Well here's my current status with this figure. I've learned a lot in the last few days about lighting and shaders. :) Still more to learn but I think this particular project is near done (just because otherwise I'll tweak it to no end...). Just need to add a knife and maybe set up a glow for magic somewhere... maybe not.

Oh yeah, these are all stock poser props. THe candle is from somebody's fantasy props set. The walls/window are JohnSta, and the backdrop was posted to the 3D gallery by bonestructure a few days back (Gallery image 6046). There are 6 lights in this scene. The candles, a bulb above the camera at just below ceiling level, and two distance lights located in the same spot outside (when they didn't perfectly overlap I was getting double shadows). The two distance lights have different colors and brightness levels. The candles used a very high drop-off rating and a range about 4 times their size... the bulb in the ceiling was similar, but with a range that faded out midway down the woman. The scene might be a little too bright near the ground and back wall.

Mucho better.

Yes Yes 100% better. Good job! Clint

Very nice, Arcady. The suburban scene outside the window is an interesting juxtaposition.... I like how you used the distant lights through the window to cast that pattern on the floor -- it looks very cool. I'd also consider (if not in this image, maybe in future ones) dropping the position of the distant lights so they acutally cast light on the woman from behind. This'll give her that rim-light that makes her pop out of the image, while still being there. I love how the shadows on the floor get so very complex with the multiple light sources. Cool image.