the basic knowledge needed to complete this course. You'll learn how to install the engine, how to add objects to your new projects, and even how to navigate the engine and edit levels.

Once you learn the basics, or if you already have some experience, we'll hop into learning all of UE5s lighting tools. I'll teach you the basic universal lighting settings that you'll need to know about for all your projects. I'll show you how to use global illumination methods, and how to switch between different ones like Lumen and ray tracing. I'll explain each individual light type so that you can see how the unique settings of each function. As well as basic lighting, I'll get into some other crucial parts of lighting your scene, like building lighting, and how to avoid common errors.

After learning those tools, we'll dive into learning the basics of the exponential height fog, and post-processing effects that we can use to spice up our scenes. And finally, with all of the knowledge you've gained throughout the course, I'll demonstrate how we can put all these tools together by walking you through the lighting of two scenes from scratch.

If this sounds like something you're interested in, I look forward to teaching you the basics of lighting scenes in Unreal Engine 5.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Overviews for each individual light
How to build lighting and avoid common errors
How to use fog, and other atmospheric effects

Basics of using post-process volumes
How to fully light a scene in multiple different styles

Overviews for each individual light
How to build lighting and avoid common errors
How to use fog, and other atmospheric effects
Basics of using post-process volumes
How to fully light a scene in multiple different styles

Syllabus

The Basics

Installing Unreal Engine 5

Creating a new Project

Basic Hotkeys and Engine Navigation

Importing Objects to use in your Projects

Lighting Settings Overviews

Enabling/Disabling Lumen and Raytracing

Fundamental Lighting Settings, and Point Light Settings

Spotlight Settings Overview

Rect Light Settings Overview

Directional Light Settings Overview

Sky Light Settings Overview

Building Lighting, Common Errors, and adjusting Lightmaps

Creating Emissive Materials

Fog , Atmosphere, and Post-Processing Overview

Creating our Demo Scene

Exponential Height Fog Settings Overview

Sky Atmosphere Basic Overview

Post Process Volume Overview

Lighting our scene

Lighting walkthrough 1, "Dreamy Sunset"

Lighting walkthrough 2, "Night Time"

Conclusion

That's all, now go make something awesome!

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Unreal Engine 5- Beginner Lighting, Fog, and Post Processing with these activities:

Review Basic 3D Modeling Concepts

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Reviewing 3D modeling concepts will help you better understand how objects are created and imported into Unreal Engine 5, making the lighting process more intuitive.

Browse courses on Polygon Modeling

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Watch introductory videos on 3D modeling workflows.
Familiarize yourself with common 3D modeling terms.
Practice creating simple shapes in a 3D modeling software.

Read 'Rendering with Unreal Engine'

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the rendering pipeline and how lighting interacts with other visual elements in Unreal Engine 5.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Focus on chapters related to lighting and rendering techniques.
Take notes on key concepts and terminology.
Relate the concepts to the practical examples from the course.

Read 'Unreal Engine 5 Cookbook'

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Reading this book will provide practical examples and solutions for common lighting challenges in Unreal Engine 5.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Browse the table of contents for relevant lighting chapters.
Read through the recipes related to specific lighting techniques.
Experiment with the provided code examples in your own projects.

Four other activities

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Document Lighting Setups

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Documenting your lighting setups will reinforce your understanding of the different light types and their settings, and help you build a personal library of lighting solutions.

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Create a new document or spreadsheet.
For each light type, record its settings and their effects.
Include screenshots of the scene with different lighting setups.
Add notes on the strengths and weaknesses of each setup.

Lighting Challenge: Recreate a Scene

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Recreating the lighting of a scene from a movie or game will challenge you to apply your knowledge of Unreal Engine 5's lighting tools and techniques.

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Choose a scene from a movie or game with distinct lighting.
Gather reference images and videos of the scene.
Recreate the scene's environment in Unreal Engine 5.
Adjust the lighting to match the reference material.

Create a Lighting Style Guide

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Creating a lighting style guide will help you solidify your understanding of different lighting styles and how to achieve them in Unreal Engine 5.

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Research different lighting styles (e.g., realistic, stylized).
Create a document outlining the characteristics of each style.
Provide examples of how to achieve each style in Unreal Engine 5.
Include screenshots and lighting settings for each example.

Contribute to Unreal Engine Forums

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Answering questions and sharing your knowledge on the Unreal Engine forums will reinforce your understanding of the course material and help others learn.

