When
you create a light, it is automatically added to the center of a
scene. A light’s default options determine how the light affects
the scene and whether or not it casts shadows, but you can (and
typically do) change most of these options on a per-light basis
by adjusting the light’s attributes (see
Adjust a light source’s attributes).
You can make a one-time
change to the default options of a type of light before you add
the light, or you can adjust the options to change the way all subsequent
lights you create look and work.
NoteAvoid instancing
lights. This is particularly important for shadow depth maps and
light fog.
Copy the lights instead
of instancing. For light fog, make sure that light fog is duplicated
independently of the light because when you duplicate a light, its
light fog is not duplicated with it.
To create a light
- Do one of the following:
- From the Create > Lights menu,
select the type of light you want to create. The light is automatically
added to your scene.
- In the Hypershade,
select Maya > Lights, then select
the type of light you want to create.
- Click the light icon on the Rendering shelf.
To set light options before you create
the light
- From the Create > Lights menu,
click the next
to the name of the light for which you want to set options.
For a description of
the light options, see the following for the light you want to create: