ANR Tools

ANR Normals Light

Relights a plate through its normals: up to three new lights with shadows, an HDRI environment, a matcap, or refraction of a background through the surface.

  • Utility
  • Comp & Depth pack
  • 6 inputs
  • 69 controls
In Nuke: NodesANRUtilityANR Normals Light

Overview

Normals Light shades the plate as if new light fell on it, using the surface directions from ANR Normals Prep. The plate stands in for the surface colour, so a light brightens its own colours the way real light would.

Lights gives up to three directional, point or spot lights, with wrap, specular highlights and a fresnel rim. Connect an ANR Depth Prep to Depth and point and spot lights sit at real distances and can cast shadows. Aim At Highlight points a light from a highlight you drag onto in the plate, so the new light matches the old.

HDRI lights the plate from a lat-long environment on the Environment input, with blurred reflections. Matcap shades it from a lit-sphere image on the Matcap input. Refraction bends the Background input (or the plate) through the normals, for glass, water or heat.

Mode > Add Light adds the new light to the plate; Relight first dims the plate to Ambient (or, with HDRI, lights it only by the environment).

Inputs

SourceNormalsDepthEnvironmentMatcapBackgroundNormals LightOutput
  1. Sourceoptional

    The plate to light. Without it, the light is shown on a mid-grey surface.

  2. Normalsrequired

    An ANR Normals Prep with Output on Normals. A pass wired in directly is read as camera-space normals; turn on Normals Are Packed (0-1) if it is packed.

  3. Depthoptional

    An ANR Depth Prep with Output on Depth: real distances for point and spot lights, cast shadows, and the Depth Prep's lens. Without it, every surface is taken to be at Surface Distance and there are no shadows.

  4. Environmentoptional

    HDRI only: a lat-long environment image. Its centre is straight ahead of the camera and its top is up; Rotate turns it.

  5. Matcapoptional

    Matcap only: a lit-sphere image to shade the surfaces with.

  6. Backgroundoptional

    Refraction only: the picture seen through the surface. Empty uses the plate.

Output. The plate with the new light, blended by Mix. Output > Pass Only gives just the light (or the matcap colour, or the refraction offsets) for your own comp.

Quick start

  1. Prepare the normals with ANR Normals Prep (Output on Normals). For shadows and point lights, also make a distance pass with ANR Depth Prep.
  2. Add ANR Normals Light. Connect the plate to Source, the Normals Prep to Normals and, if you have it, the Depth Prep to Depth.
  3. With Effect on Lights, set Light 1's Azimuth and Elevation, or drag Highlight onto a highlight in the plate and press Aim At Highlight.
  4. Set the light's Colour and Intensity; turn on Light 2 or Light 3 for fill or rim lights.
  5. With a Depth input, turn on Shadows in Surface.
  6. Use Mix, or Output > Pass Only with your own Merge, to balance the result.

The panel

The node's panel as Nuke shows it, with the values of a new node. Click any control to see what it does; tabs and sections work as in Nuke.

ANR_Normals_Light1
StatusConnect an ANR Normals Prep (Output = Normals) to the Normals input.
EffectLights
OutputResult
Mix1
ModeAdd Light
Ambient0.3
Normals Are Packed (0-1)
Directions InCamera Space
On
TypeDirectional
Colour10.92000001670.8000000119
Intensity1
Azimuth45
Elevation35
Positionx614.4y1089.2
Distance4
Cone Angle25
Cone Softness15
Fall-offQuadratic
Fall-off Distance3
On
TypeDirectional
Colour0.60000002380.751
Intensity1
Azimuth-60
Elevation10
Positionx1024y1089.2
Distance4
Cone Angle25
Cone Softness15
Fall-offQuadratic
Fall-off Distance3
On
TypeDirectional
Colour0.60000002380.751
Intensity1
Azimuth-60
Elevation10
Positionx1433.6y1089.2
Distance4
Cone Angle25
Cone Softness15
Fall-offQuadratic
Fall-off Distance3
Wrap0.2
Specular0
Roughness0.3
Rim (Fresnel)0
Surface Distance5
Shadows
Shadow Strength0.8
Shadow Softness2
Object Thickness1
Shadow Length10
LensFrom Depth Prep
Focal Length35
Horizontal Aperture36
Highlightx1228.8y933.6
Highlight IsA Reflection
Light To AimLight 1
Aim At Highlight
Intensity1
Rotate0
Reflection0.3
Reflection Blur0.4
Matcap ModeReplace
Sphere Size0.95
Strength20
Dispersion0.05

All controls

ANR Normals Light69 controls
StatusStatusstatus

Where the normals, depth and lens come from.

EffectMenunlEffect

Lights: up to three lights. HDRI: light from a lat-long on the Environment input. Matcap: shade from a lit-sphere image on the Matcap input. Refraction: bend the Background (or the plate) through the normals.

Default: LightsOptions: Lights HDRI Matcap Refraction

OutputMenunlOutput

Pass Only: just the light (or matcap, or the refraction offsets) for your own comp.

