Sky Dome Geometry with Sun and Sky

[render4looks]

I would greatly appreciate it if someone can help me with the setup of a Sky Dome in Maya that uses a nicely vivid texture map. I?m using the VRay Sun and Sky lighting, have set the Sky dome (half-sphere) to not be able to send or receive shadows, but it does not render very vividly with saturated color, looks a bit dull. I used a VRay Mtl for the shader and tried to bump up the ambient light settings, but it just becomes more washed out. I?d like it to just display accurately without depending on the VRay lighting setup. I?m using the Linear Workflow for color.
Thank you,

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Can you show us the texture map as well the result from the renderer?
When talking about the dome, are you using V-Ray Dome light or something else?
If you are using a spherical object with V-Ray Mtl it is normal to lose some saturation.
If you can attach the scene along the texture map we'll provide more accurate answer.

[render4looks]

Hi Svetlozar,
Thanks for your response. I'm uploading a screen grab from my viewport, shows the half sphere geometry I'm using as a sky around my scene, it is textured with an 8K map (I've reduced the texture to 5K so it is smaller to upload here and see) I'm uploading that map and also a test render of the scene. I have not used any V-Ray Dome light, only added the V-Ray Sun and Sky, and in order to see that lighting properly, I've used a VRay Physical Camera. The shaders are all setup with the correct Gamma for Linear Color Workflow.

I basically don't want the sky to be lit by the scenes lighting, but be self-illuminated so it just remains true color and true saturation. In a non VRay scene, we've used Surface Shaders for the sky sphere, but I'm not sure if there is an equivalent for this Surface Shader for VRay?
The Sky Sphere is textured with the standard VRay Mtl with the assigned jpg map attached.
Thank you,
Rob

[Svetlozar Draganov]

In this case you have to use V-Ray Light Material, its the alternative of Surface shader.
You may also have a look how V-Ray Dome Light works, in many cases it is even a better alternative.

[render4looks]

Thanks for your response and excellent advice. I had another 3D Artist suggest I try a couple procedures:

1) Texture map a dome light (as you've suggested) and lower the sun sky intensity down to 0.100 and then play with the f-stop in the physical camera

or

2) Keep my geometry sky (non dome light) then leave the sunsky as default and leave your f stop as default but increase your textures V value in its color balance roll out under colour gain. Click in the white swatch and crank V up to 5 and see if that changes things.

I have also thought about excluding my sky from all lights via light linking and have the sky sphere rely only on Ambient light settings, or try your V-Ray Light Material as you've said.

What do you think about these ideas?
Thanks again,
Rob

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Each of the methods should work fine, what would be the best one depends on your preferences.