Relighting footage in VFX digital compositing can be challenging, especially when render passes are unavailable. The 2D Relighting Gizmo in Foundry Nuke compositing provides a powerful way to simulate lighting changes without requiring additional 3D renders.
This tool is particularly useful for illuminating smoke, fog, or atmospheric elements, allowing artists to add realistic light interaction without relying on costly render passes.
In this guide, we’ll explore:
The 2D Relighting Gizmo allows artists to apply relighting effects directly onto footage by using emboss techniques and normal data, eliminating the need for pre-rendered lighting passes.
✅ No Need for 3D Render Passes – Relight directly in Nuke
✅ Ideal for Smoke & Atmospheric Elements – Adds depth and realism
✅ Adjustable Emboss & Light Direction – Fine-tune highlights and shadows
✅ Works with Normal Data – Achieve physically accurate lighting effects
Why is this useful? If you don’t have access to normal passes or relighting AOVs, this tool lets you fake realistic light interaction in film compositing software.
Instead of using 3D lighting passes, this tool fakes lighting interactions by manipulating the image’s luminance values with emboss techniques.
If your footage lacks normal passes, use the Normalize node to generate pseudo-normals from existing depth information.
Normals are vectors that represent the orientation of a surface in 3D space. In VFX compositing workflows, normal data is used to:
✅ Simulate light interactions realistically
✅ Control shading & reflections in relighting setups
✅ Blend 3D and 2D elements seamlessly
When using 2D relighting in Nuke, always match the light direction to existing shadows for a natural look.
Use motion blur nodes for a smoother relighting effect on fast-moving elements.
When using 2D relighting in Nuke, always match the light direction to existing shadows for a natural look.
❌ Using the Wrong Emboss Direction – Always match the light source angle.
❌ Over-Enhancing Highlights – Too much brightness boost can wash out details.
❌ Not Using Soft Masks – If relighting affects unwanted areas, use masks to refine.
❌ Ignoring Normal Data When Available – If a normal pass exists, use it for better results.
The 2D Relighting Gizmo in Foundry Nuke is a powerful tool for adding light interactions to smoke, fog, and atmospheric elements without needing additional 3D render passes.
By understanding how embossing, normal data, and shading work, artists can achieve cinematic relighting effects efficiently.
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It’s best used for smoke, fog, and atmospheric elements, but it can be applied subtly to relight skin tones and textures.
No! This gizmo allows relighting without pre-rendered AOVs.
Use normal data if available, and adjust emboss intensity to match the scene’s existing light direction.
Yes! It works well with glows, volumetric light effects, and color grading for enhanced realism.
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