How do I stop coloured lights from going white?

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Comments

  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited December 1969

    Ok, I now want to use the glow shader to simulate a light bulb. In this anglepoise lamp prop, I have parented a spotlight to provide the lamp's illumination, but the light bulb is nowhere near bright enough to look realistic. How can I increase the strength on the glow shader? Or is there another way to do it? I want the bulb to look really bright and burned out

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  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited December 1969

    I would put an uberLightSphere in the lampshade. That will look like a lightbulb (closely enough anyways)

  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited December 1969

    I would put an uberLightSphere in the lampshade. That will look like a lightbulb (closely enough anyways)

    Not really. UberArea lights are great at giving out light to other surfaces, but they can't be made to look bright themselves

  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited August 2014

    If you use the objects themselves (plane, sphere, lightbar) they give off no light if you leave the settings at default but you see them in render. I have done this a few times for making lights in scenes

    *edit*
    I use this method in the attached pic. The lights are uberlightbars with linear point lights on top of them.

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  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited December 1969

    If you use the objects themselves (plane, sphere, lightbar) they give off no light if you leave the settings at default but you see them in render. I have done this a few times for making lights in scenes

    *edit*
    I use this method in the attached pic. The lights are uberlightbars with linear point lights on top of them.

    Sorry, can you explain what you mean? I assumed you meant apply the UberArea base to my lightbulb. Is that not what you meant?

  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited December 1969

    That may be what it's called. I can't remember off-hand and I can't check since daz is still in the process of a lengthy render :( But I hope you see what I mean from the pics. (I thought I had the name of the objects correct)

  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited August 2014

    oo! the making of real light fixtures. This I like already.
    In the past, I played with putting a simple uber panel into a fixture made from prerogatives. kind of a pour-mans florescent fixture of sorts. It worked well as it was a regular uber-light with a box around it. Then later on, I put a "Dz Light" in a square can of sorts for a shadow-in-shadow test. Again, I did nothing to the DzLight other then place it in a primitive made fixture.

    I have had some difficulty with the applying that uber-surface thing to other objects. lack of a clue, or just bad luck I guess. Let me get some coffee, and read the rest of this. (yep I need coffee, lol. morning)

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    Sertorial said:
    Ok, I now want to use the glow shader to simulate a light bulb. In this anglepoise lamp prop, I have parented a spotlight to provide the lamp's illumination, but the light bulb is nowhere near bright enough to look realistic. How can I increase the strength on the glow shader? Or is there another way to do it? I want the bulb to look really bright and burned out

    There is the "Ambient" it controls how bright the surface is in direct view of the camera angle. The Intensity controls the light emitted from the surface (per say). I modded the settings a tad, to get them into one screen-cap under "Currently Used". Ironically, in a digital realm, 255 255 255 is as bright as you can get, lol.

    Now, If the light is in that 'Glow effect' of another object, it will be dimmed considerably, unless the Glow surface settings are reduced in 'Opacity' considerable. And as 'jestmart' has so accurately pointed out, to much 'Glow Effect' is not realistic at all for most real world conditions. Lick Echo in a song, it must be used sparingly to add to the scene, rather then muddying it out completely.

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  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited December 1969

    Sertorial said:
    Ok, I now want to use the glow shader to simulate a light bulb. In this anglepoise lamp prop, I have parented a spotlight to provide the lamp's illumination, but the light bulb is nowhere near bright enough to look realistic. How can I increase the strength on the glow shader? Or is there another way to do it? I want the bulb to look really bright and burned out

    There is the "Ambient" it controls how bright the surface is in direct view of the camera angle. The Intensity controls the light emitted from the surface (per say). I modded the settings a tad, to get them into one screen-cap under "Currently Used". Ironically, in a digital realm, 255 255 255 is as bright as you can get, lol.

    Now, If the light is in that 'Glow effect' of another object, it will be dimmed considerably, unless the Glow surface settings are reduced in 'Opacity' considerable. And as 'jestmart' has so accurately pointed out, to much 'Glow Effect' is not realistic at all for most real world conditions. Lick Echo in a song, it must be used sparingly to add to the scene, rather then muddying it out completely.

