Adding Lights
Layout will automatically add a single light (a Distant light, by default) and a LightWave camera into any new scene you create. With this type of light, all the objects in the scene are lit with the same intensity, regardless of how close they are to the source. So it doesn't really matter where you place the light in the scene. However, by rotating it you'll change the angle of the rays cast and thus the shading and placement of shadows on the surfaces.

Figure 1 (top left), figure 2 (right) and figure 3 (bottom left).

To Add a Distant Light:

1. Open or create a scene similar to Figure 1 with a few basic shapes (primitives) and a floor or wall to cast shadows onto.

2. Select the Items tab to display new options in the toolbar. Figure 2.

3. Choose Distant Light from the Lights pull-down menu.

4. When the Light Name dialog appears, click OK to accept the default name.

5. Click the Modify tab to display new options in the toolbar.

6. Click Move in the toolbar or press [t] to activate the Move tool and drag the light to the upper-left quadrant of the screen. Notice that the lighting effect on the objects in the scene doesn't change.

7. Click Rotate in the toolbar or press [y] to activate the Rotate tool and drag to adjust the light's casting angle. Notice its effect on the surfaces in the scene. Figure 3.

8. Render the current frame [F9].

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