Set an Environment

Rendering

You can use a lighting method based on an environment image in the rendering process. The environment is effective only together with an environment light. If the model does not include an environment light, the environment alone does not have effect to the rendering.

An environment image can be any panoramic image suitable for the purpose, but a hdr image that is created specifically for this purpose will produce the best lighting. An environment image can also be an image which produces a photographic studio style lighting. You can add an environment image to a model as follows:

Activate the 3D model.
Do either of the following:
- Select Rendering | Environment | Environment Image.
- Select the object tree title Rendering. Right-click to open the context-sensitive menu, and select Set Environment.
The Open dialog box opens. The default folder ../system/lw/hdr. The environment images provided by the software supplier can be found in the folder. The folder holds both hdr files as well as jpg or png files for previewing them. Select a hdr file. If you want to use your own environment images, you can save them in the same folder.
Click the Open button.

Note:

In addition to an environment image, a model must have an environment light (light type: environment) and the light must be on. You can add an environment light from the light library or load a studio (Default) with an environment light into the model.
By default, an environment image is not displayed as the background image of a rendered model. If the resolution of the image is sufficiently high, it can also be used as a background image. The selected environment image is displayed as a background image, when you first add an environment background to the model from the background library. Select the General folder in the library, and the Environment background.
You can switch the lighting method on and off by selecting or clearing the Environment lighting checkbox in the Rendering dialog box. See Define Rendering Settings.