EXTERIOR RENDER SETTINGS (VRAY 3.

4 FOR
SKETCHUP)

In order to fully understand the possible render output in Vray using various environment
settings such as Vray Sun and Sky, Domelight+ HDRI and Vray Environment + HDRI, I
made a simple rendering experimentation that highlights different parameters or settings
which generally affect the tonality and atmosphere of the rendered image output.

During the test render experimentation, I enabled the material override and set the water
pool to ‘Can be Overridden ‘. I also added a Sphere model inside the scene with silver
polished material in order to see the reflection of the sky.

For Vray Sun and Sky System, I set up a basic scene in default setting and lit it a couple of
different ways, (enabling and disabling) Vray sun, background, and GI (Skylight). For Vray
dome light with HDRI texture, a comparative test render was made using default setting
and optimized setting. For Vray Environment with HDRI texture, the test render will
highlights the possible output when render in optimized setting using HDRI as the light
source and Vray sun as an additional light source.

General Settings

1. Vray Sun and Sky System

2. Dome light+ HDRI

3. Vray Environment+ HDRI

4. Vray Sun Sky Model

Parameters

1. Vray Sun (Summarized settings)

2. Dome light+ HDRI (Summarized settings)

3. Vray Environment + HDRI (Summarized settings)

GENERAL SETTINGS

1. Vray Sun and Sky System

In Vray default setting, Vray Sun and Vray Sky are special features which are provided by
the Vray Render engine. When set in default setting, notice the sunlight is enabled. If you
go to Vray Asset Editor> Settings> Environment> Background, you can see that the default
background is set to Vray Sky or technically the Vray Sun (Vray sunlight). Under
Environment Overrides, the GI Skylight is technically turn-off in default settings. However,
when you turn on the GI Skylight option and choose the Vray sky as the light source, the
render result will be similar to Vray default settings. In comparison with the Domelight and
Vray Environment settings, the shadow use to appear sharper when rendered using Vray
Sun and sky system.
 1.0 Vray Sun

Settings 1.1 (default) and 1.2 show a similar render output, which produces clearer
environment. Here, when enabling the GI skylight and using Vray sky as the light source
while the Vray sun is turned on, the render result is similar to default settings. This
particular render output goes the same in Setting 1.9 with a slight difference in terms of its
background. 
Settings 1.3 and 1.4 show a similar render output. Enabling the GI skylight with Vray
sky as the light source while the Vray Sun is turned off doesn’t produce such brighter
environment. Here, the light power using GI skylight with Vray sky as the light source does
not produce a brighter environment as compared with the Vray sun when turned on. The
Vray Sky as the background image enable to illuminate in the material of the 3-D object. In
terms of atmosphere, Setting 1.7 has almost the same result to settings 1.3 and 1.4 but
with different background.
Setting 1.5 shows that turning off the Vray sun and GI sky light (which means there is no
light source) makes the model illuminate to darker environment, but still manages to render
the background with strong visibility, when turned on.
Setting 1.6 shows that when using both Vray sun and GI skylight with no light source
(None) the environment becomes warmer, cloudy or hazy. This atmosphere goes the same
in Setting 1.8 with a slight difference in terms of the background appearance.
Setting 1.10 shows that increasing the value of GI skylight with Vray sky as the light
source while the Vray sun is disabled produce a brighter illumination of materials.

1.1 Vray Sun settings

2. Dome light+ HDRI

Using Vray for SketchUp, when loading a Dome light+ HDRI in default setting, the render
result will be darker in nature (See image 2.0/ Setting 2.1.A). Thus, optimizing the Dome
light settings is important in order to produce a suitable environment in relation to HDRI
map. (See image 2.0/ Setting 2.1.B). In order to set-up the Dome light: click the Dome
light icon and place it in your SketchUp scene. To change the parameters for Dome light
follow the procedures: under ‘Vray Asset Editor’> go to ‘Lights’> click the Vray Dome light>
under Light dome, you can see two main parameters (Main and Options). Follow the
parameters set-up I made for this test render experiment (See image 2.1 Dome light
Setting). The shadow in Dome light+ HDRI setting appears to be smoother than Vray sun
setting. This can be illustrated in test render sample (see image 2.0/ Setting 2.1.B and
Setting 2.2.B). Using Dome light setting, the lights come from HDRI map as direct light, and
all kinds of effects like shadows, reflection, etc… will be apparent.

2.0 Dome light

 2.1 Dome light settings

3. Vray Environment + HDRI

In Dome light, adjusting the intensity will generally affect both the background and the light
at the same time. The advantage of using Vray Environment than Dome light is that you can
use different maps for both lighting and background while at the same time, adjusting the
intensity separately by multipliers. Optimizing the Vray Environment is important in order to
produce a suitable environment to your scene. Enabling Vray sun while GI skylight is turned
on (with optimized setting) is not necessary, since you don’t need to have two light sources
in your scene. Having two light sources in one scene will just increase the render time.
3.0  Vray Environment
 3.1 Vray Environment Settings

4. Vray Sun Sky model

Hosek et al. – The VRaySky procedural texture will be generated based on the Hosek et al.
method.

Preetham et al. – The VRaySky procedural texture will be generated based on the Preetham
et al. method.

CIE Clear – The VRaySky procedural texture will be generated based on the CIE method for
clear sky.

CIE Overcast – The VRaySky procedural texture will be generated based on the CIE method
for cloudy sky.
4.0 Vray Sun Sky Model
 4.1 Sun Sky Model Options

SOURCE:  Click Here

PARAMETERS:

1. Vray Sun (Default setting)

Vray Sun and Sky system, ensure a faster render than Domelight and Vray Environment.
This render setting is the very basic of Vray sun environment.
5.1.0 VRAY SUN (default)
 5.1.1 Vray Sun (settings)

2. Dome light+ HDRI

The Vray Dome light is a really quick way to get clean results if you can't use irradiance
maps which is typical in Vray Environment setting. The V-Ray dome light does the
importance sampling which gives you a better shadows, quicker and cleaner render than
Vray Environment. 
 5.2.0 DOMELIGHT HDRI

5.2.1 Dome light HDRI (settings)

3. Vray Environment + HDRI

On the other hand, Vray Environment setting offers a more flexible option as compare to
Dome light setting. Here, you can adjust the intensity of the light source and the visibility of
the background (both in HDRI map) separately using multiplier. Although, this is a more
tedious work as compared to Dome light setting from which the intensity of the light source
and background can be adjusted all at once, I prefer this set-up because you have the
liberty to adjust the background and the light source separately, based on your preferred
settings.

5.3.0 VRAY ENVIRONMENT HDRI

5.3.1 Vray Environment (settings)

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