Best way to make Recessed Lights?

sancheuz · December 30th, 2005

What do you guys use to make recessed ceiling lights. I was thinking about boolean them in the ceiling but I was wondering if there was an easier way. I've noticed some of you just place a cylinder in roof and photoshop it later, but sometimes they come out looking like dots in the roof.

STRAT · December 30th, 2005

depends what the recessed lights look like. it's obviously better to 'place' the lights on the ceiling and do it that way, but if they must be recessed then yes, you must recess them.

usually by either modelling the cieling with the holes in it in the first place, or maybe (if your using max/viz) use the shape merge command instead of boolean. much fast, smoother and reliable for this type of thing.

sancheuz · December 30th, 2005

Awesome thanks Strat shapemerge does work well. Thanks a million.

J.R. · December 30th, 2005

I normally use a cylinder which has a light-texturemap on the cap. The cylinder sticks out a little bit. So I can reposition them or hide them if I like. That works best if the recessed lights are even with the ceiling and not rendered as close-ups. lighing either with glow-glare shaders or just photoshop.

ShaunDon · December 30th, 2005

If you keep your ceiling plane as a spline object with a normal modifier on top (this turns it to a face, and usually to draw your ceiling in plan so you need to flip the face normals), then you can have circles in the spline for your recessed light locations. That'll cut the holes for you -- it's cleaner than a boolean, and you can always go back to the spline object and reposition the circles if the lights need to be moved.

I'm not sure I understand JR's suggestion, but can lights and such will usually have a lip or something that is slightly below the ceiling -- but the bulk is always sunk into the ceiling. You need to cut holes in the ceiling plane for this to actually look right.

Shaun

sancheuz · December 30th, 2005

Well here is how the results came out. I used Strats suggestion about shapemerge and worked wonderfully. Thanks Strat. Here's the link:
http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/14034-interior-family-room.html

December 30th, 2005	#1 (permalink)
sancheuz Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Homestead Age: 24 Posts: 204 Name: Jonathan Sanchez	Best way to make Recessed Lights? What do you guys use to make recessed ceiling lights. I was thinking about boolean them in the ceiling but I was wondering if there was an easier way. I've noticed some of you just place a cylinder in roof and photoshop it later, but sometimes they come out looking like dots in the roof. __________________ Skylight?

December 30th, 2005	#2 (permalink)
STRAT Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK. Age: 36 Posts: 6,485 Name: Stephen Leworthy	Re: Best way to make Recessed Lights? depends what the recessed lights look like. it's obviously better to 'place' the lights on the ceiling and do it that way, but if they must be recessed then yes, you must recess them. usually by either modelling the cieling with the holes in it in the first place, or maybe (if your using max/viz) use the shape merge command instead of boolean. much fast, smoother and reliable for this type of thing.

December 30th, 2005	#3 (permalink)
sancheuz Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Homestead Age: 24 Posts: 204 Name: Jonathan Sanchez	Re: Best way to make Recessed Lights? Awesome thanks Strat shapemerge does work well. Thanks a million. __________________ Skylight?

December 30th, 2005	#4 (permalink)
J.R. Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Vienna Age: 33 Posts: 41 Name: Jan-Ruben Fischer	Re: Best way to make Recessed Lights? I normally use a cylinder which has a light-texturemap on the cap. The cylinder sticks out a little bit. So I can reposition them or hide them if I like. That works best if the recessed lights are even with the ceiling and not rendered as close-ups. lighing either with glow-glare shaders or just photoshop.

December 30th, 2005	#5 (permalink)
ShaunDon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Portsmouth, NH Age: 26 Posts: 360 Name: Shaun Donnelly	Re: Best way to make Recessed Lights? If you keep your ceiling plane as a spline object with a normal modifier on top (this turns it to a face, and usually to draw your ceiling in plan so you need to flip the face normals), then you can have circles in the spline for your recessed light locations. That'll cut the holes for you -- it's cleaner than a boolean, and you can always go back to the spline object and reposition the circles if the lights need to be moved. I'm not sure I understand JR's suggestion, but can lights and such will usually have a lip or something that is slightly below the ceiling -- but the bulk is always sunk into the ceiling. You need to cut holes in the ceiling plane for this to actually look right. Shaun __________________ Shaun Donnelly TANGRAM 3DS

December 30th, 2005	#6 (permalink)
sancheuz Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Homestead Age: 24 Posts: 204 Name: Jonathan Sanchez	Re: Best way to make Recessed Lights? Well here is how the results came out. I used Strats suggestion about shapemerge and worked wonderfully. Thanks Strat. Here's the link: http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/14034-interior-family-room.html __________________ Skylight?

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