    So how do I get a table lamp (like in my image) where the bulb really looks like it's glowing bright?

  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited August 2014

    pleas forgive my absance, was trying to make a lamp of my own, with Just Daz Studio.
    not quite as an elaborate model I admit, however it has all the essential qualities" - Bill Oddie, Truth about killer dinosaurs.

    It has an opening at one end for the light to come out, and vents at the other. lol. I have some testing my self, as I dont know about that apply light to surface thing. I would cram a glowing sphere and a Dz Spotlight in the thing to replace the light-bulb... I think. I dont know yet.

    When you have reached pure white on the light surface, the light it's self can not get any brighter, that is where dimming the rest of the scene, to bring out the contrast becomes an art form. Perhaps even using the Gama in the render tab somehow to make the uber surface brighter if it is not pure white. It's an option.

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited August 2014

    Slight revision to the crash test, lol. Starting with a simple Uber Sphere light, with the intensity cranked to 500%. Apparently being in a shade, reduces light output considerably.

    I see the dilemma. The inside of the can should be blindingly white, like the bulb (Uber Sphere light).
    (edit)
    "O" that can is 6 inches x 6 inches, and the uber sphere is at 50% scaling to fit in the can.

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    I duplicated the thing, so I could get a few more angles, now it is time to kill the ZDG-Box lights, and try some random things.

    I am open to ideas as well, them Uber Spheres are as white as white can get.

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited August 2014

    hmmm. these three Uber spheres took about 16m 38s to render. There are settings somewhere that need to change, to something. the speckles on the inside of the sheath of the lamp, the dither noise in the floor reflections, etc.

    It's just all out unimpressive for a carbon arch lamp equivalent. perhaps adding that Surfer Guy UE2, may improve things, or not. How many samples should I set the Uber spheres to?

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    Increased the Uber Sphere intensity to a thousand percent each, Uped the samples to 64 from 48, and added the Surfer guy UE2. I adjusted the intensity of the UE2 down to 25%, and removed all the other lights in the Surfer guy light preset.

    I am open to suggestions at this point.

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  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited December 1969

    Increased the Uber Sphere intensity to a thousand percent each, Uped the samples to 64 from 48, and added the Surfer guy UE2. I adjusted the intensity of the UE2 down to 25%, and removed all the other lights in the Surfer guy light preset.

    I am open to suggestions at this point.

    well.. thanks for trying. I guess it's just not possible in DAZ Studio. Pity

  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited December 1969

    I think it's really close. I'm not sure exactly the look you're after if that's not it. But maybe if you scale one axis more than the other to make the sphere a little oblong it will fill the lamp more. Then you can put your spotlight inside it and if you want to get real fancy, use the uber dust shader in the spotlight.

    As soon as I can get my render complete for the contest, I'll put something together and see if it's close to what you want.

  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    that uber dust shader in the spotlight, sounds like an idea. The other option of the "Glow" object around the light, absorbs all the light before it can illuminate anything. I don't even know where that dust thing is.

  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited August 2014

    It should be in the smart content under materials. (there's one for smoke, dust and a couple others. They have something to do with the smokey wall tutorial that comes with Daz (or slaying the dragon, I'm not sure because I installed all that at the same time) if that helps any) As for the light, I don't apply any time of lighting to the sphere itself so the spotlight isn't absorbed.

    *edit*
    15 hours and 40 minutes on my render and it's only at 81% complete so it may be a while until I can put together a sample.
    4 ambient lighted plants with uber lighting also applied, spotlights, distant lights and 2 cube primitives set to be completely invisible with the smoke material applied really hits the render time hard.

    Post edited by kaotkbliss on
  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    Sorry I dropped the ball today, errr, yesterday. I had to head to my fathers for the day.

    That render-time is the other downside to complicated multi-light fixtures. It kind of makes test renders impossible when you need to let the computer think for a few hours.

