GRRR, just can't figure the emitter thingy out

[dutchesse]

OK, I give up, I know it sounds ridiculous and I'm sure the solution is incredibly simple...,I purchased twilight Sunday and for 2 days now I have been trying to make it appear like these letters are lit up from behind with neon tubes and the glow shows up on the surface behind them. The letter can be of any material, copper, steel, etc and I want them to stay that way (only reflective, not emitting light themselves)

First I tried to apply emitter to the back surface of the letters only, to no avail (it lights up all sides)
Then I tried creating identical "skins" for the letters abd place them behind the letters and make those emit light..., can't get that to work either, for some reason when I change the "skins" to lights the actual letters change to lights also.
It works when I apply the EmitterII orbs to the 2nd skins but then the light is way to bright and I can't seem to be able to customize the wattage/color etc.
I know this emitting thing should be a piece of cake but I can't seem to get it to work.


HELP , Thanks in advance

Esther

[Fletch]

are the letters pulled away from the wall about 2 inches? (10cm)
try doing it like so... (see attached scene.)
just open and hit render with Easy 11 (as a quick test render).

Painted entire letters with a red color.
Painted back face of letters with a bright red, called it "emitter".
Set letters to be shiny plastic.
Set back face material "emitter" to be emitter at 1000w/m2. (depends on size of letters)

Light emitting surfaces are great for Render Settings Easy 09, 10, and 11 only. Don't use emitting materials with Easy 01-07 because they will greatly increase render times.

[dutchesse]

Hey thanks, ... logic told me that was what I was supposed to do and it was indeed what I tried first.
Except, I didn't have the Wattage up to 1000 (I kept it at 40 which I though would give me a nice soft glow, :0)) so I think I just couldn't see the emitted light.

thanks again

[Fletch]

At your service, Dutchesse.

[dutchesse]

Well Fletch , in case you where curious ... this is what I was trying to achieve.
It is a concept curved metal plate exterior hotel sign. For now this will work, I just have to photoshop it into an actual curb picture. How I really envision this sign to look is it having water cascading over the front, but I have no clue how to go by doing this yet so I have some more homeowork to do.
However, after completing this render, I do see light at the end of the rendering tunnel and I have hopes that one day I might actually get as good as some of these guys in here :0)

[richko86]

Wow that looks great,

How do you get it to "emitter" pass 100watt in the template section?

I can't get my emitted light bright like how you have it. You said 4000w, I don't see any number higher than 100w.

[Fletch]

after you apply the 100w template, change the number 100 to any number you like.

to calculate the wattage precisely, refer to the guide in the user manual reference section.

[richko86]

Ah, gotcha! Fletch, you are truly a help here! thanks for everything.