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amari21399
Participant
May 19, 2022
Answered

Spot Light not working

  • May 19, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 2131 views

I'm trying to add a spot light on this 3d spinning logo. (I'm going step-by-step with a/multiple youtube videos.) I do exactly what they do in the video. I start with creating a shape from the vector layer. I make the outline layer 3d. I add extrusion depth. The next step I've been seeing on these videos is New > Light > Spot Light with the settings that I show in the screenshot. And as it shows in the screenshot, the spotlight doesn't appear. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

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Correct answer Rick Gerard

It looks like your artwork is 100% black. You can throw all the light you want on a 100% black layer, and it will still be 100% black. You either need to add a lighter-colored 3D background or change the fill color of the shape layer to a shade of gray. The only thing you can do to a 100% black layer to make it interact with lights is fiddle with the material options for specular, metal, and reflective properties so a black layer reflects comp lights or other layers. You should also consider adding some Ambient light to the project, and it is a bad idea not to have a camera in a 3D comp. 

2 replies

Roland Kahlenberg
Roland Kahlenberg
Legend
May 19, 2022

Here is a screenGrab showing  a viable lighting setup for a lack object. 

 

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    A
    amari21399Author
    Participant
    May 19, 2022

    thank you! both of these comments were really helpful

    R
    Community Expert
    Rick GerardCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    May 19, 2022

    It looks like your artwork is 100% black. You can throw all the light you want on a 100% black layer, and it will still be 100% black. You either need to add a lighter-colored 3D background or change the fill color of the shape layer to a shade of gray. The only thing you can do to a 100% black layer to make it interact with lights is fiddle with the material options for specular, metal, and reflective properties so a black layer reflects comp lights or other layers. You should also consider adding some Ambient light to the project, and it is a bad idea not to have a camera in a 3D comp. 

      A
      amari21399Author
      Participant
      May 19, 2022

      thanks so much. just making the shape barely off-black made the light work. 

       

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