Lighting is an important thing to consider in architectural model. With a well-positioned light source, it will be easy to see how beautiful the house will look at night. Thus, it is necessary to estimate how intense or weak the reflection from a certain light source will be.
Illumination models are referred to as lighting models or shading models. They are used in computer graphics to show reflection on some objects and are also used to calculate the intensity of light that one should see on a specific part of an object.
Here are the three basic illumination models:
- Ambient Light
Ambient light, also known as shading or background light, is defined as the light that is naturally present in the scene. It may be the light from outside or the light coming from your windows. The light that you use in the room can be considered as one, too.
- Diffuse Reflection
You may have seen some colorful pebbles in the beach. If you try to get some and wash them with water, you’ll see the original dull colors of the pebbles. How does it happen? It is because of diffuse reflection. Diffuse reflection occurs when a rough surface, like a paper or a wall, causes the reflected rays to travel towards different directions.
- Specular Reflection
This kind of reflection is considered to be the opposite of diffuse reflection. When there is a reflection from a smooth surface, like a mirror or calm water, specular reflection occurs. In reality, there can be a combination of diffuse reflection and specular deflection. For example, calm water may cause a specular reflection, but once a strong wind disturbs the water, diffuse reflection may occur.
Knowing these will help you structure an architectural model impressively. For the beauty of a house or a building should not only be seen with sunlight but also with other light sources.
