Lighting
 
To see or to render a scene or any objects, you must define lights.
 
  • Create Lights
    • Ambient light: Raises the overall light in the scene by increasing the brightness of all objects.
    • Directional light: Casts light in parallel rays from a cylindrical source.
    • Point light: Casts light equally in all directions from a single
    • point. Spot light: Casts light from a cone that can be positioned.
    • Area light: Casts light equally from a specified area.
    • Volume light: Casts light within a specified volume

  • Arnold Lights
    • The light objects that work with the Arnold Renderer are located in the Arnold Lights menu.
    • The available types include the basic Maya lights and several unique to Arnold such as Area, Skydome, Mesh, and Photometric.
 
  • Light bulb
    • Select the light bulb
    • Arnold > Lights > Mesh Light > Attribute Editor > Light Attribute - Light Visible
 
 
 
  • Light Fog
    • Spot Light > Light Effect > Light Fog
 
 
  • Arnold renderer
    • The Arnold renderer includes many additional lighting-based features, such as caustics, global illumination, and a final render, which enables scenes to be rendered with much more detail. Render Settings > Arnold Renderer: Environment
 
  • Stylistic Choice vs. Technical Problem
    Whether shadowy areas being too dark in animation is "bad" depends entirely on the intended artistic style, mood, and practical considerations like visibility and accessibility. 

    • Intentional Style: Dark shadows can be an effective artistic choice to create a specific mood or atmosphere, such as tension, mystery, or realism. The directors of certain films or series may use high contrast and deep shadows as a deliberate aesthetic to enhance the narrative, as seen in some darker animated films.

    • Technical Problem: If the shadows obscure important details or actions, making it difficult for the audience to follow the story or see the characters clearly, then they are likely a problem. This is a common issue in video games and computer graphics where poor lighting setup or engine limitations can make areas completely black, even when the user's eyes would adapt in real life.

    • Accessibility/Viewer Experience: Excessively dark scenes can be a poor viewing experience for some audience members, especially on monitors or screens with limited dynamic range (e.g., non-OLED screens in bright rooms). 

  • Key Considerations for Evaluation
    To determine if the shadows in your animation are too dark, consider the following:

    • Clarity and Readability: Can the viewer clearly understand what is happening in the scene? If the action or character expression is lost in the shadows, it's likely a problem.

    • Mood and Atmosphere: Do the dark shadows support the narrative and intended emotion? If you are aiming for a cheerful scene and the shadows make it gloomy, you might need to adjust them.

    • Platform and Export: Keep in mind how the final animation will be viewed. For example, ensuring proper gamma and brightness settings are important when exporting for different platforms to prevent issues.

    • Audience Feedback: If multiple viewers complain about not being able to see details, that's a strong indicator that the shadows are too dark. 
  • In summary, while dark shadows can be a powerful artistic tool, they become "bad" when they hinder clarity, negatively impact the viewer experience, or are a result of a technical error rather than a deliberate choice.