Chrome is a three dimensional mirror-like reflective surface. Chrome adopts its color entirely from its surroundings. To render chrome from imagination you must choose the environment surrounding the object being constructed.
Since we usually see chrome on cars and since cars are usually outdoors and on the street, we commonly see the asphalt on the ground plane and blue sky above reflected onto the surface of the metal and reflected sharply back to our eyes. A different environment would create a different colors. For example, our car was parked in a grassy park during sunset (see below).
The brightest light reflects of upward facing surfaces from the sky. The sun, if visible, creates a bright white highlight. On downward facing surfaces we see the ground reflected. Distant objects reflect dramatically less light than the sky and appear almost black; the ground closest to the tire reflects light of brighter value, but still much darker than the sky.
Real world reflections are almost always more complicated than this since since any nearby object could be visible on a surface. When rendering from photo reference or from real life, this knowledge can help you understand and even simplify your observations.
Now that we've talked about chrome, we can begin to talk about how reflective, colored surfaces react to their environment.
Try it out!
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View more of my artwork at: www.spencerhallam.com
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| Blue sky and asphalt reflect clearly on the surface of chrome. |
Since we usually see chrome on cars and since cars are usually outdoors and on the street, we commonly see the asphalt on the ground plane and blue sky above reflected onto the surface of the metal and reflected sharply back to our eyes. A different environment would create a different colors. For example, our car was parked in a grassy park during sunset (see below).
 |
| left to right: sunset w/grass, snow w/blue sky, and sunny day at the beach |
The brightest light reflects of upward facing surfaces from the sky. The sun, if visible, creates a bright white highlight. On downward facing surfaces we see the ground reflected. Distant objects reflect dramatically less light than the sky and appear almost black; the ground closest to the tire reflects light of brighter value, but still much darker than the sky.
Real world reflections are almost always more complicated than this since since any nearby object could be visible on a surface. When rendering from photo reference or from real life, this knowledge can help you understand and even simplify your observations.
Now that we've talked about chrome, we can begin to talk about how reflective, colored surfaces react to their environment.
Try it out!
------------------------------
View more of my artwork at: www.spencerhallam.com
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