Edge lit Glass

[grasshopper]

Hi folks, Hope someone can help me with this? I need to create edge lit glass as the two images below




I have created a box with the letters cut into it and put a vray light under it but can't get anywhere near the desired effect. I have tried various canges to to IOR, exit colour, fog etc but just can't get it to look anything like this. Anyone any ideas???

[joconnell]

It's the bevels catching reflections and refractions so it might be a case of roughening up the edge of your sign so the different angles catch a bit of the light. Also I think those signs are often made from clear plastic that gets a bit rough at the edges when they're cut so it might be a case of doing a front projected glossiness map so you get glossy reflections at the very edges. You might be able to do two materials, clear for the fron and back and glossy for the sides.

[RErender]

I've had pretty good results using a vertex color map to control the glossiness, just select the letter verts and make them black and keep the rest white. Then just drop the vertex color map into your reflection and refraction slots of the vray material.

[DaForce]

I have seen this done quite nicely on a russian forum. If i can track down the link... and max file I will post it here.

[jacksc02]

fake it, add a lightmaterial to some text and add the same material to the bottom light. easy

[RErender]

Quick one with the method described above

[jacksc02]

which method??

[RErender]

The one I posted up there.

I've had pretty good results using a vertex color map to control the glossiness, just select the letter verts and make them black and keep the rest white. Then just drop the vertex color map into your reflection and refraction slots of the vray material.

[jacksc02]

was just teasing!

[RErender]

[DaForce]

Well the one that I was talking about while looks ok in the render as shown. Its actually faked using a few vray lights, and I imagine it wouldnt work well with etched in letters.

[grasshopper]

Thanks for your ideas folks. I'll try some of them out and get back & let you know how i get on. Any luck with that Max file DaForce ?

[jonnybefree]

dond't know if it works, but what about a vray edges texture as blend mask and use a lightmaterial on the edges with a falloff in opacity? its a fake but maybe works.

[DaForce]

Yep sure thing. Didnt upload as I thought it may not be suitable. But here ya go. might be able to get something out of it.

DOWNLOAD

[andrewjohn81]

I'd kind of like to see this for a glass shelf too. I need a glass bookshelf that has led lights in the back, so it would be slightly more focused in certain areas, that should illuminate the edges.
The really tough part seems to be to simulate how it would like in photography.

Does anyone have examples they've already done where they could post up an image and brief explanation of their method.

I've gone through a few tests, but either it looks great and takes forever, or it renders fast and looks like I faked it. I've done a similar thing, although not backlit, using glass shelves in a kitchen environment. I was only simulating a tinted glass based on angle though...it didn't have anything to do with light.