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Browse the Unreal Engine forums for lighting-related questions.
Answer questions based on your knowledge from the course.
Share your own lighting tips and tricks.

Career center

Learners who complete Unreal Engine 5- Beginner Lighting, Fog, and Post Processing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Lighting Artist

A Lighting Artist crafts visually stunning and immersive lighting schemes for games, film, and other media. This role involves understanding light behavior, color theory, and scene composition to create the desired mood and atmosphere. A course covering lighting techniques in Unreal Engine 5 is directly applicable, as proficiency with industry-standard software and diverse lighting scenarios is essential. You will learn about global illumination methods, light types, and post-processing effects, mastering how to build compelling scenes. The course's final walkthroughs of lighting scenes from scratch are particularly helpful, as they provide hands-on experience and valuable insights into the practical application of lighting principles. This comprehensive approach helps build a strong foundation for a successful career as a Lighting Artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lighting Artist

Real-Time Rendering Artist

A Real-Time Rendering Artist specializes in creating high-quality visuals using real-time rendering engines like Unreal Engine. This role is increasingly important in industries such as gaming, film, and architecture, where interactive and photorealistic visuals are in demand. A course on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 is directly applicable, as lighting is a fundamental aspect of real-time rendering. Mastering different light types, global illumination techniques like Lumen and ray tracing, and atmospheric effects is crucial for achieving stunning visuals. The course's emphasis on building lighting and avoiding common errors ensures optimized and visually compelling real-time scenes. A Real-Time Rendering Artist helps build a strong resume using this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Real-Time Rendering Artist

Level Designer

Level Designers create the interactive spaces that players navigate in games. They are responsible for the layout, flow, and gameplay events within each level. A course covering lighting in Unreal Engine 5 is particularly relevant, as lighting significantly impacts the mood, atmosphere, and player experience within a level. Level Designers use lighting to guide players, highlight points of interest, and create dramatic moments. With the overview of light types, global illumination, and hands-on lighting walkthroughs, Level Designers can craft engaging and visually appealing levels. Moreover, instruction on building lighting, adjusting lightmaps, and using fog and atmospheric effects helps to make more immersive and optimized environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Level Designer

Virtual Production Specialist

A Virtual Production Specialist uses real-time technology, like Unreal Engine, to create visual effects and environments for film and television. This role requires a strong understanding of both traditional filmmaking techniques and cutting-edge technology. A course focused on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 is highly relevant, as lighting is crucial for creating realistic and compelling virtual environments. Virtual Production Specialists use lighting to match real-world sets, create dynamic lighting effects, and integrate virtual elements seamlessly with live-action footage. Instruction on global illumination, light types, and post-processing assists with this. Learning to build lighting and avoid common errors helps to maintain visual fidelity and performance in real-time environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Virtual Production Specialist

Indie Game Developer

An Indie Game Developer often wears many hats, handling various aspects of game creation, including art, programming, and design. A course covering lighting in Unreal Engine 5 is particularly helpful, as lighting can significantly impact the visual quality and appeal of an indie game. Indie Game Developers can leverage the course to learn how to create visually stunning and immersive environments with limited resources. Learning light types, global illumination, and post-processing helps to optimize the game's visual impact. Instruction on building lighting, adjusting lightmaps, and avoiding common lighting errors is essential for maximizing performance and visual fidelity in indie game projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Indie Game Developer

Environment Artist

Environment Artists are responsible for creating the 3D environments that players explore in games. They design and build landscapes, architecture, and other assets to bring virtual worlds to life. A course covering lighting in Unreal Engine 5 is beneficial. Environment Artists use lighting to enhance the mood, realism, and visual appeal of their environments. The course's overview of light types, global illumination, and post-processing effects provides a deep understanding of lighting techniques that can be applied to environment creation. Ultimately, Environment Artists use lighting and other components to produce high-quality and immersive scenes. By learning to build lighting, adjust lightmaps, and avoid common lighting errors, aspiring Environment Artists can create more compelling and optimized environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Environment Artist

Visual Effects Artist

A Visual Effects Artist creates digital effects and imagery for film, television, and video games. This role requires a strong understanding of a variety of software and techniques, including lighting, compositing, and animation. A course focusing on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 is valuable for Visual Effects Artists, who often utilize lighting to create realistic and seamless effects. Gaining familiarity with light types, global illumination methods, and post-processing enables them to create visually stunning and believable effects. Learning to use fog and atmospheric effects is particularly useful for creating realistic environments and integrating visual effects with live-action footage. The scene walkthroughs help hone skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Effects Artist

