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Normal maps with white backgrounds for use in Photoshop

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#1

Does anyone know how to create normal maps in ZBrush so that they have a white background instead of being solid purple? I am trying to layer several normal maps in Photoshop with Multiply so that all my normal maps are now on one big map. I just watched a video in which the guy created all his normal maps in ZBrush so that they each had a white background, but it didn’t show how he created them having a white background. If this can’t be done in ZBrush, is it possible to do it in Photoshop?

Thanks for the time and energy,
Spencer

#2

Hello Spencer,

The ZMapper plugin in ZBrush 2 generated normal maps with useful white backgrounds. You’re using ZBrush 3.5 or the Mac equivalent? You won’t be able to make white background normal maps in 3.5, but can make masks that can isolate the relevant bits of the normal maps: make sure your object has no polypaint colour on it and click the New From Polypaint button in Tool/Texture Map. This will make a black and white map of your mesh which you can export to Photoshop.

Cheers,

Rory

#3

Rory,

Thanks for being my hero!!! That is exactly what I needed to know. I will give it a try and see if I can get the masks to work. Thanks for your help and energy.

Another function that I wish that they would have left in ZBrush 4.

Spencer

#4

Rory,

Is there by chance a tutorial or something that explains this process of being able to extract the normal maps from the purple background. I have created the black/white map that you said to create but now how do I use it to extract the normals?

Spencer

#5

Sorry for the delay: didn’t check this thread!

You put the black and white image in a new Photoshop channel of the normal map .PSD document, which you can convert into a selection, which will then let you paint white onto the purple bits! Bada-bing!

Cheers,

Rory