Abmient Active Color Question

GeneralDee

Why are there 2 options to add color in the ambient active in the surfaces tab? I'm referring to Omnifreaker's Human skin shader. If I place the skin texture map for the color, why the solid color area have influence too? I would like it if only the texture map was used for ambient color. Is this possible? I notice any color I pick in the solid color area just washes the shadow areas (white would make skin look like velvet, black just darkens everything, and a color close to the skin kills the skin details going into the shadows).

I imagine this would go for SSS too.

Szark

If using a texture map to control Ambient set it to White but to get better results IMHO always use lights for Ambient and never use the Surface Ambient for non glowing objects or skin. Now the reason I say this is if you do use the surface Ambient option it will effect how it reacts to lighting and shadows.

Richard Haseltine

Ambient is faking the effect of ambient lighting - light that bounces off other surfaces in the setting onto the figure. If you make it bright then of course the shadows will not be dark, any more than they would be in a well-lit room with white walls. The main drawback of ambient colour is that it is flat - crevices will be as well lit as flat areas - which is why it's not really a good tool to use for more than very subtle effects, if then.