Using Lens Effects Glow: Glow helps diffuse the light immediately around the light source-or at least appear to.
You will have to use very subtle values for the Glow effect for it to look proper.
Use ray tracing only when necessary: Sure, ray tracing looks good, especially on glass.
Remember that it adds a great deal of rendering time to your scene and it can actually make light bulbs look worse.
Really, the only time you would want to use ray tracing is for an unlit bulb when you are looking at it up close.
Use the real-world as a foundation.
A great deal of good source material is available from the world around us for fictional materials.
Procedural maps work for organic materials: Because Procedural maps are random in their effect, they are very easy to use within an Organic material.
You can easily create complex, organic surfaces just by using one or a combination of procedural maps.
Noise is the undisputed king of procedural maps.
You can use Noise just about everywhere in a scene when there's a call for randomization.
Using combination of Noise within itself or with other maps can greatly enhance a material.
Light sources require several steps to build.
There are many things to consider when building a light source material.
In this chapter, you saw how you can create both a lit and unlit source just by making minor adjustments to the same material.
Use Translucency in the Ray trace material.
Translucency can really make a difference for such objects as lamp shades or candle wax.
Anytime you have an object that normally allows some light to pass through it, you should be using the Translucency feature of the Ray trace material.
You will have to use very subtle values for the Glow effect for it to look proper.
Use ray tracing only when necessary: Sure, ray tracing looks good, especially on glass.
Remember that it adds a great deal of rendering time to your scene and it can actually make light bulbs look worse.
Really, the only time you would want to use ray tracing is for an unlit bulb when you are looking at it up close.
Use the real-world as a foundation.
A great deal of good source material is available from the world around us for fictional materials.
Procedural maps work for organic materials: Because Procedural maps are random in their effect, they are very easy to use within an Organic material.
You can easily create complex, organic surfaces just by using one or a combination of procedural maps.
Noise is the undisputed king of procedural maps.
You can use Noise just about everywhere in a scene when there's a call for randomization.
Using combination of Noise within itself or with other maps can greatly enhance a material.
Light sources require several steps to build.
There are many things to consider when building a light source material.
In this chapter, you saw how you can create both a lit and unlit source just by making minor adjustments to the same material.
Use Translucency in the Ray trace material.
Translucency can really make a difference for such objects as lamp shades or candle wax.
Anytime you have an object that normally allows some light to pass through it, you should be using the Translucency feature of the Ray trace material.