# GLTF object as light source

**URL:** <https://discourse.threejs.org/t/gltf-object-as-light-source/30227>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** loaders\
**Created:** [September 24, 2021, 11:23am UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/gltf-object-as-light-source/30227 "2021-09-24T11:23:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rudy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@rudy](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/rudy)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:23am UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/gltf-object-as-light-source/30227/1 "2021-09-24T11:23:07Z")

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Hi there,

is it possible to use gltf models with emissive materials (e.g. created with blender using the emission PBR shader) to illuminate a scene, similar to a light source? I can’t find any information on this, probably I am missing the right keywords for searching?

Thanks for your help!

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**Author:** ![mjurczyk](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/mjurczyk/32/10995_2.png) [@mjurczyk](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/mjurczyk)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/gltf-object-as-light-source/30227/2 "2021-09-24T14:14:48Z")

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Not really, it would likely require a different kind of renderer (ie. pathtracing or deferred\*.)

You may try to [fake it](https://threejs.org/examples/webgl_simple_gi.html) with global illumination as well, but the effect isn’t very practical. A more reasonable way would be to create several point lights around the model - that would give an effect of emissivity.

(\* not sure about this one, but deferred renderers are quite flexible with types and amounts of light sources - so I see no reason for it to not work 👀 )

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rudy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@rudy](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/rudy)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/gltf-object-as-light-source/30227/3 "2021-09-24T23:27:18Z")

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OK thanks!