Artifacts In Shadows And Reflections When Rendering In EEVEE

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Introduction

As a user familiar with rendering in Cycles, transitioning to the new EEVEE render engine can be both exciting and challenging. With EEVEE, you can enjoy faster rendering times and a more intuitive workflow. However, you may encounter some artifacts in shadows and reflections that can be frustrating to deal with. In this article, we will explore the common artifacts that occur in EEVEE and provide you with practical solutions to overcome them.

Understanding EEVEE's Rendering Process

EEVEE is a real-time render engine that uses a technique called "forward rendering" to render images. This approach is different from Cycles, which uses a path-tracing algorithm. Forward rendering is faster and more efficient, but it can also introduce some artifacts, especially in areas with complex lighting and reflections.

Common Artifacts in Shadows and Reflections

When rendering in EEVEE, you may encounter the following artifacts in shadows and reflections:

1. Shadow Acne

Shadow acne is a common artifact that occurs when the render engine struggles to accurately render the edges of shadows. This can result in a "speckled" or "acne-like" appearance in areas with complex lighting.

  • Causes: Shadow acne is often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the edges of shadows. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.
  • Solutions:
    • Increase the render engine's sampling rate: This can help the render engine to more accurately sample the edges of shadows and reduce the appearance of shadow acne.
    • Use a higher-quality lighting: Using a higher-quality lighting, such as a light with a soft falloff, can help to reduce the appearance of shadow acne.
    • Use a shadow catcher: A shadow catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the shadows in a scene and reduce the appearance of shadow acne.

2. Reflections with Unwanted Highlights

Reflections with unwanted highlights can be a frustrating artifact to deal with. This can occur when the render engine struggles to accurately render the reflections in a scene, resulting in unwanted highlights and glare.

  • Causes: Reflections with unwanted highlights are often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the reflections in a scene. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.
  • Solutions:
    • Increase the render engine's sampling rate: This can help the render engine to more accurately sample the reflections in a scene and reduce the appearance of unwanted highlights.
    • Use a higher-quality lighting: Using a higher-quality lighting, such as a light with a soft falloff, can help to reduce the appearance of unwanted highlights.
    • Use a reflection catcher: A reflection catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the reflections in a scene and reduce the appearance of unwanted highlights.

3. Artifacts in Complex Lighting Scenes

EEVEE can struggle to accurately render complex lighting scenes, resulting in a variety of artifacts, including:

  • Light leaks: Light leaks occur when the render engine struggles to accurately render the edges of light sources, resulting in a "leaky" or "bleeding" appearance.

  • Light flares: Light flares occur when the render engine struggles to accurately render the reflections in a scene, resulting in unwanted highlights and glare.

  • Light artifacts: Light artifacts occur when the render engine struggles to accurately render the lighting in a scene, resulting in a variety of unwanted effects, including ghosting and halos.

  • Causes: Artifacts in complex lighting scenes are often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the lighting in a scene. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.

  • Solutions:

    • Increase the render engine's sampling rate: This can help the render engine to more accurately sample the lighting in a scene and reduce the appearance of artifacts.
    • Use a higher-quality lighting: Using a higher-quality lighting, such as a light with a soft falloff, can help to reduce the appearance of artifacts.
    • Use a lighting catcher: A lighting catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the lighting in a scene and reduce the appearance of artifacts.

Conclusion

Artifacts in shadows and reflections can be a frustrating issue to deal with when rendering in EEVEE. However, by understanding the causes of these artifacts and using the solutions outlined above, you can overcome them and achieve high-quality renders. Remember to always experiment with different settings and techniques to find what works best for your scene.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional tips and tricks to help you overcome artifacts in shadows and reflections when rendering in EEVEE:

