Hey everyone, there is something that I am dyyyyiiiiinnnnnnggg to know, and have been for a couple of weeks. I have photoshop, and I want to know how to convert textures so that they are fit for the ambient, specular, and bump.
I already know how to do the bump, but I want to know how to do ambient and specular.
An example of this is below, see how the whites and blacks are different shades. I want to do that! Please explain, the best way for ambient, and specular (I know bump), and how they should compare (like one is darker than the other). I would absolutely love an answer! Thank You!

-Austin: Using Maya 2009
My CGSociety Portfolio
IRC Nick: AustinZ

	Attachment

Hi Zago,

I mostly heard of Color or Diffuse, Specular, Bump and/or Normal maps.  But not Ambient.

There 3 different gradient areas where a light hits an object.

Specularity ranges from 100% to 51+%, Diffuse is at 50%, Ambiance ranges from 49% to 0%.

I make mainly Diffuse map for color detail.  Specular one is for different detailed shininess on surface.

Bump or Normal map will help break down Ambiant details.  So there is no Ambient map.

Specular and Bump map is Gray scale that ranges from 100% to 0% (White to Black).

===========================================================================

100% gray of Specular map means that area is pure shiny and 0% gray of Specular map means no shininess.

For example, you have an shiny metallic surface with some dust spread around.  Shiny metallic area has 100% gray Specularity.

But dusty area has very low shininess of 10%-20% gray Specularity.

===========================================================================

Bump map is also gray scale map where 51%-100% gray will pull surface visually but 49%-0% gray will push surface visually.

Displacement and Bump map works in the same way that breaks down Ambient details.

Except Displacement map does create polygons to surface but Bump map just fake details by lighting.

When you have an object with Bumpy brick surface, you’ll see flat surface when you turn it around.

===========================================================================

Normal map is new technology that works like Bump map except it’s RGB map instead.

This RGB Normal map contains which direction surface “Normal” points.

Red is X-axis, Green is Y-axis and Blue is Z-axis.

Normal map can simulate hi-def object on low-def object more effectively than Bump map.

But using Normal map can increase Render time pretty much.

"Nature is the Mother of Learning”

Please visit http://www.handy-arts.com

Semicolon 15 April 2008 07:03 AM

Hi Zago,

I mostly heard of Color or Diffuse, Specular, Bump and/or Normal maps.  But not Ambient.

There 3 different gradient areas where a light hits an object.

Specularity ranges from 100% to 51+%, Diffuse is at 50%, Ambiance ranges from 49% to 0%.

I make mainly Diffuse map for color detail.  Specular one is for different detailed shininess on surface.

Bump or Normal map will help break down Ambiant details.  So there is no Ambient map.

Specular and Bump map is Gray scale that ranges from 100% to 0% (White to Black).

===========================================================================

100% gray of Specular map means that area is pure shiny and 0% gray of Specular map means no shininess.

For example, you have an shiny metallic surface with some dust spread around.  Shiny metallic area has 100% gray Specularity.

But dusty area has very low shininess of 10%-20% gray Specularity.

===========================================================================

Bump map is also gray scale map where 51%-100% gray will pull surface visually but 49%-0% gray will push surface visually.

Displacement and Bump map works in the same way that breaks down Ambient details.

Except Displacement map does create polygons to surface but Bump map just fake details by lighting.

When you have an object with Bumpy brick surface, you’ll see flat surface when you turn it around.

===========================================================================

Normal map is new technology that works like Bump map except it’s RGB map instead.

This RGB Normal map contains which direction surface “Normal” points.

Red is X-axis, Green is Y-axis and Blue is Z-axis.

Normal map can simulate hi-def object on low-def object more effectively than Bump map.

But using Normal map can increase Render time pretty much.

Thanks for replying :) Do you happen to know a way to change the tone of the black and white, so it is fit for the specular, or can I just use a normal gray scale, like the same on has the bump map?

-Austin: Using Maya 2009
My CGSociety Portfolio
IRC Nick: AustinZ

Hi Zago,

I am not sure if I understand what you are trying to do with that.

But I change the tone or gray scale of B&W in Photoshop.  There are a couple tools that help in this.

Brightness/Contrast help to do as its name is.  Level tool helps increase or decrease Brightness/Contrast while keeping the gradient proportionally.

Basically Specular map and Bump map are not the same, like I explained earlier.

Sometimes Specular map can be used as Bump nicely or vice versa.  But usually I create these separately.

"Nature is the Mother of Learning”

Please visit http://www.handy-arts.com

Semicolon 16 April 2008 02:54 AM

Hi Zago,

I am not sure if I understand what you are trying to do with that.

But I change the tone or gray scale of B&W in Photoshop.  There are a couple tools that help in this.

Brightness/Contrast help to do as its name is.  Level tool helps increase or decrease Brightness/Contrast while keeping the gradient proportionally.

Basically Specular map and Bump map are not the same, like I explained earlier.

Sometimes Specular map can be used as Bump nicely or vice versa.  But usually I create these separately.

Thank you, that is what I needed to know, because yes, I would like to use the bump, for the specular, but in a different tone of black and white. Thanks for your help:)

-Austin: Using Maya 2009
My CGSociety Portfolio
IRC Nick: AustinZ

Hi Zago,

You’re welcome.  There may be some other tools I didn’t mentioned.

Please have fun.

"Nature is the Mother of Learning”

Please visit http://www.handy-arts.com