Diploma in PBR Materials and Lighting for Executive Rendering
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in PBR materials and lighting for executive rendering: 8 modules covering physically based rendering, PBR material models, scanned textures and materials, studio lighting, colour management (IEC 61966-2-1, ITU-R BT.709, SMPTE ST 2065-1), composition and post-production and render fidelity validation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the physical fundamentals of rendering and light transport.
Build realistic PBR materials for paints, plastics, leathers and metals.
Create textures and materials from scans of real samples.
Design studio lighting that reveals the shape of the product.
Manage colour with ACES workflows and ISO 3664 viewing conditions.
Compose and post-produce images for executive presentations.
Validate render fidelity against physical samples.
Who it's for
- 3D visualisation artists producing product and vehicle imagery.
- Digital materials specialists building and maintaining material libraries.
- Digital CMF designers presenting colours, materials and finishes virtually.
- Render technicians responsible for lighting, rendering and post-production.
- Product art directors overseeing image quality and visual consistency.
- Visualisation engineers supporting design reviews with accurate renders.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the automotive industry.
What you'll work with
- IEC 61966-2-1 (sRGB default colour space)
- ITU-R BT.709 (HDTV parameter values)
- SMPTE ST 2065-1 (ACES academy colour encoding specification)
- ISO 3664 (viewing conditions for graphic technology and photography)
- ISO/CIE 11664-4 (CIE 1976 L*a*b* colour space)
- ITU-R BT.2100 (HDR television image parameters)
- ISO 12647-2 (process control for offset printing)
- KeyShot
- Autodesk VRED
- Adobe Substance 3D
- V-Ray
- Adobe Photoshop
8 modules
1.1The rendering equation and light transport1.2Ray tracing and path tracing1.3Rasterisation versus ray tracing1.4Energy conservation and reciprocity1.5Sampling, noise and denoising1.6CPU and GPU rendering1.7Offline and real-time engines1.8Linear colour space1.9Performance and computation times1.10Lab: comparison of sampling settings in a product scene
2.1Metalness-roughness and specular-glossiness workflows2.2BRDF and GGX microfacets2.3Albedo, roughness and metalness2.4Fresnel and index of refraction2.5Transparent materials and transmission2.6Subsurface scattering in leathers and plastics2.7Clearcoat and multilayer paints2.8Metallic paints and flakes2.9Anisotropy in brushed metals2.10Workshop: three-coat metallic paint material
3.1Colour, normal and roughness textures3.2UV and triplanar mapping3.3Material scanning and BTF3.4Measuring real materials with scanners3.5Leather, textile and wood materials3.6Grain, granulates and mould textures3.7AxF material libraries3.8Colour calibration of textures3.9Resolution and memory management3.10Practical exercise: grained leather material from a scan
4.1Principles of product photography lighting4.2HDRI environment maps4.3Area lights, softboxes and strip lights4.4Lighting to reveal character lines4.5Controlled reflections on bodywork4.6Interior lighting4.7Outdoor scenes and natural light4.8Contact shadows and the ground plane4.9Lighting consistency across images4.10Workshop: studio set-up for an exterior
5.1sRGB and Rec. 709 colour spaces5.2ACES and the cinematic colour workflow5.3Dynamic range and tone mapping5.4Exposure and white balance5.5Viewing conditions per ISO 36645.6Monitor calibration5.7Consistency between render and physical sample5.8Outputs for print and screen5.9HDR and broadcast standards5.10Practical exercise: ACES workflow for a product render
6.1Framing, lens and perspective6.2Depth of field and blur6.3Render passes and AOVs6.4Layer compositing6.5Image retouching6.6Integration into photographic backplates6.7Animations and turntables6.8Executive presentations6.9Visual consistency of a series6.10Case study: presentation board for a management committee
7.1Comparing render with photography7.2Validating materials against samples7.3Measuring reference gloss and colour7.4Typical perception errors7.5Representing perceived quality7.6Limitations in decision reviews7.7Documenting configurations7.8Corporate material libraries7.9Continuous improvement of fidelity7.10Practical exercise: validating a material against its physical sample
8.1Communication briefing8.2Geometry preparation8.3Creating PBR materials8.4Lighting design8.5Colour management8.6Rendering and post-production8.7Fidelity validation8.8Final executive presentation8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There is no fixed timetable: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme is compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is KeyShot, Autodesk VRED, Adobe Substance 3D, V-Ray and Adobe Photoshop, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for creating PBR materials from physical samples, studio renders for management presentations and fidelity validation between render and photography. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEC 61966-2-1, ITU-R BT.709, SMPTE ST 2065-1, ISO 3664, ISO/CIE 11664-4, ITU-R BT.2100, ISO 12647-2.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with KeyShot, Autodesk VRED, Adobe Substance 3D, V-Ray and Adobe Photoshop, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree is required), a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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