  • Use a high-quality render engine: EEVEE is a powerful render engine, but it can still struggle to accurately render complex scenes. Consider using a higher-quality render engine, such as Cycles, for more complex scenes.
  • Increase the render engine's sampling rate: Increasing the render engine's sampling rate can help to reduce the appearance of artifacts and improve the overall quality of the render.
  • Use a higher-quality lighting: Using a higher-quality lighting, such as a light with a soft falloff, can help to reduce the appearance of artifacts and improve the overall quality of the render.
  • Use a lighting catcher: A lighting catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the lighting in a scene and reduce the appearance of artifacts.
  • Experiment with different settings: Experimenting with different settings and techniques can help you to find what works best for your scene and reduce the appearance of artifacts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about artifacts in shadows and reflections when rendering in EEVEE:

  • Q: What causes artifacts in shadows and reflections?
    • A: Artifacts in shadows and reflections are often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the lighting in a scene. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.
  • Q: How can I reduce the appearance of artifacts in shadows and reflections?
    • A: You can reduce the appearance of artifacts in shadows and reflections by increasing the render engine's sampling rate, using a higher-quality lighting, and experimenting with different settings and techniques.
  • Q: What is a lighting catcher?
    • A: A lighting catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the lighting in a scene and reduce the appearance of artifacts.

Conclusion

Q&A: Artifacts in Shadows and Reflections When Rendering in EEVEE

In this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about artifacts in shadows and reflections when rendering in EEVEE.

Q: What are the most common artifacts that occur in EEVEE?

A: The most common artifacts that occur in EEVEE include shadow acne, reflections with unwanted highlights, and artifacts in complex lighting scenes. These artifacts can be caused by a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.

Q: What causes shadow acne?

A: Shadow acne is often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the edges of shadows. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.

Q: How can I reduce the appearance of shadow acne?

A: You can reduce the appearance of shadow acne by increasing the render engine's sampling rate, using a higher-quality lighting, and experimenting with different settings and techniques.

Q: What is a shadow catcher?

A: A shadow catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the shadows in a scene and reduce the appearance of shadow acne.

Q: What causes reflections with unwanted highlights?

A: Reflections with unwanted highlights are often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the reflections in a scene. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.

Q: How can I reduce the appearance of reflections with unwanted highlights?

A: You can reduce the appearance of reflections with unwanted highlights by increasing the render engine's sampling rate, using a higher-quality lighting, and experimenting with different settings and techniques.

Q: What is a reflection catcher?

A: A reflection catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the reflections in a scene and reduce the appearance of unwanted highlights.

Q: What causes artifacts in complex lighting scenes?

A: Artifacts in complex lighting scenes are often caused by the render engine's inability to accurately sample the lighting in a scene. This can be due to a variety of factors, including the render engine's settings, the complexity of the scene, and the quality of the lighting.

Q: How can I reduce the appearance of artifacts in complex lighting scenes?

A: You can reduce the appearance of artifacts in complex lighting scenes by increasing the render engine's sampling rate, using a higher-quality lighting, and experimenting with different settings and techniques.

Q: What is a lighting catcher?

A: A lighting catcher is a special type of object that can be used to capture the lighting in a scene and reduce the appearance of artifacts.

Q: How can I troubleshoot artifacts in shadows and reflections?

A: You can troubleshoot artifacts in shadows and reflections by checking the render engine's settings, experimenting with different techniques, and using tools such as the EEVEE debug panel.

Q: What are some best practices for reducing artifacts in shadows and reflections?

A: Some best practices for reducing artifacts in shadows and reflections include increasing the render engine's sampling rate, using a higher-quality lighting, and experimenting with different settings and techniques.

Q: Can I use EEVEE for complex scenes?

A: Yes, EEVEE can be used for complex scenes, but it may require more tweaking and experimentation to achieve the desired results.

Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid when rendering in EEVEE?

A: Some common mistakes to avoid when rendering in EEVEE include not increasing the render engine's sampling rate, not using a higher-quality lighting, and not experimenting with different settings and techniques.

Q: How can I improve my rendering skills in EEVEE?

A: You can improve your rendering skills in EEVEE by practicing regularly, experimenting with different techniques, and learning from online resources and tutorials.

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about artifacts in shadows and reflections when rendering in EEVEE. By understanding the causes of these artifacts and using the solutions outlined above, you can overcome them and achieve high-quality renders. Remember to always experiment with different settings and techniques to find what works best for your scene.