    Now if it could be done with a 'Glow' effect sphere, with an invisible uber sphere outside that, it may be cheaper on render time, tho probably not by much. There are two effects to make the sphere somewhat invisible, and I read elsewhere they both need to be used. Switching on the "Phantom' switch, and sliding the 'Opacity' down to Zero percent. It had to do with the uber lights being visible in reflections.

    That was going to be my next test, tho I must get some shut-eye before morning. Yet another family gathering, I'll get a chance to do more Sunday night into Monday morning EST. I wont be upset if someone else dose the test, I feel like I dropped the ball here.

  • prixatprixat Posts: 1,590
    edited December 1969

    its sounds like you're trying another of those 'defects of vision' things.
    In this case the limited range of exposure for a given lens/aperture/film combination.

    since it really is only a 40 second fix in Photoshop I haven't looked too deeply into in-render methods. (See attached images)

    (Here's another method to look at, since its closer to real world, extreme differences in brightness. Put the area light intensity up to 10,000% and give it a really severe fall-off, that should produce a dark image with a bright bulb. Then use Gain to lighten the image which should overexpose the bulb.)

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    hello prixat, long time no chat. My opinions of Photoshop CC/CS aside. I like the sounds of that, and quite simple. The result is exactly what I was thinking of, And it may be possible to do on a lower budget with something free (not Photoshop). Your example is perfect by the way.


    So that's why it takes months to complete a single CG snip-it for a movie, they need to export each frame to Photoshop to get the lights correct, then turn the mountain of static images back into a motion film segment... "Why did we get these mainframes" says management, lol.

    Enjoy the weakened y'all, I must be off to yet more family gatherings.

  • prixatprixat Posts: 1,590
    edited December 1969

    Adobe 'After Effects' is photoshop for movies. Though in the film industry its more likely to be something like Nuke.

    All these family meetings, is this the sort of family with ties back to Sicily? :ohh:

  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited September 2014

    lol. Saturday was the Allen gathering, and Sunday well, my mothers friends are Italian. Needles to say, I'm quite stuffed at this point. Breakfast, I'll pass on that just get me the coffee, lol.

    That reminds me, I need to find a place for yet another 61-key synth in here. If it was a Kurzweil, I'd be more motivated on that front. So Lights, very bright lights. Like when the Nostomo crew kicked on the "Floods" bright lights.

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  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited December 1969

    Sorry it's been so long, After the render was completed (which took forever, over 24 hours :O ) I needed to re-setup my library which also took a lot longer than I thought. I will have something today though.

  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    It's all good. I've been quite distracted with catching up on everything I've missed.

    Interesting side effect with that "Glow", or the "Duplicate" feature. If the sphere is not completely in view, the fuzzy edges are not so fuzzy.
    This is the invisible Uber light spheres outside the "Glow" effect spheres test.

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  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    I decided to try something a little different, like an old incandescent bulb.

    The Uber Sphere; Opacity 25%, Phantom Off.
    The "Glow" effect sphere, a tad larger this time.

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  • kaotkblisskaotkbliss Posts: 2,914
    edited December 1969

    here's mine
    I used a spotlight (left settings at default)
    primitive cone with the UberVolume Dust shader applied
    and an Area light sphere with opacity at 15%, intensity at 1000% and ambient at 200% and the color at white

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  • SertorialSertorial Posts: 962
    edited September 2014

    Many thanks everyone. I have actually achieved the desired effect with LuxRender - which handles light far better and more realistically than 3Delight. Plus another great thing about Lux is that you can adjust the brightness of the lamp up and down as it's rendering to see the effect. Just great!

    This is just a quick render to show what I mean.

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  • prixatprixat Posts: 1,590
    edited December 1969

    I'm simplifying the lamp in my render and will add it to my freebie thread at some point.

  • ZarconDeeGrissomZarconDeeGrissom Posts: 5,412
    edited December 1969

    thank you so much in advance. As for my "lamp" [clear throat], it's really simple. an Opacity map applied to a cylinder with a light placed in it, lol.

    Everyone may feel free to use that map I uploaded as you wish, either of My maps uploaded earlier in this thread. Someday I'll get around to posting that in my maps thread in the art forum.

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