Edward Lotter <_lot### [at] loopcom> wrote in message
<01bddbb0$052ffd00$693ed3cf@edward.loop.com>...
[snip]
>
>How does one render a visible flourescent tube (like those in an office
>ceiling)?
>Or even a neon sign??
>
>Thanks in advance for any pointers and help.


If you are out for a closeup with absolutely realistic lighting, then you
will have a hard time... :-(

But if you can settle for less (like a sign in the midground/background, or
a sign which doesn't have to light up everything very realisticly), try this
workaround:

Create your neonsign object.
Give it an ambient value of 1, so that it glows by itself. Also set the
"no_shadow" property.
If you want to, surround it by a halo/interior to give it a glow (but in
reality this only happens if there is fog).
Create a point light at about the center of the light, with a color that
matches the main color the sign would emit. Use this for test-renders. For
the final render, replace it with an area-light that covers about the same
are as the sign with the same color as the pointlight.

Note: This workaround will not light up objects close to the sign in a
realistic manner, but for a sign that is (for example) sitting on a wall,
with no objects in close proximity, this should work.

Hope it helps a bit,
Johannes.

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