Cinematographer

A Cinematographer, traditionally working in film, can now find exciting opportunities in game development, crafting cinematic sequences and in-game scenes. This role focuses on using lighting, camera angles, and composition to tell stories visually. A course covering lighting in Unreal Engine 5 directly translates, offering skills in creating mood and atmosphere through light. Learning about light types, global illumination, and post-processing effects helps to enhance the visual impact of scenes and create the desired emotional response. A Cinematographer can also leverage knowledge of fog and atmospheric effects to add depth and realism to their virtual environments. The scene walkthroughs cement learned skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cinematographer

Architectural Visualizer

An Architectural Visualizer creates photorealistic renderings and animations of architectural designs. This role requires a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of lighting, materials, and composition. A course covering lighting in Unreal Engine 5 is useful to Architectural Visualizers, who are beginning to use real-time rendering to produce interactive experiences. Mastering light types, global illumination methods, and post-processing effects helps them to create realistic and visually stunning visualizations. Learning to build lighting, adjust lightmaps, and create emissive materials is essential for producing high-quality architectural renderings in Unreal Engine.

See salaries and explore the career path for Architectural Visualizer

Simulation Specialist

Simulation Specialists develop realistic virtual environments for training, research, and other purposes. These simulations often require accurate lighting to create immersive and believable experiences. A course covering lighting in Unreal Engine 5 is beneficial, as it provides the tools and knowledge to create realistic lighting scenarios. Simulation Specialists can use the knowledge of light types, global illumination methods, and post-processing effects to enhance the realism of their simulations. Learning to build lighting, adjust lightmaps, and use fog and atmospheric effects helps to create compelling and accurate virtual environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Simulation Specialist

Technical Artist

A Technical Artist bridges the gap between artists and programmers, optimizing art assets and workflows within game engines. This role requires a blend of artistic and technical skills to ensure visual quality and performance. A course focused on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 may be useful for Technical Artists who often troubleshoot and optimize lighting setups for performance. Understanding light settings, global illumination, and post-processing helps solve visual problems and improve the final result. Learning to build lighting and adjust lightmaps can be invaluable for optimizing game performance while maintaining visual fidelity. The course's exploration of fog and atmospheric effects may also be pertinent for enhancing the overall game environment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Artist

Game Designer

Game Designers conceptualize and design the gameplay, mechanics, and overall experience of a game. This role requires a broad understanding of game development principles, including art, programming, and design. While not their primary focus, Game Designers often need to understand the basics of lighting and visual effects to communicate their vision effectively to the art team. A course focusing on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 may be useful for Game Designers who want to better understand visual elements. Understanding lighting settings, light types and post-processing helps to communicate a desired mood and aesthetic. Seeing the course's walkthroughs may help to build visual references when conveying visual elements.

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Motion Graphics Artist

A Motion Graphics Artist creates animated graphics and visual effects for a variety of media, including commercials, television shows, and video games. While not always the primary focus, lighting can play a significant role in enhancing the visual appeal and impact of motion graphics. A course focused on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 may be useful for Motion Graphics Artists who want to add more depth and realism to their animations. Learning basic lighting principles, light types, and post-processing effects helps them create visually compelling motion graphics. Knowledge of emissive materials and atmospheric effects can be particularly useful for creating stylized and dynamic animations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Motion Graphics Artist

Animator

Animators bring characters and objects to life through movement and performance. While their primary focus is on animation, understanding lighting can greatly enhance the visual impact of their work. A course on lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 may be useful for Animators, who can use lighting to create mood and atmosphere in their scenes. Gaining familiarity with different light types and post-processing effects helps to create more visually compelling animations. Animators may also leverage knowledge of emissive materials and atmospheric effects to add depth and realism to their animated scenes.

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Game Art Outsourcing Manager

A Game Art Outsourcing Manager oversees the process of contracting external art studios to produce game assets. This role requires a broad understanding of game art pipelines and the ability to communicate technical requirements effectively. While not directly involved in art creation, understanding the fundamentals of lighting, fog, and post-processing in Unreal Engine 5 may be useful for Game Art Outsourcing Managers. This helps communicate effectively with external art teams and evaluate the quality of their work. Familiarity with different light types, global illumination methods, and common lighting errors allows them to provide clear and actionable feedback to ensure the final assets meet the game's visual standards.

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Unreal Engine 5- Beginner Lighting, Fog, and Post Processing

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