Softer than raytraced
shadows, shadow maps use more memory to render than ray-traced shadows.Raytraced
shadows use more processing power.
Area lights also can produce realistic ray-traced shadows, but to do so they require more
rendering time. For example, say a person is standing outside in bright sunlight. The
shadow that the person casts has sharp edges around the area by the subject??™s foot, where
the shadow begins. As the shadow falls off and away from the subject, it becomes softer.
Ray-traced shadows from distant lights, point lights, and spotlights cannot produce this
effect??”neither can shadow maps. Only area lights can produce these true shadows and
create a softer overall appearance to animations.
Spotlights are the most common lights, and they are the most useful for your everyday
animation needs. But on occasion, the added rendering time generated from area lights
is worthwhile.An area light is represented in Layout by a flat square and emits light equally
from all directions except for the edges, producing very realistic shadows.
Exercise 4.5 Working with Area Lights
1. Continuing from the scene you??™ve been working on throughout this chapter,
select Key_Light, and press p to open the Light Properties panel.
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