Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Standard Light Types in 3ds Max
By default, when you open up Max and start working, it has
its own default lights set up. If it didn't, everything would be
pitch black. These default lights are not actual selectable
lights; it is a built-in system that allows you to see what you're
doing. When you create a light in 3ds Max, this system auto-
matically turns off, making the scene dark even though you've
added a single light to it. That's because now you only have
one light source in your world.
Figure 6-1: Default lighting on a sphere
Lighting is truly an art form, and those who can light well can
even hold jobs just lighting scenes. I'm going to touch on the
basics specific to 3ds Max. I'll show you the tools, but it takes
much practice to learn the ins and outs of lighting. There are
entire topics dedicated to lighting, most of which are well
worth the money spent!
