Normal mapping

Normal mapping used to re-detail simplified meshes. Normal map (a) is baked from 78,642 triangle model (b) onto 768 triangle model (c). This results in a render of the 768 triangle model, (d).

In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping, or Dot3 bump mapping, is a texture mapping technique used for faking the lighting of bumps and dents – an implementation of bump mapping. It is used to add details without using more polygons.[1] A common use of this technique is to greatly enhance the appearance and details of a low polygon model by generating a normal map from a high polygon model or height map.

Normal maps are commonly stored as regular RGB images where the RGB components correspond to the X, Y, and Z coordinates, respectively, of the surface normal.

  1. ^ "LearnOpenGL - Normal Mapping". learnopengl.com. Retrieved 2024-05-21.