The Horizon Background is sometimes taken for granted but it is a very useful resource. Let us discuss it a little.
Long ago, airbrush-like chrome was the holy grail of a good render. Thankfully this is no longer so. Airbrush chrome reflection was blue on top, white on the horizon from above, brown on the horizon from below and yellowish on the bottom, as if reflecting the sky and the ground.
This is precisely what we get when we create a new Horizon Background.
We get four colors: Overhead, two Horizon colors and Underfoot.
We also get three blend rates: Slow, Medium and Fast. Fast is the default.
Slow Blend:
Medium Blend:
Fast Blend:
As with all Backgrounds, we can use the Horizon Background as a visible or reflected background or as a Lightdome. The most common use for the Horizon Background is as a reflected background. It is usually not a good reflected background.
Horizon Background as a Lightdome
We can also use the background as a Lightdome, which is particularly good for cloudy days. Is is gray overhead and underfoot, with white on the horizon.
The light produced by this Lightdome is a nice smooth shadowed one:
Applying reflective textures and using the Horizon Background also as reflected and visible Backgrounds we get something like this:
So, don’t forget about the Horizon Background. It is a good one.
