About 'Height Map from Color Map'!

Michael_Bridges · August 28, 2018, 5:20pm

In this video (objectives)…

Create a height map from only the colour map
Exported the Height Map ans an image
Use the new height map in Blender

After watching (learning outcomes)…

You will be able to use the compositor to export a height map from a colour map

(Unique Video Reference: 11_TB_BEC)

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What you found good about this lecture?
What we could do better?

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Marc_Carlyon · September 4, 2018, 10:26am

Normal Map

Height Map

Prefer the one we made in the lecture.

Velcronator · September 8, 2018, 7:53am

Blender generated Height map

Provided Height map

Seems very similar. It’s good to have the option to make height maps in blender. In the past I have used Gimp and an online service call http://cpetry.github.io/NormalMap-Online/

All seem to give good results.

Carl_Gustafsson · October 4, 2018, 10:44am

Interesting one! However I suspect it is not always as easy as using just a contrasted BW version of the color map.

Richard_Rayer · October 11, 2018, 5:21pm

I also prefer the hand made version of the Displacement map.

Here are the two maps:

Original Displacement Map

Hand made Displacement Map

I did not set the Subdivision Subsurf high enough for the plane (I left it a 3 like the others) and It definitely needs to be higher.

jakarta · October 17, 2018, 3:44pm

Well, for height maps its purpose, probably more for the relief of the surfaces of the environment, or we need more correct UV for objects, but this is just my opinion)
PS on foliage is better to do normal maps, everything mixes up)
PPS Well, they eat resources very well)

bjhackne11 · October 21, 2018, 8:11pm

Here is my result.

The left is only the normal map, middle is the generated displacement map, and right is the provided height map. I honestly like the one we made in this lecture, I feel like it feels less perfect and therefore more realistic. I think my opinion might change with smoother, more polished material however.

Kroxem · October 23, 2018, 1:11pm

Stephen_Jenkins · November 17, 2018, 12:23pm

Given heightmap (Pixar 128 library) vs Generated from colour heightmap. They look very similar to me, but I think I slightly prefer the original over the generated one. I reduced the intensity of the generated one to 0.1 (vs 0.2 on the given one) because it was too strong.

I used the RGB curves instead of contrast to make my height map, emphasising the highs and lows while keeping the mids in proportion

TheOutlawPetey · December 8, 2018, 8:46am

Ether RGB curves or Bright/Contrast I think being able to control you darkness with image increasing depth.
You can use brightness and contrast in shader editor with RGB as well could increase the depth and destroy Pixar Image.
Or attempt goals are nice.

I gave it a try and it works awsome with low light, bright material for cool shadows. Took the light (sun) as low as it would almost go. Then brighten contrast texture. You can really brighten color if you want too. I tried to go a little light to make it look like space high contrast shadows, and bright light.

Gary_Arter · December 10, 2018, 7:41pm

cracked%20earth%20testure%20displacement%20with%20height%20map

cracked earth testure displacement with height map.jpg1223×992 396 KB

Capricas_Kirito · January 14, 2019, 9:01pm

I used an external editor to create the ‘Height Map’ and while I was at it, I turned all of the images into power-of-2 images. This looks much better to me