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Using Paint.NET to create Normal Maps?


Xzerizon

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I've been using Blender a lot recently, and, not wanting to front the money to buy a Normal Map generation program or (oh dear) use GIMP of all things, I decided to try creating a Normal Map in Paint.NET.

 

What is a Normal Map, you ask? Normal Maps are images that are used in conjunction with a texture to give the texture false 'depth', allowing, say, light to shine onto the bricks in a texture while not getting into the cracks between, or making light come from a specific side.

 

The original texture:

Cobblestone_zps0ce3d2df.png

 

The normal map:

Cobblestone_Normal_Experiment_zps7c40dcb

 

 

The result:

ExperimentinPaintNETGeneratedNormalMaps_

 

Not the best, as you can clearly see.

 

How could I make improvements? Is this even practical? Any suggestions?

'Civil disobedience is still disobedience.'

 

'↑ And that is how you confuse an atomic computer. ↑'

 

▬ Xžε⌐¡z○╖

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Ah. Thank you, BoltBait. As it turns out, the Normal Tools and Heightmap work spectacularly together. Thanks for the links.

 

 

http://searchpaint.net/  'tis thy friend ;)

 

Yeah, I would have searched if I had any idea that normal mapping plugins existed. Unfortunately, I didn't. Oh well.

'Civil disobedience is still disobedience.'

 

'↑ And that is how you confuse an atomic computer. ↑'

 

▬ Xžε⌐¡z○╖

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