Best way to create this light?

[tricky]

I'm trying to create this light, but I can't seem to get a clean result even when rendering with reasonably high settings. Its for an animation.

I've tried a single thickness 'skin' onto which I apply a gradient to give me a small bit of darkening at the edges and a ring light in the middle, but I can't get it to look clean and bright.

I've tried applying a white perspex material but that looks even worse.

How would you go about it? It is quite a clean, simple space, so it needs to hold up to a reasonable amount of scrutiny.

[Neilg]

Cheat it - create the material using a blend between a plastic/vray light mat, dont have it contribure any light to the scene then throw a vray light on top, pointing up, and another underneath pointing down.

If it's close to walls, cheat that too. I wouldnt try and do that accuratly though.

[tricky]

Cheat it - create the material using a blend between a plastic/vray light mat, dont have it contribure any light to the scene then throw a vray light on top, pointing up, and another underneath pointing down.

If it's close to walls, cheat that too. I wouldnt try and do that accuratly though.

I've never tried a blend material using a Vraylightmtl before - does that work? Stick the Vraylightmtl in the base slot I presume and a simple white plastic-type material in the coat layer??

[Neilg]

Yep - then a gradient going from light grey to dark grey as a mask so you get that nice diffuse look to it. Might take some tweaking, but you can get some awesome results that render a lot quicker.

[lightpixel]

thanks, to use a gradient as a mask is a really great tip...