Best Color for Lighting

[Bill Tillman]

Can anyone make a suggestion for a good color to select for lights? I'm using 255,255,255 and it's just too bright. I need something a little more subtle and I'm testing now with different colors. I don't want it to look "miller time" glow, but something, anything a little softer than 255,255,255. And does mixing lights with different colors have a desirable affect?

 

I'm using a Key, Fixed and a Back light as was outlined in an earlier post by Cad64.

[Cad64]

It all depends on what you're lighting and what sort of mood you're trying to set. I never use full 255,255,255 white light. I always add a touch of blue or yellow depending on whether I want to warm up or cool down the scene. It's really all personal taste though. Just play with the color settings until you get something you like.

 

And mixing colored lights can also give you some cool effects like a blue key light with a red rim light. Lighting is an art form unto itself and you just have to get in there and start playing with it to figure out what you like and what works for your scene.

 

Are you using standard or photometric lights? Photometric lights give you physically accurate lighting which you can control with more precision than standard lights. http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/index.html?url=WS1a9193826455f5ffa23ce210c4a30acaf-7d49.htm,topicNumber=d0e175482

[Tuns]

Id say a light blue or yellow like Cad said. Red would just look kinda odd because it's not common that it looks red.

[Bill Tillman]

Thanks Cad64. The renderings I'm making are of aluminum and steel fabrications. And everything is mill finish for the moment. I few items have paint, but most of the objects are just raw aluminum.

 

I already found that by adding a little more blue to the light and reducing the red I get a little more pleasing effect. And I do agree, this is a trial and error process. The renderings are taking about 8 minutes each, but I have the resolution way up there.