Default: ResultOptions: Result Pass Only

MixSlidernlMix

Blend the result over the plate.

Default: 1

ModeMenunlMode

Add Light: the plate plus the new light. Relight: the plate dimmed to Ambient (Lights) or lit only by the HDRI, then lit.

Default: Add LightOptions: Add Light Relight

AmbientSlidernlAmbient

Relight: how much of the plate survives unlit.

Default: 0.3

Normals Are Packed (0-1)CheckboxnlPacked

On for a packed pass wired in directly (not through Normals Prep).

Default: off

Directions InMenunlSpace

World Space: light directions and the HDRI stay put in the world as the camera moves. Needs a Normals Prep with a world-space pass and its Camera.

Default: Camera SpaceOptions: Camera Space World Space

Light 1

OnCheckboxnlL1On

Use this light.

Default: on

TypeMenunlL1Type

Directional: the sun, set by Azimuth / Elevation. Point: a bulb at Position. Spot: a bulb at Position shining away along Azimuth / Elevation.

Default: DirectionalOptions: Directional Point Spot

ColourColournlL1Colour

The light's colour; it multiplies the plate's own colours where the light falls.

Default: 1 0.9200000167 0.8000000119

IntensitySlidernlL1Intensity

Brightness of the light, its highlight and its rim.

Default: 1

AzimuthSlidernlL1Azimuth

Where the light comes from: 0 from the camera, 90 from the right, 180 from behind.

Default: 45

ElevationSlidernlL1Elevation

90 from straight above.

Default: 35

PositionPositionnlL1Position

Point / Spot: where the light is in the frame.

Default: 614.4 1089.2

DistanceSlidernlL1Distance

Point / Spot: distance from the camera, in the depth's units.

Default: 4

Cone AngleSlidernlL1Cone

Spot: half-angle of the full beam.

Default: 25

Cone SoftnessSlidernlL1ConeSoft

Spot: degrees of edge fall-off.

Default: 15

Fall-offMenunlL1Falloff

Point / Spot: how it fades with distance.

Default: QuadraticOptions: None Linear Quadratic

Fall-off DistanceSlidernlL1FalloffDist

Point / Spot: the distance over which the light fades, in the Depth Prep's units. With Linear fall-off the light is gone at this distance; with Quadratic it is at half strength here.

Default: 3

Light 2

OnCheckboxnlL2On

Use this light.

Default: off

TypeMenunlL2Type

Directional: the sun, set by Azimuth / Elevation. Point: a bulb at Position. Spot: a bulb at Position shining away along Azimuth / Elevation.

Default: DirectionalOptions: Directional Point Spot

ColourColournlL2Colour

The light's colour; it multiplies the plate's own colours where the light falls.

Default: 0.6000000238 0.75 1

IntensitySlidernlL2Intensity

Brightness of the light, its highlight and its rim.

Default: 1

AzimuthSlidernlL2Azimuth

Where the light comes from: 0 from the camera, 90 from the right, 180 from behind.

Default: -60

ElevationSlidernlL2Elevation

90 from straight above.

Default: 10

PositionPositionnlL2Position

Point / Spot: where the light is in the frame.

Default: 1024 1089.2

DistanceSlidernlL2Distance

Point / Spot: distance from the camera, in the depth's units.

Default: 4

Cone AngleSlidernlL2Cone

Spot: half-angle of the full beam.

Default: 25

Cone SoftnessSlidernlL2ConeSoft

Spot: degrees of edge fall-off.

Default: 15

Fall-offMenunlL2Falloff

Point / Spot: how it fades with distance.

Default: QuadraticOptions: None Linear Quadratic

Fall-off DistanceSlidernlL2FalloffDist

Point / Spot: the distance over which the light fades, in the Depth Prep's units. With Linear fall-off the light is gone at this distance; with Quadratic it is at half strength here.

Default: 3

Light 3

OnCheckboxnlL3On

Use this light.

Default: off

TypeMenunlL3Type

Directional: the sun, set by Azimuth / Elevation. Point: a bulb at Position. Spot: a bulb at Position shining away along Azimuth / Elevation.

Default: DirectionalOptions: Directional Point Spot

ColourColournlL3Colour

The light's colour; it multiplies the plate's own colours where the light falls.

Default: 0.6000000238 0.75 1

IntensitySlidernlL3Intensity

Brightness of the light, its highlight and its rim.

Default: 1

AzimuthSlidernlL3Azimuth

Where the light comes from: 0 from the camera, 90 from the right, 180 from behind.

Default: -60

ElevationSlidernlL3Elevation

90 from straight above.

Default: 10

PositionPositionnlL3Position

Point / Spot: where the light is in the frame.

Default: 1433.6 1089.2

DistanceSlidernlL3Distance

Point / Spot: distance from the camera, in the depth's units.

Default: 4

Cone AngleSlidernlL3Cone

Spot: half-angle of the full beam.

