I just recieved Carrara 3 last week so I'm a new kid. I made a glass bowl filled with water with a glass in the bowl. (It's an illustration of a primitive still.) All were made with the default glass shader. The backgroundI is the basic bi-gradient for t. I used four light bulbs to light it all . Three in front and one in back. All light bulbs intensities are cranked up to 400 plus. After rendering, the glass objects look black with one or 2 tiny highlites.. I would think I should see more of the glass bowl. What am I missing about lighting a scene with glass in it?

Notefinger, You may want to post an image to show what you are getting, but let's see if we can figure it out from here.... The bi-gradient background is not enough to give you the appearance of glass... you're best bet to test the glass is to use a map in the background. Any jpg or so will be enough to give you the effect of transparancy that you are looking for. The problem with glass in any raytrace render is that you need something else to see through the transparancy. Some people put object behind or in the glass, some build a small environment of simple (or REALLY complex) objects to surround the glass (in front of or behind the camera). If you can see the objects through the glass then you are probably getting the black from the environment around it. Try checking the shader transparency level... These are suggestions that I would use to check to see if you are getting what you need. You can always delete the objects later. Keep Plugging at it, you'll get there Ken

Did you check "Light Through Transparency" in the rendering setup?

Patrick_210 had my next guess and it's a really important thing to check. I'm sure the lack of having this checked off is causing all the black. To check it, go to the rendering room, first tab in the rendering tray on the right and it's in the list of options for photo-realistic. I'd also put in a plane (substituting in a table thingy). Then you have somehting to cast shadows onto and such. It will also give the glass another thing to refract. Let us know how it turns out and do post what you've got. -Kix

Boy, don't I look like my emoticon... I did permutation after permutation on my system checking the values of lights, backgrounds, etc. I hope that was all that it was... Besides... I just sat and READ the post I put up... I must have been really out of it yesterday.... Ken