Generating data for use in image based lighting rendering

A system configured to generate image data for use in image based lighting rendering, the system including:

• a display configured to display a three-dimensional scene to be rendered and a separate two-dimensional canvas, the two-dimensional canvas representing an inner surface of a three-dimensional volume surrounding the three-dimensional scene to be rendered, each point on the two-dimensional canvas representing a surface coordinate of the three-dimensional scene to be rendered in the image based lighting rendering and corresponding to a longitude/latitude on said inner surface of said three-dimensional volume, said displayed two-dimensional canvas adapted to include at least one two-dimensional shape having an associated lightness value for use in image based lighting rendering, said shape being distorted within said displayed two-dimensional canvas to define an undistorted representation thereof in said three-dimensional scene;
• a user input device configured to receive user input via interaction with said displayed two-dimensional canvas, said user input describing creation of the at least one two-dimensional shape having an associated lightness value for use in image based lighting rendering or modification of said at least one two-dimensional shape within said displayed two-dimensional canvas;
• a processing component configured to:
• update the displayed two-dimensional canvas in accordance with the user input to display said two-dimensional canvas including said created/modified at least one two-dimensional shape distorted within said displayed two-dimensional canvas to define an undistorted representation thereof within said three-dimensional scene;
• and
• generate the image data describing the distorted representation of the at least one shape for use in graphics rendering of the three-dimensional scene, wherein said image data is lighting image data derived from said displayed two-dimensional canvas including said created/modified at least one two-dimensional shape, and said at least one two-dimensional shape is representative of a light source included in said lighting image data and for use in a graphical rendering process.

A method of generating image data for use in image based lighting rendering, the method including:

• displaying a user interface, separate from and communicably coupled to a displayed three-dimensional scene to be rendered in an image based lighting process, the user interface being in the form of a two-dimensional canvas representing an inner surface of a three-dimensional volume surrounding the three-dimensional scene to be rendered, each point on the two-dimensional canvas representing a surface coordinate of a three-dimensional scene to be rendered in the image based lighting rendering and corresponding to a longitude/latitude on said inner surface of said three-dimensional volume, said displayed two-dimensional canvas adapted to include at least one two-dimensional shape having an associated lightness value, said shape being distorted within said displayed two-dimensional canvas to define an undistorted representation thereof in said three-dimensional scene;
• repeatedly receiving, via a computer, user input via interaction with said displayed two-dimensional canvas, said user input describing creation of the at least one two-dimensional shape having an associated lightness value or modification of said at least one two-dimensional shape within said displayed two-dimensional canvas;
• and substantially instantaneously updating the displayed two-dimensional canvas in accordance with each user input to display said two-dimensional canvas including said respective created/modified at least one two-dimensional shape distorted within said displayed two-dimensional canvas to define an undistorted representation thereof within said three-dimensional scene;
• and
• using the computer to generate the image data describing the distorted representation of the at least one two-dimensional shape for use in graphics rendering of the three-dimensional scene, wherein said image data is lighting image data derived from said displayed two-dimensional canvas including said created/modified at least one two-dimensional shape, and said at least one shape is representative of a light source included in said lighting image data and for use in a graphical rendering process.