Show different times of the day in the science fiction environment with lighting

As soon as I have collected all my references, I analyze what I like about them. For example, how strong the contrast is, what is the key light, how strong or soft the shadows are. I also start looking at the scene in the engine to see what my references can bring to the scene. For example, I liked these strong cast shadows on the Buzz Lightyear pictures and found that with a little additional geometry I was able to achieve the same effect in the scene.

Throughout the project, I will always return to these references and add my WIP screenshots to you to see how you keep.

Tools

I usually use unreal engine for the lighting because it is the tool that I am best familiar with. For this project, I integrated the Ultra Dynamic Sky and Ultra Volume plugins to increase the graphic and give the scene more depth.

The Ultra Dynamic Sky Plugin is a versatile and very complete tool that offers control over many atmospheric parameters that are comfortable in one place. The plugin made it possible for me to try it out quickly and experiment with different moods until I reached the desired look. One of his main features is the possibility of creating moons and planets without requesting additional assets. For this project I used this functionality to introduce heavenly elements and add deep and visual intrigues to the sky. These additions not only improved overall aesthetics, but also reinforced the sci-fi topic of the scene.