Sculpt Normal Maps

This tutorial shows how to sculpt normal maps with PixaFlux.

Files needed for this tutorial.

For this tutorial we will use a normal map baked in xNormal:

Low Poly

LowPoly

High Poly

LowPoly

Baked Normals

The normals were baked using xNormal. See the To Normal node wiki for information about normal maps baked in different 3D Applications.

LowPoly

The model with the original normal map:

LowPoly

The model with the sculpted normal map:

LowPoly

Load the Model and Original Normal Map

  1. In the Scene Window, import the low poly model. Click the [+] button to add a new model. Click the File button to open a model file, and select the PartHighPoly.obj In the menu click View > Open Model Viewport.

  2. Add a Scene Textures node.

  3. Add a Constant node and connect it to the Scene Textures Albedo input. Color: 7f7f7f

  4. Clone the Constant node and connect it to the Scene Textures Metalness input. Color: 1b1b1b

  5. Clone the Constant node and connect it to the Scene Textures Roughness input. Color: d2d2d2

  6. Drag and drop the file Part_Normals.png into the Graph viewport.

  7. Add a To Normal node after the Reader node and connect it to the Scene Textures Normal input.

    LowPoly

Sculpt the groove.

  1. Set the Part_Normals.png Reader as Display Node and Click menu View > Set Reference Image.

  2. Add a new Shapes node and in a black background draw a spline shape filled with white color. Set enlarge to 12. Tips: On the Edit Tool you can select vertices and use spinners to set their position.

    LowPoly

  3. Add a Relief node. Set the radius to 5, the style to levels and check the Grow checkbox.

    LowPoly

  4. Add a To Normal node. Set the source to height, the filter to prewitt_3x3 and multiply to -1.0.

    LowPoly

  5. Add a Mix Normal node and drop it on top of the connection between the To Normal and the Scene Textures nodes.

  6. Connect the groove relief To Normal node to the Mix Normal node.

    LowPoly

    LowPoly

    LowPoly

Add the bolts

The bolt was baked on a plane using xNormal.

LowPoly

LowPoly

  1. Drag and Drop the Bolt_Normals.png image into the Graph Viewport.

  2. Add a Resize node and set the size to 128 x 128.

  3. Add a To Normal node.

  4. Add a Transform node. Translate and rotate the bolt to its filnal position.

  5. Connect the Transform node to the Mix Normal node.

  6. Duplicate the Transform node two times and position the new bolts. Connect them to the Mix Normal node.

    LowPoly

    LowPoly

    LowPoly