SCShell
2005-03-30, 03:50 PM
Hey there,
I don't know how many know this already; however, I always get a kick out of this.
When I want to have building sign letters look realistic in renderings for day and night, I use model text. The trick is to have sign letters with metal edges and translucent color faces that can light up.
Do your model text as you normally do, and set the material to be whatever you want the metal sides to be (chrome, stainless, copper etc). Then, using the paint bucket tool, select a plastic material. Once you select the plastic in the Materials Settings, go into it's AccuRender adjustments and set the material to the exact color desired. Once you have done that, click on the Material tab above and then click 'edit' in the pull down menu so that you can set the "self luminance" adjustment to 20 or 25%. (Do not just check the "glow" button on the main Materials Settings window since it is usually too bright for night renderings.) Then, using the paint bucket tool, select (tab through if required) the actual front face of each letter. Voila!
Below are some images to demonstrate this technique.
Hope this helps someone.
Steve
I don't know how many know this already; however, I always get a kick out of this.
When I want to have building sign letters look realistic in renderings for day and night, I use model text. The trick is to have sign letters with metal edges and translucent color faces that can light up.
Do your model text as you normally do, and set the material to be whatever you want the metal sides to be (chrome, stainless, copper etc). Then, using the paint bucket tool, select a plastic material. Once you select the plastic in the Materials Settings, go into it's AccuRender adjustments and set the material to the exact color desired. Once you have done that, click on the Material tab above and then click 'edit' in the pull down menu so that you can set the "self luminance" adjustment to 20 or 25%. (Do not just check the "glow" button on the main Materials Settings window since it is usually too bright for night renderings.) Then, using the paint bucket tool, select (tab through if required) the actual front face of each letter. Voila!
Below are some images to demonstrate this technique.
Hope this helps someone.
Steve