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Mei Lin 6 has bump & normal maps, adapt to other characters in Carrara?

DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,158
in Carrara Discussion

I have asked something similar in the past but have forgotten the answer.  Finding the old thread is a PITA.  Sorry. 

 

I am adapting a Daz Studio material set for a G2F character for use in Carrara.  It is the Saki character set for G2F Mei Lin 6 by Devious Dolls.  For added detail, the Mei Lin 6 figure comes with bump maps and normal maps.  The Saki character does not include new normal maps (does have bump), but the Mei Lin 6 normals are obviously still available for use.   

 

- has anyone adapted similar normal maps for use in the Carrara shader tree for limbs, torso, and face?

- if so, any suggestions or best practices in how/where to apply the normal maps versus the bump maps?  Use normal in bump channel and don't use bump map at all?  Use both?  Use normals in displacement?  Other?

 

I do remember when I did something similar with a normal map that I had to use a multiply function set to a small fraction in order to reduce the effect significantly.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Comments

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,158

    Actually, after some testing, I see that the Mei Lin 6 normal map has a much more subtle effect than whatever I was remembering.  Must have been something specific to that prior skin material set, whichever it was.

     

     

    diomede said:

    I do remember when I did something similar with a normal map that I had to use a multiply function set to a small fraction in order to reduce the effect significantly.

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,158
    edited February 2016

     I did ultimately decide to use the Mei Lin normal maps in the bump channel.  The bump setting is 100% in the top of the tree, which is a lot higher than one would use for a typical bump map.  I will have to explore to find out which other character sets come with normal maps.  I would be especially interested for character sets of old people that came with such normal maps.  Does anyone know of any?

    Well, this has been an odd adventure, but I think a relatively successful one.  At first, I was having problems reapplying the saved global skin shader and I couldn't figure out why.  The lips were spilling over to the rest of the face and the nostrils were goofy.  Eventually, I actually opened studio, loaded the Mei Lin character, and applied the Saki MAT files there.  I saved it as a duf.  I exported as character preset.  I opened the character preset in Carrara and then did my shader adjustments.  I saved the resulting global shader to my browser.  Although the result would not fit a reloaded Mei Lin in Carrara, it does fit a newly loaded base G2F in Carrara, even though the character product says it is for the Mei Lin, and even though I applied it to Mei Lin in Studio.  OK, whatever.  It eventually worked. 

    Here is a test render.  The maps for diffuse and specular are Saki. The head shape is 1/2 Mei Lin and 1/2 Saki.  The global skin shader will be able to be used on any base G2F that I load.  The hair is one of the 5 Times a Lady hairs for Carrara by Naomi.

     

    saki do over.jpg
    800 x 600 - 25K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • 3DAGE3DAGE Posts: 3,311

    HI Diomedia :)

    You'd use the normal maps in the Bump channel,.. (click the bump channel button,. and select "Normal map" from the list, ,..then select the image file).

    As long as the normal maps are for the same UV set,. it should work reasonably well,. although the normal map should be based on the texture map, to match the details like skin blemishes and pores.

    Instead of adjusting the bump by adjusting the strength or value of the "image file",. you should set the Bump strength,. (positive or negative) by selecting the top level of your shader,. and adjusting the Bump amplitude slider there..

    Hope it helps :)

     

     

    Normal bump.jpg
    1244 x 598 - 175K
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,158

    Thanks, 3DAge.  Very informative, as always.  Good point regarding the relationship between the diffuse map and the normal map.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,158

    My apologies to vendors DemonicaEvilius and Silver.

    The product page for Saki does say "This product uses the Genesis 2 Female Base UV Maps." I was thrown off because it said "She comes with Highly Detailed Skin, Custom Sculpted Head & Body Morph built off the Mei Lin 6 shape for Genesis 2 Female(s)"  I thought that meant I had to load Mei Lin first and apply the textures to that shape.  I would have saved myself some grief if I had read it more closely the first time.

     

    And I have found an elderly character that comes wih normal maps - Greta the Hag http://www.daz3d.com/greta-the-old-hag-for-genesis-2-female

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