Introduction to Illumination!

Learn about lighting!

three ways surfaces produce light

radiating it, reflecting it, or a combination of the two

global lighting model

models all interactions in a scene, light reflected off objects affects other objects

local lighting model

looks at single objects, light from multiple sources reaches the object and this is how colour is determined

light source elements

position, colour, intensity

light source types

ambient, directional, spotlight, point source

surface properties

colour, texture

surface property types

specular, diffuse, translucent

what two factors affect the interaction between light and colour

the angle at which the light hits the surface and the interaction between light colour and surface colour

specular (shiny)

reflects light strongly around an angle symmetric to the angle of incidence

specular (shiny) examples

shiny metals like brass, polished surfaces

diffuse (matte)

reflects light equally in all directions regardless of angle of incidence

diffuse (matte) examples

cotton fabrics, paper, concrete

translucent

lets light through but might affect its colour, intensity and direction

translucent examples

water, glass