Lightwave Community at SimplyLightwave - View Single Post - Please explain Philip's use of "negative" area light

bakasaru · 30-07-2003, 06:13 PM

With two identical lights set at 'inverse' intensities the result is no effect on the scene whatsoever, unless the positive light has shadows enabled, whereby the lights cancel each other out everywhere except the shadow area. Thus we get the softer shadows of an area light without them affecting diffuse or specular shading. Philip chose to have the Distant Light source for illumination only and no shadow casting and used the 2 area lights for their softer shadows. Now he can control the shadows by altering the intensity offsets of the area lights, ie, 50% and -50% would render 'half-transparent' shadows.

30-07-2003, 06:13 PM	#4
bakasaru Full Access Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 15	With two identical lights set at 'inverse' intensities the result is no effect on the scene whatsoever, unless the positive light has shadows enabled, whereby the lights cancel each other out everywhere except the shadow area. Thus we get the softer shadows of an area light without them affecting diffuse or specular shading. Philip chose to have the Distant Light source for illumination only and no shadow casting and used the 2 area lights for their softer shadows. Now he can control the shadows by altering the intensity offsets of the area lights, ie, 50% and -50% would render 'half-transparent' shadows.