Mastering ACES in Octane: A Quick Setup Guide

Creating stunningly beautiful renders is essential for any 3D artist or visual effects professional, and ACES (Academy Color Encoding System) offers a significant boost in color management capabilities. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through a step-by-step setup of ACES in Octane Render, taking you there in less than five minutes! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, this method can enhance your rendering process and elevate your visuals.

What is ACES?

ACES is a sophisticated color management system developed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, designed to provide a consistent approach to handling color throughout the visual effects workflow. By using ACES, artists can ensure that colors are represented accurately across different devices and software, critically improving the final output quality.

Why Use ACES in Octane?

Utilizing ACES in Octane not only improves the quality of your renders but also gives you better control over color grading, allowing you to achieve that cinematic look with softer highlights and saturated colors. Transitioning to ACES can result in better-defined gradients and fall-offs, which are paramount for realistic lighting and shading in 3D scenes.

Setting Up ACES in Octane

Follow these simple steps to configure ACES in Octane Render:

1. Download the OpenColorIO Config File

To kick off the process, you’ll need to download the OpenColorIO config file, which is essential for managing color spaces. Here’s the link to grab it. After downloading the file, keep note of its location, as you will need it in the next steps.

2. Access Render Settings

Open your Octane Render project and navigate to the Render Settings menu.
Under the Color Management section, you will set up your color configuration.

3. Load the OpenColorIO Config File

In the Color Management settings:
Load your OpenColorIO config file. This will create a color space that uses ACES.
Set the Intermediate Color Space to Octane ACES 2065-1.
Change the OpenColorIO Default to ACES 2065-1.

4. Configure Camera Imager Settings

Go to the Camera Imager settings.
Ensure that no LUTs (Look-Up Tables) are applied, as these can interfere with ACES processing.
Under OpenColorIO, set your view to ACES sRGB.

5. Switch to Live Viewer and Adjust Color Space

Now, head over to the Octane Live Viewer.
Change the color space from HDR sRGB to OpenColorIO. This will activate ACES, giving your render a much more vibrant and realistic appearance.

6. Output Settings

To render in ACES, you will want to output in EXR Linear EXR.
In the main tab of the Octane Render Settings, ensure that the Color Space is set to ACES CG. This ensures that your final render matches the new ACES workflow.

7. Exporting Your Render

If you wish to output an 8-bit file that already reflects the ACES settings:

Open the settings and change the Buffer Type to LDR (Low Dynamic Range).
Make sure to select OpenColorIO Config for your color space and choose output sRGB. This way, your image formats such as PNG or JPEG will be rendered with the ACES look baked in.

8. Validating Your Setup

Once you render your work, if there’s an issue with the display in the picture viewer, don’t worry! It’s common for the picture viewer not to correctly show the ACES look when rendering in the EXR format. However, wrapping it in an LDR version should display correctly.

Conclusion

By following the steps in this guide, you can harness the capabilities of ACES within Octane Render effectively and efficiently. The time spent on setting this up is minimal compared to the stunning rendering results you’ll achieve, featuring better color grading and lighting control.

If you have any questions or require further details on your workflow, feel free to engage in the comments below. Make sure to subscribe to our updates for more insights on ACES and other exciting tools to enhance your digital creativity!

Let’s transform your rendering experience with ACES today!