HI
The standard way to make a scene look like its from an electron microscope is to use falloff map in the diffuse and self illumination, with some bump.

Like this

But this does not include the heavy shadows from the extreme direct light source.

It should look like this, note the black shadows as objects meet and fall away into pits.

To me, this has the effect of negative global illumination or negative ambient occlusion. But of course you cant toggle these into negative.

Im stumped as to how to create this.

Any tips much appreciated

thanks Joe

ps is this a lighting renderer question???

mayabe instead of using just a falloff map set to perpendicular, try using a composite map with one falloff map set to perpendicular and another one on top set to multiply and set this fallof map to “shadow/light”. this way the shadow areas dont get the self-illumination…

Use an AO map to mask the SI.

thanks guys , interesting stuff

Something along these lines may work.
The AO creates dark shadow in hollows and where things are close, reducing the edge SI and darkening the diffuse.
Colour1 of the RGB Multiply is the base diffuse colour.

	Attachment

This tutorial may have some ideas for you as well, basically, using a skylight or ambient occlusion will be your best bet to get that darkening…

http://www.neilblevins.com/cg_ed.../microscope_materials.htm

- Neil