# Strange shadow?

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/strange-shadow/60342>\
**Category:** Rendering\
**Tags:** unreal-engine\
**Created:** [April 6, 2016, 11:24am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/strange-shadow/60342 "2016-04-06T11:24:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Krum](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Krum](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Krum)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 11:24am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/strange-shadow/60342/1 "2016-04-06T11:24:42Z")

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Hi guys , i am pretty new with Unreal i have some strange shadow(at least i think so).  
I am having a wall , which is a static mesh imported from 3ds Max , for lighting i am using “DirectionalLightStationary”.  
As far as i understand there is nothing in the level that should cast a shadow with such shape:

![9f5650a215a763b0d511e10cbd268ff7bc7a2561.jpeg](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/images/transparent.png)

There is nothing that can cast a shadow with such form in the level:

![1ca3892d47b8bec7a05ae5086da9cda163bd64ae.jpeg](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/images/transparent.png)

and that’s the mesh with the UVs:

![b78325619a02d9f71850e63d783a7b1f7854048a.jpeg](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/images/transparent.png)

I have no idea where this is coming from. Any help should be appreciated.  
Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_Hobson](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Tim\_Hobson](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Tim_Hobson)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/strange-shadow/60342/2 "2016-04-06T14:34:17Z")

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Hi Krum,

You’ll want to increase the Lightmap Resolution of the mesh receiving the shadow. Without a higher resolution the baked shadow quality will have artifacts like this.

Lighting Documentation: [Lighting Tools and Plugins in Unreal Engine | Unreal Engine 5.1 Documentation](https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Engine/Rendering/LightingAndShadows/index.html)

Also, here is a basic lighting questions troubleshooting guide I wrote a while back. You can check the section for Lightmap Resolution/Shadow Quality for additional tips.

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**Author:** ![Krum](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Krum](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Krum)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/strange-shadow/60342/4 "2016-04-06T15:38:04Z")

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Hi Tim,  
thanks for the answer.  
Actually before i start the thread i thought that this is the problem and i increased it , but as i am a newbie i have increased the “Min Lightmap Resolution”(up to 2048 :D) Now when you said , i re checked and saw what i did…  
“Lightmap Resolution” to 128 seems to take care of the problem.  
Thank"s for the help!