Few notes on how Dome light works in the new vray 3.4 for sketchup, and how to use the hdri files from Mediterranean light
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_ddd06284bc4d4d75a5a47da7b7599a2e~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_ddd06284bc4d4d75a5a47da7b7599a2e~mv2.png)
this is the light toolbar, choose the 6th icon it referes to dome light
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_0b90e4cc9f464616b4f946c76d06932b~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_0b90e4cc9f464616b4f946c76d06932b~mv2.png)
automatically this will pop-up, choos your hdri file
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_09b806bc37244270a5059f0c24fa3eae~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_09b806bc37244270a5059f0c24fa3eae~mv2.png)
this is the tipically gizmo thing that will indicate you where the north of the texture is, in this case North referes to 180 º and south to 0º, it is the place where normal centered sun is place in the middle of the hdri texture , so the center of the texture is your 0º
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_be030209eff04244a8a2287e49697b70~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_be030209eff04244a8a2287e49697b70~mv2.png)
also note that by default the north is pointing always to the X axis of the drawing
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_7353dd018a8340a39554936f6c4d56a2~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_7353dd018a8340a39554936f6c4d56a2~mv2.png)
This is the rotation scheme that is working when you alter the rotation in the map, so it's clockcounterwise, bit difficult until you get used to it
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_a86f0f105f7747f480d04ec389c90fde~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_a86f0f105f7747f480d04ec389c90fde~mv2.png)
This is it you can print it and keeps save iclose to your desktop when planning to use domelights in sketchup and vray3.4
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_f6b566a9562145c99d1440119e389bc8~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_f6b566a9562145c99d1440119e389bc8~mv2.png)
so for it to work , we have to be sure of disable the sunLight in the light panel
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_4c06a4c36b074f6eb8051a84cd0653eb~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_4c06a4c36b074f6eb8051a84cd0653eb~mv2.png)
Also make sure in the enviroment tab , GI and Background is disabled
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_767c4f13098b4ef882e73a33d4e074d4~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_767c4f13098b4ef882e73a33d4e074d4~mv2.png)
Back to the light panle , check it's enable, and the intensity to 1
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_261bf957575942b0b1b5eaed40d76f94~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_261bf957575942b0b1b5eaed40d76f94~mv2.png)
If you enter to the texture , check that gamma is set to 1 as default, do not change this parameter!!
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_6cbd14ad7c314956b6e4997720354ba5~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_6cbd14ad7c314956b6e4997720354ba5~mv2.png)
If you open the the UVW Mapping, here you see the horizontal slot , so you can alter the rotation as you want, taking in mind the counterclockwise and the things we have mentioned before, so let's do a test render
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_18f57365eb31485bac2c1ac99ddee204~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_18f57365eb31485bac2c1ac99ddee204~mv2.png)
Let's build simple geometry , just a bos, and a infinite plane
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_342b85c57d00428d800b9a93f1b5f436~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_342b85c57d00428d800b9a93f1b5f436~mv2.png)
so here is the result of the first render, all by default, so we see the sun is placed to the 0º and the shadows goes in the north direction
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_87cd9d00f8094e22897dc6498408f220~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_87cd9d00f8094e22897dc6498408f220~mv2.png)
Now let's change from 0º to 90º and see what is changing
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_d1c5830e529344daa77c9f0441aaf353~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_d1c5830e529344daa77c9f0441aaf353~mv2.png)
now you see the 90º went to the right so counterclockwise , that's all folks, enjoy using the free hdri
FREE HDRI : http://dbrenders.wixsite.com/dbstore
Another way you can rotate the hdri direction si by rotating the gizmo itself, but i found this is not very resposnive for large scenes
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_d384106819b340ab9a65414d646e21a3~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_d384106819b340ab9a65414d646e21a3~mv2.png)
use the move tool and on the red crosses , rotate at your desired direction , 0º still in the south direction
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_a4f4236c679f405ebaa3be576ea5c4ba~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_a4f4236c679f405ebaa3be576ea5c4ba~mv2.png)
Make sure you have this Lock dome Light unchecked
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/895d5e_4ba76506f2ac43ff8d92b55644a2292f~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_627,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/895d5e_4ba76506f2ac43ff8d92b55644a2292f~mv2.png)
so now you see the shadows follows the hdri dome gizmo direction properly , thanks to Thomas Hauchecorne , for the tip
CONCLUSION: THE DIRECTION OF THE ARROW WILL BE THE DIRECTION OF THE PROJECTED SHADOWS