ZBrushCentral

How does making Normal over a Displacement work?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi Im just wondering how to make a normal map for high-frequency detail over an already displaced model

Would the best way be to create all the displacement in underlying layers first, then when I get to the skin pores and tiny wrinkles etc. create a new layer add the fine detail and then hide all the underlying displacement layers to leave just the fine detail

But this is when I get a bit stuck, how do i get the normal layer to map around the underlying displacement, because if i hide the Dis. layers then the normal will map around the base mesh and not the displacement that I have hidden

And if i unhide the Dis.layers then obviously it will created a normal of the medium-frequency detail that I woudnt want

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

#2

I’ll tell you what I think, then when we get someone who knows what they’re doing to answer, we can both learn the right way. :smiley:

I think that you sculpt away, until you’ve got all the detail you want. Then create your normal map. Then, after saving your tool, delete the higher levels of division, and create your displacement map.

Or, I guess you could sculpt till all the displacement detail is done, create your displacement map, then subdivide again, and sculpt your finer details and create your normal map.

Either way, I think the normal map includes the level of detail that is in the displacement map.

Ok, now to sit back and watch for the correct answer. :lol:

#3

Gordon Robb pretty much has it.


  1. Sculpt your model and detail it.
  2. Go to an intermediate subdivision level and create the normal map.
  3. Save your model.
  4. Delete the higher levels.
  5. Go to level 1, restore your base mesh, and create the displacement map.

#4

thanks aurick

#5

Ah, you’ve also answered my question, so if you go to the intermediate level when you create the normal, the normal is made up only of the stuff at a higher level than that - is that right?

And ditto for the displacement, except youve deleted all the levels contained in the normal map.

#6

Difference maps (normal and displacement) are always calculated based on the differences between the current subdivision level and the highest This is why my steps listed above work.
 subdivision level.