How can I create a surface that has a really really small specular highlight?
set Hard to it’s max value and Spec to a mid range then play around until you get what you want.
Hint: This should have been posted on the Q&A forum.
Another hint: The suggestion by VelikM will only take you to the limit of the standard specular model of the Blender renderer. My guess is that you’re looking for something better [since the tightest specular points won’t be very tight if you want something really glossy].
The only way to get the result I think you’re seeking, you’ll have to use environment mapping.
Brief explaination here:
- Set up some visible light sources in a separate layer. This might be lamps with halos, or preferably planes looking like windows or lighting fixtures e t c using a material with 1.0 emit (self-illumination)
- Set up an environment map for your object, and make it render only the layer containing the stuff from 1. above. Make sure the world is black or at least very, very dark to get sufficient contrast.
- Use the env.map with ‘refl’ coordinates and ‘cmir’ channel (or possibly ‘col’-channel with ‘add’-mixing)
- Render and rejoice.
- If the highlight is too sharp, increase the filter value of the environment map