creating deep normalmaps with the nvidia plugin for photoshop

[aphexx]

hi there
i posted this also at cg talk..but perhaps its better off here..

it is on how to create really working normalmaps out of diffuse textures with the nvidia plugin.

see it here

well perhaps there are also some other tuts on this topic..but at times, when i looked for something like this...(ok this is some years ago there were absolutely NO tutorials about this available..
so i thought it was a good idea to make one..

have fun
sascha

[HollowIchigoBanki]

I use the same program to do normal maps, i only started a few week ago but i have found it is pretty intuitive.

If you want to make real deep normal maps they way i do it is use a high scale, then duplicate the layer blur and set to overlay, the more time you duplicate it the deeper the map with get!

[aphexx]

hello HollowIchigoBanki
thank you for your reply.

i never thought about blurring the normal maps itself..what an interesting solution.
i will try this. thank you!

[HollowIchigoBanki]

I learnt it from a tutorial on normal mapping at this site here is a link [CG Textures] - The worlds largest free texture site

[AlexanderSmith]

Any normal map plugins for Mac? Because I'm using a Power Mac, and I really have no idea about how to make normal maps for my textures.

[aphexx]

hi alexander..i really dont know..
i think the photoshop filters should work for any version of PS?
try it.

@ HollowIchigoBanki: the method by making normals, only blurring the first level seems to be a bit unfocused. the pixelfeatures of the diffuse map come more and more to the background and the resulting normal no more supports the diffusemap in the big features. but i will give it a second try tomorrow

[swag]

Hmmm, i've been looking for an alternative for Crazybump. I'll check this out.

[HollowIchigoBanki]

It is hard for me to explain how i do things in photoshop i experiment the whole time and never have a set method, i often do things with out reason just to see what will happen!

[Jedah]

Originally Posted by HollowIchigoBanki

I learnt it from a tutorial on normal mapping at this site here is a link [CG Textures] - The worlds largest free texture site

surprisingly enough, this method seems to produce better results in Gimp by occasionally adding a Filters-Light and Shadow-Sparkle to the Overlay layers in the middle. ( you will have to mess with the filter though. )

[Stormy]

Its a shame that the only way to get any decent results out of the nvidia filter is to do what is shown in the tutorial you have done here.

But crazybump still produces the best results if you can afford the £50 price tag.