Christmas Lights - How to achieve a realistic glow?

Hello all -

Thanks for viewing my first question on the Flamingo forum.

I’m trying to create a realistic string of Christmas lights. I’ve tagged a number of elements as light objects, and have explored the available properties. The result is not bad, but the bulbs look flat and dull. Without Photoshop post-processing, is there any way to improve the look of the bulbs, themselves?

For example, when you look at a blue incandescent Christmas light, you actually see the blue glow of the bulb along with a red hot-spot in the middle. And, I’d like to duplicate the “gleam” or “glare” (or “halo”) that is so familiar in photos of small lights.

I understand all of the things I’m trying to achieve may be due to photographic techniques. But, can I duplicate it?

Thanks, in advance, for your help and suggestions.

Here’s my test image:

Try turning on the Glare tool on the Post Effects after you have rendered it.

You can also use the Path Tracer engine inside nXt too…

John -

Wow! That works great! Thanks, very much, for the suggestion.

  • Patrick

In case other people might benefit from this topic, attached are two images—the first using glare (very low values), and the second using Path Tracer. I think glare works rather well for what I’m trying to accomplish. Thanks to both John and Brian for their help!!