NChart chart = nChartControl1.Charts[0];
chart.LightModel.SetPredefinedLightModel(PredefinedLightModel.ShinyTopLeft);

Dim chart As NChart = NChartControl1.Charts(0)
chart.LightModel.SetPredefinedLightModel(PredefinedLightModel.ShinyTopLeft)

The above code will enable lighting and modify the global ambient light to RGB(64, 64, 64). It will also create a point light source positioned at (3.0f, 9.0f, 20.0f) with ambient, diffuse and specular colors set to RGB(64, 64, 64), RGB(255, 255, 255) and RGB(64, 64, 64) respectively. The following code example achieves the same effect:

NLightModel lightModel = nChartControl1.Charts[0].LightModel;
lightModel.EnableLighting = true;
lightModel.LightSources.Clear();
lightModel.GlobalAmbientLight = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64);
NPointLightSource lightSource = new NPointLightSource();
lightSource.Ambient = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64);
lightSource.Diffuse = Color.FromArgb(255, 255, 255);
lightSource.Specular = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64);
lightSource.Position = new NVector3DF(3.0f, 9.0f, 20.0f);

lightModel.LightSources.Add(lightSource);

Dim lightModel As NLightModel = NChartControl1.Charts(0).LightModel
lightModel.EnableLighting = True
lightModel.LightSources.Clear()
lightModel.GlobalAmbientLight = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64)
Dim lightSource As New NPointLightSource
lightSource.Ambient = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64)
lightSource.Diffuse = Color.FromArgb(255, 255, 255)
lightSource.Specular = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64)
lightSource.Position = New NVector3DF(3.0F, 9.0F, 20.0F)
lightModel.LightSources.Add(lightSource)

Now let's examine the above code line by line:

1. The first two lines of code obtain a reference the light model applied on the chart and enables lighting (note that you must also switch the chart in 3D mode, because lighting has effect only for 3D charts) :

NLightModel lightModel = nChartControl1.Charts[0].LightModel;
lightModel.EnableLighting = true;

Dim lightModel As NLightModel = NChartControl1.Charts(0).LightModel

lightModel.EnableLighting = True

2. Sometimes the scene rendered with lightning looks dark. This is why it is recommended to have a global ambient light that makes the objects in the scene to appear brighter:

lightModel.GlobalAmbientLight = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64);

lightModel.GlobalAmbientLight = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64)

Another thing to consider when applying ambient light is that it affects all scene elements. This is why it is best to apply a color with equal red, green and blue components (or in other words use to use shades of gray) as this will result in more realistic lighting.

3. After you configure the global ambient properties you can modify the light sources of the scene. This is done by adding NLightSource derived objects (NDirectionalLightSource, NPointLightSource, NSpotLightSource) to the LightSources collection of the NLightModel class.

NPointLightSoure lightSource = new NPointLightSource();
lightModel.LightSources.Add(lightSource);

Dim lightSource As New NPointLightSoure
lightModel.LightSources.Add(lightSource)

4. To modify the light source light and position you must alter the Ambient, Diffuse, Specular and Position properties of the NPointLightSource object:

lightSource.Ambient = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64);
lightSource.Diffuse = Color.FromArgb(255, 255, 255);
lightSource.Specular = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64);
lightSource.Position = new NVector(3.0f, 9.0f, 20.0f);

lightSource.Ambient = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64)
lightSource.Diffuse = Color.FromArgb(255, 255, 255)
lightSource.Specular = Color.FromArgb(64, 64, 64)
lightSource.Position = New NVector(3.0f, 9.0f, 20.0f)