3D Animation Lighting Techniques Training

Learning Outcomes

• Analyse the role of lighting in conveying mood, depth, and narrative in 3D animation.
• Apply fundamental lighting principles, including three-point lighting, colour theory, and shadow dynamics.
• Design lighting setups for various scenes using industry-standard 3D software.
• Evaluate the impact of light intensity, direction, and colour on rendered output.
• Implement global illumination, ambient occlusion, and other advanced lighting techniques.
• Demonstrate the ability to troubleshoot and optimise lighting for rendering efficiency.

Target Audience

Aspiring and practising 3D animators, visual effects artists, and multimedia designers seeking to specialise in lighting for animation. Ideal for those with basic 3D modelling experience who want to elevate their work through advanced lighting techniques.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Hands-on practical sessions are integral to mastering 3D lighting. Learners will apply theoretical concepts by lighting scenes, adjusting parameters, and troubleshooting in real-time using industry-standard software. These supervised exercises build confidence and prepare learners for production environments.

Practical Activities

• Basic Studio Lighting Setup — Learners set up a three-point lighting system on a simple object and adjust light properties to reveal form and texture. (3h)
• Interior Scene with Multiple Light Types — Learners light an interior scene using area, spot, and point lights, and control shadow quality and light linking. (4h)
• Cinematic Character Lighting — Learners apply high-key and low-key lighting to a character to convey a specific mood, using motivated lighting and colour contrast. (4h)
• Global Illumination and HDR Lighting — Learners set up image-based lighting with HDR environments and combine direct and indirect lighting for realistic results. (3h)
• Final Project: Lighting a Complete Shot — Learners integrate all skills to light a provided scene, produce render passes, and perform basic colour grading in compositing software. (2h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.