Default: 25

Cone SoftnessSlidernlL3ConeSoft

Spot: degrees of edge fall-off.

Default: 15

Fall-offMenunlL3Falloff

Point / Spot: how it fades with distance.

Default: QuadraticOptions: None Linear Quadratic

Fall-off DistanceSlidernlL3FalloffDist

Point / Spot: the distance over which the light fades, in the Depth Prep's units. With Linear fall-off the light is gone at this distance; with Quadratic it is at half strength here.

Default: 3

Surface

WrapSlidernlWrap

Let light creep round the terminator.

Default: 0.2

SpecularSlidernlSpecular

Highlights in the light's colour.

Default: 0

RoughnessSlidernlRoughness

Small is a tight, glossy highlight.

Default: 0.3

Rim (Fresnel)SlidernlRim

Edges catching light from the side and behind.

Default: 0

Surface DistanceSlidernlSurfaceDistance

With no Depth input: how far the surfaces are assumed to be, for point and spot lights.

Default: 5

ShadowsCheckboxnlShadows

With a Depth input: lights cast shadows.

Default: off

Shadow StrengthSlidernlShadowStrength

How much light a shadow blocks: 1 blocks it all, 0 shows no shadow. Needs a Depth input and Shadows on.

Default: 0.8

Shadow SoftnessSlidernlShadowSoftness

Degrees.

Default: 2

Object ThicknessSlidernlShadowThickness

How deep things are assumed to be behind their front face.

Default: 1

Shadow LengthSlidernlShadowLength

Farthest a shadow is cast.

Default: 10

LensMenunlLensFrom

From Depth Prep: the focal length and aperture of the Depth Prep on the Depth input, used to place point and spot lights. Custom: the two values below.

Default: From Depth PrepOptions: From Depth Prep Custom

Focal LengthSlidernlFocal

Custom lens, mm.

Default: 35

Horizontal ApertureSlidernlAperture

Custom film back, mm.

Default: 36

Aim At Highlight

HighlightPositionnlHighlight

Drag onto a highlight on the plate; the chosen light is aimed so it would make it.

Default: 1228.8 933.6

Highlight IsMenunlHighlightKind

A Reflection: a shiny highlight -- the light is where the view bounces. The Brightest Spot: a matte surface lit head-on -- the light is along the normal.

Default: A ReflectionOptions: A Reflection The Brightest Spot

Light To AimMenunlHighlightLight

Which of the three lights Aim At Highlight sets. That light is also turned on.

Default: Light 1Options: Light 1 Light 2 Light 3

Aim At HighlightButtonnlAimAtHighlight

Set the chosen light's Azimuth / Elevation from the highlight.

HDRI

IntensitySlidernlEnvIntensity

Brightness of the HDRI's light and reflections.

Default: 1

RotateSlidernlEnvRotate

Turn the environment about the vertical.

Default: 0

ReflectionSlidernlEnvReflection

How much of the environment is reflected.

Default: 0.3

Reflection BlurSlidernlEnvRoughness

0 a mirror, 1 fully blurred.

Default: 0.4

Matcap

Matcap ModeMenunlMatcapMode

How the matcap meets the plate: Replace shows the matcap shading alone; Multiply, Add and Screen combine it with the plate's colours.

Default: ReplaceOptions: Replace Multiply Add Screen

Sphere SizeSlidernlMatcapZoom

How much of the matcap image is the sphere (less than 1 keeps off its dark rim).

Default: 0.95

Refraction

StrengthSlidernlRefractStrength

Pixels of bend at a fully tilted surface.

Default: 20

DispersionSlidernlRefractDispersion

Split red and blue for a glassy fringe.

Default: 0.05

Tips

  • Highlight Is > A Reflection suits a shiny highlight (the light sits where the view bounces off the surface); The Brightest Spot suits a matte surface lit head-on.
  • With the panel open, dragging the Highlight point aims the chosen light as you drag.
  • A Spot light sits at Position and Distance and shines along its Azimuth and Elevation; Cone Angle and Cone Softness shape the beam.
  • Rim (Fresnel) lets edges turning away from the camera catch the light from the side and from behind, like a backlight.
  • Roughness shapes the highlight: small is tight and glossy. Specular is 0 by default; raise it for shiny surfaces.
  • In HDRI, Reflection and Reflection Blur add the environment as a reflection; Rotate lines the environment up with the plate.
  • For Refraction, Strength is the bend in pixels at a fully tilted surface; a little Dispersion gives a glassy colour fringe.

Good to know

  • The node runs no AI model and needs no graphics card.
  • Positions and distances are in the Depth Prep's units; calibrate the Depth Prep if you want metres.
  • Lights and the HDRI are fixed to the camera. With Directions In on World Space and a Camera named in the Normals Prep's Camera Node, they stay put in the world as the camera moves.
  • The normals only know the visible surfaces, and shadows come from the depth's front faces: Object Thickness says how deep things are assumed to be.

Something unclear or missing? Write to [email protected].