In Canvas Studio, lights are what give your 3D scene depth, mood, and realism. Each light type emits energy in a different way: some flood everything with even brightness, while others create sharp shadows or focused beams. By mixing them, you can mimic studio photography, outdoor sunlight, theatrical spotlights, or anything in-between.
Ambient Light – fills the entire scene with a uniform glow that has no direction; great for softening shadows and preventing completely black areas.
Directional Light – shines from an infinite distance in a single direction, like sunlight; produces parallel rays and crisp, well-defined shadows.
Point Light – radiates outward from a single point in all directions, like a bare lightbulb; intensity decreases with distance, casting radial highlights and rounded shadows.
Spot Light – projects a conical beam with adjustable angle, penumbra, and range; perfect for stage lighting, flashlights, or dramatic accent highlights.
Rect Area Light – emits from a rectangular surface, delivering soft, photograph-style illumination with gentle falloff; ideal for product shots and realistic indoor fixtures.
Hemisphere Light – supplies ambient-style illumination by blending a sky-color shining downward with a ground-color shining upward, giving objects a soft, shadow-free light that mimics indirect light from both the sky and earth.
Used together, these six light types let you sculpt form, direct attention, and build believable atmospheres. Start with ambient to establish a base level, add a directional or rect area light for key illumination, and finish with points or spots for focused accents; balancing performance and artistry as you light your scene.