Learn the fundamentals of setting up lighting in Blender to dramatically improve the realism and mood of your 3D scenes. This guide covers adding lights, adjusting their properties, and previewing your work.
In the 3D Viewport, press Shift + A to open the Add menu. Navigate to Light and select a light type, such as Point, Sun, Spot, or Area. An Area light is great for soft, realistic lighting.
Select the newly added light object. Use the Move tool (shortcut G) and Rotate tool (shortcut R) to position it in your scene. Think about where you want your main light source to come from.
With the light selected, go to the Object Data Properties tab (the green light bulb icon) in the Properties panel. Here you can adjust the Power (brightness) and change the Color.
To see the effect of your lighting, switch to Rendered Viewport Shading. You can do this by pressing Z and selecting 'Rendered' from the pie menu, or by clicking the far-right sphere icon at the top-right of the 3D Viewport.
Most scenes benefit from multiple lights. Consider adding a softer 'Fill' light to reduce harsh shadows and a 'Rim' light behind your subject to create separation from the background. Repeat the steps to add and configure them.
Pro Tips for Better Blender Lighting
A classic technique using a main Key light, a softer Fill light, and a Rim light. This setup provides balanced and professional-looking illumination for single subjects.
For realistic ambient light, go to the World Properties tab, click the yellow dot next to Color, and select Environment Texture to load an HDRI image. This is perfect for outdoor scenes.
Don't stick to pure white light. A slightly warm (yellow/orange) or cool (blue) light can drastically change the mood and emotional impact of your scene.
In the light's properties, increase the Radius (for Point/Spot lights) or Size (for Area lights) to create softer, more realistic shadows. For Sun lights, adjust the Angle.
Explore other Blender guides and shortcuts