This is a supplement to my article in 3D Artist Magazine #25.

LW 5.5 now has a feature called area lights which replaces the functions of the light arrays illustrated here, and can automatically generate soft raytraced shadows accurately. So if you have 5.5, this approach is no longer necessary.

FIGURE A: Raytraced reflections and soft shadows made with a light array.

FIGURE B: Shadow-mapped soft shadows.

FIGURE C: Shadows made with a single Raytraced light.

FIGURE D: Wireframe view of objects and light array.

FIGURE E: Soft shadows made with a light array.

FIGURE F: Slightly soft shadows made with an array of 7 lights.

FIGURE G: Lights in array spaced too far apart causing banding.