Lee Griggs shows how to use the Light Portal in Arnold to focus skydome light in all the right areas.

Outside and inside scenes are very different animals when it comes to rendering. Everyone loves to use IBL (image-based lighting) for fast setups and realistic results, and for the most part, that’s fine, except when it comes to interiors scenes.

If you render an interior, the trusty Portal Light helps focus the rays from a skydome light into the rooms where you need them. “Instead of emitting light, they can be used to guide skydome light sampling.”

It also is an immeasurably helpful tool for reducing the noise that quite often happens when rendering interiors. This new guide from Arnold’s rendering specialist Lee Griggs shows a basic light portal setup.