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Normal Map and Detail Normal Map

TromNekTromNek Posts: 73
in Daz Studio Discussion

many characters have surfaces with both a 'Normal Map' texture and a 'Detail Normal Map' texture

The Normal Map usually comes from the vendor at about 4k

The Detail Normal Map usually is the daz detail maps at about 8k

How do these get used ?

Are they combined together and sent to Iray at the highest resolution ?

I guess if I want to save Iray memory on a distant view of a character, I can turn off the Detail Normal Map by setting 'Detail Enable' Off

Any tips and insights on working with these would be appreciated.

--TromNek

 

Comments

  • crosswindcrosswind Posts: 10,344

    Detail Normal Map, with PBRSkin shader only, is used as a sort of secondary layer to add micro details to the figure's skin, especially when rendering close-up images.

    So, if you don't do close-up rendering, you won't necessarily need Detail Normal maps ~ 

  • TromNekTromNek Posts: 73

    Thanks !

    I need to learn more about how to edit normal maps (not the Detail ones)

    I try and soften some areas using photoshop elements. Like softening wrinkles in certain areas.

    But they come out a little 'mushy' in that they don't retain the crisper lines.

    Thanks again

  • crosswindcrosswind Posts: 10,344
    edited September 16

    Okay, I'm using free Affinity nowadays... so you can do it with Affinity or with Ps Element in the similar way ~

    1. Load the Normal map
    2. Add a Pixel Layer or Fill Layer with Color 128,128,255 and place it under Normal map layer
    3. Select Normal map, add a Mask Layer and select the Mask (screenshot 1)
    4. With Brush tool, set Opacity > 50 ~ 60%, paint black color over the area you want to soften (screenshot 2)

    Then replace the original Normal map with the modified one in DS ~~

     

    SNAG-2026-9-16 0006.png
    2560 x 1392 - 2M
    SNAG-2026-9-16 0007.png
    2560 x 1392 - 2M
    SNAG-2026-9-16 0008.png
    1920 x 1293 - 3M
    SNAG-2026-9-16 0009.png
    1922 x 1293 - 3M
    Post edited by crosswind on
  • TromNekTromNek Posts: 73

    Thank you soooo much ! That's exactly what I needed to know. It look like I was missing the concept of the lower layer of 128,128,255, and masking the normal map to let it come through. Many thanks !

    I was wondering if after they are modified.... Should they then be processed to 'normalize' them mathematically ?

    I think I read somewhere that the pixel colors may need to be unitized.

    Also, I started doing some automation programming in Ps Elements. Have you done any scripting in Affinity ?

     

  • crosswindcrosswind Posts: 10,344

    No problem ~

    128,128,255 is a neutral Normal which we modify the pixels to make partial areas in the original Normal close to, it has nothing to do with Normal Vectors so we don't need to do Normalize.

    I don't do scripting in Affinity but sometimes I do scritping in DS.

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