These all sound like good ideas... I did try out the mia light surface shader, and got a bit closer to what I want, but i'll definitely check all these ideas out next work session.
Thanks! On Jul 3, 2013, at 10:42 PM, Rares Halmagean <ra...@rarebrush.com> wrote: > Another solution Nancy, may be to composite a render of the constant shaded > material over your architectural sphere depending on how comfortable you are > with approach. > > Or a simpler solution than the one I suggested earler comes to mind; Use a > mix_2_colors node by plugging the architectural shaders out into mix2color > base_color input, plug the lambert or constants out into mix2color color 1 > followed by mix_2_colors out to surface input of the material node, making > sure to dial the constant node contribution via the weight rgba in the mix > layer of the mix_2_colors node. That way you maintain the architectural > material surface properties and mix in the incandescent property of the > constant shader. You may have to play around with the architectural shader > diffuse, reflection properties and mix2colors mix layer properties till you > get the look you want. > > <gdfdifhb.jpg> > > -Rares > > > On 7/3/2013 8:46 PM, Matt Lind wrote: >> Many solutions, but here's an older simple solution: >> >> The object emitting illumination should have secondary rays active, and >> primary rays inactive. This allows rays to be cast for Global illumination, >> final gathering, etc..., but not be directly visible by the camera. This >> allows you to use a constant shaded sphere as the emitter. >> >> The object acting as the bulb and visible to the camera should have the >> opposite settings so it appears in the render, but doesn't block the rays >> cast by the emitter. >> >> You may need to do more subtle tweaking of visibility to account of other >> situations. For those cases I'll refer you to the 'ray switch' node which >> can perform the same task at a more granular level. >> >> Matt >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com >> [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Nancy Jacobs >> Sent: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 3:02 PM >> To: Softimage Listserve >> Subject: Requesting advice about light object >> >> Hello, >> >> I've been away from XSi for about two years due to illness, but am back >> working on a project. So, this may be very easy for you guys to answer. I'm >> feeling noobness here, having forgotten so many things! >> >> I'm trying to make a small sphere look like a light source, illuminating >> part of the scene, which is only lit by final gathering and a globe HDR >> object. I'm pretty sure I've done this successfully before, but it's failing >> me this time...;-) >> >> I can't make the sphere a constant material, because I want it to use many >> of the attributes of the architectural shader. In other words, I want it to >> be a reflective ball which is glowing and emitting light. I like the >> simplified emulated reflections i was getting by using optimizations in the >> architectural shader (also the rendering time advantage). So, I tried >> putting a point light inside it, which has somewhat fouled up the nice >> surface I had going with the architectural shader. And there is no >> 'incandescence' in this shader to make it appear glowing. I don't want to >> see the actual point light in the render, but I do want the ball itself to >> be a bit luminous. >> >> I'm also having a lot of trouble with the light attenuation using the >> exponent. Does anyone have any idea how to measure 'Softimage units' in ones >> scene? Do they relate to say, the sphere radius I am using? Or is that a >> whole 'nother thing.... >> >> Anyone who can give me some ideas or point me to some info about this >> glowing sphere light thing, much appreciated... Seems so rudimentary... >> >> Thanks, >> Nancy >> > > -- > Rares Halmagean > ___________________________________ > visual development and 3d character & content creation. > rarebrush.com
