IES Light Tutorial using V-Ray for SketchUp

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By Nomer Adona

V-Ray for SketchUp (ver. 1.48.66) has the new added feature of IES Lights and Spotlights. V-Ray works within the SketchUp environment allowing users to be able to efficiently incorporate the task of rendering within their current workflow. IES (Illumination Engineering Society) is a standard digital file in ASCII format, which measures the distribution of light, in other words the intensity of the light and its shape. Lamp manufacturers create these files for accurately simulating their lights and now we have the ability to add IES profiles (for light accuracy).

I have a new second tutorial, just published called Basic IES Light Tutorial using V-Ray for SketchUp. I use V-Ray release version 1.48.90 in it, which is a much better and  stable release.

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In this simple tutorial we are going to set up three basic pin lights using imported IES files. You can download IES files files of your own choice from here GE Lighting and more here IES Maps and a SketchUp light fitting here. More IES files here if those don’t work for your particular version of V-Ray.You can also download the GE Light*Beams 3.0 software at the bottom of this page. Its a powerful lighting design aid for GE directional reflector lamps. Included is a complete database of IES files for current GE products. Another collection of IES files can be found in the links below:

Here is the room set up. A simple box with 3 pin lights as shown in the image below.

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Room Setup

Follow the steps highlighted in the following images below.

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Steps 1-2

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Steps 3-4-5

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Step 6

And here is the render where I used 3 different types of IES light data. You will see the rendering time using default setting with no sky and no physical camera, the rendering time is just 14.7 seconds. You can also see the difference in the spread and intensity of the three lights.

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Render with 3 different types of IES light data

Some sample render scenes using what we have learned in this tutorial.

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Image 1

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Image 2

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Image 3

I hope you enjoyed this short tutorial and find it useful in your future projects.

Check out my second tutorial on IES lights (Basic IES Light Tutorial using V-Ray for SketchUp) which uses a less ‘buggy’ release version of V-Ray for SketchUp. Also here is another short tutorial on using IES lights in a 3ds Max work flow, may be useful in helping you understand the concept and use.

Thanks

Nomer Adona

Some of Nomer Adona’s other tutorials here at SketchUpArtists:

Don’t forget to check out Nomer’s own website for more of his inspiring work and free resources.

62 Responses to “IES Light Tutorial using V-Ray for SketchUp”

  1. Riz on February 1st, 2013 12:42 pm

    Hey Guys,

    Tried all the steps, though am am not able to get the render right. Can anyone help me out with a step by step tutorial?

    This would really help!

    Thanks. 🙂

  2. el_mordi on April 17th, 2013 4:32 pm

    Nomeardona sos un genio.

    You are truly a genius, thank you so much for all the help you give us!

  3. anime on September 14th, 2013 3:52 pm

    to Nemoradona

    could you share your visopt file to me please??? 🙂

  4. anime on September 14th, 2013 3:53 pm

    ive followed your steps but still i got black picture

  5. muji on November 1st, 2013 6:47 am

    this is so simple and great thanks….

  6. Carine on November 21st, 2013 3:25 pm

    Nomeardona
    Hi Nomeardona i have a huge problem; i have started to put in my IES lights in my sketchup model. the first two worked great then i tryed to copy the third one from the first IES light and it didn’t want to work. i then stoped and carry on with another IES light with diffrent properties and it work i then copied it again and both the IES lights doesnt show in the rendering but the previous light that didnt want to work works now. but everything that i want to put in now doesnt work at all. the only lights that does show when i render is the thirst three that I have done. I went through all my settings and i cant find the problem. please can you help me.

  7. Arash on April 6th, 2014 6:59 pm

    It is Very Good .thanks for you .

  8. nicolas on June 29th, 2014 1:34 am

    GRACIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS

  9. vikrant on November 14th, 2014 6:23 am

    nice and simple… awesome for the begineers like me… !!

  10. samuel on July 14th, 2018 6:01 am

    Thank you verry much, nice render, good lesson…

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