"Shadow Bake" Instruction for Blender?

[Cilene Inglewood]

Hello! I'm a fan of those darned fake shadows creators make for mesh items (that seem kind of unpopular). I've been able to make them before in Blender, without issue, but I've lost my notes and I can't seem to find someone that can tell me what I'm forgetting in the parts of the process I can remember.

I've found a few vids on YT that create what I want to create (a wall shadow for photo frames)...but when I follow the steps - I can't reproduce the result. I know how to do AO bakes... but a transparent 'bake' seems to allude me and I have made a piece that I'd like to create a custom shadow for. I have done a search through the forums before posting - in hopes someone asked/answered the same question - my apologies if it hit me in the face without my seeing it.

Thanks!

 

Edit: Found the issue and now all is well... I had selected lighting in Blender that does not generate a shadow on other objects *headdesks*

Edited November 18, 2018 by Cilene Inglewood

[Cilene Inglewood]

PS - this is what I was making (the reindeer sign) https://gyazo.com/1a359101f5c09cd30c58ad48420f4640

[ninalexa]

Hi there Cilene! 

I recently started learning blender and I seemed to have the same problem as you. I found this thread and it is relevant to what I am trying to make: a simple photo frame with a shadow. 

I use cycles render in blender and I have used the proper lighting to create shadows onto my model.

I am wondering how do you upload a transparent baked texture with your shadows on it? 

[Cube Republic]

Baked lights are directional and make items look odd in-world, try ambient occlusion instead.