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Tutorials - Neon Lights |
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This is a tutorial on making neon signs using trueSpace from Caligari. I used version 3.1, but
any version from 2 up will work fine.
Recommendations : having ThermoClay
or ThermoClayII, and a 2d glow filter from Axion Software
(the end results will be much better if you do).
Skills needed: Good overall knowledge of trueSpace
Good use of the sweep tool
Ability to work in multiple views
& a lot of patience ( you WILL need it..haha )
If you go look at some neon signs, notice how the tube is all one flowing, curved, and
molded piece.
Think about how the tube moves from one letter to the next, where the artist/craftsman
stops on one
letter and moves to the next, etc...
Starting with a new scene, first click the 'Add Horrizontal Text' 
button, then right click the same
button to select the font you wish to use ( I recommend a script type font like Kauflinn )
for a basis
for the neon object. Then left click in a top view and type the letters you wish to be in
the sign.
Create a CUBE primitive 
and scale evenly on all axes, until you have about the right
size for
stroke of the letters, or size of the neon. I like to use cubes for this because they are
easier to use
with the point edit tools, and the sweep function. don't worry we are going to smooth it
later. Now
move this cube off to the side, it will be our master. We will only use copies of the cube
in our
work. That way all the tubes come out the same size.
Ok, here comes the FUN part... NOT! hehe
I hope you are familiar with the sweep tool. It is your friend =-)
Position a copy of the cube where you want the neon tube to start. Using 'Point Edit:
Faces' 
,
select the face of the cube facing the direction you will be sweeping. Click on 'Sweep'
...Now we're cooking....
**Avoid using the scale feature..concentrate on using the rotate and move features only.
Now use move and rotate to position the swept part so it conforms to
the underlying text ( your pattern )
continue to Sweep/Position, Sweep/Position until you have the letter done...
Do this for each letter.....
Later on you can go back and select a backside face of a letter and sweep/rotate it to
join up
to an adjacent letter, if you like. But do it before you smooth.
Now we have this....
Now to texture it....
If you opted to make the connecting tubes, use the paint faces tool to paint them a flat
black.
Now make a nice semi transparent texture in any color you like as long as it's a fairly
light shade,
and use the metal shader with a reflection map ( I like to use rainbow ) and ambient set
to just
below maximum. Paint this on to the letters.
Use tHc or tHcII to melt each letter twice. Then
use one of the glue tools to make all the letters into
one object.
Rotate the letters 180 deg. on the X or Y axis, to turn it so you are facing the backside
of the neon
sign.
Create a new texture, pure white, maximum ambience. Use the 'Paint face' tool and color
only the
faces in the middle of the tube(s)....
For a finished look, make a plane and scale and position it just behind the sign, paint an
image map
on it with no ambience at all. Place a few dim lights colored to match the tube color and
put them
between the neon sign and the plane.
Rotate the object back to it's original position, and render with raytracing and the glow
filter turned on,
you may have to adjust the settings for the glow filter a bit, but what you end up with
should look like this...
Have FUN! trueSpacing!
by Kevin Barnett
opie@tisd.net
