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11. Bump Maps
 
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This tutorial covers bump mapping. A bump map actually raises and indents the texture on the surface of an object.

Generally, the texture maps, modified, can also be used as the bump maps. A bump map is only black and white, rather than being a color image as LightWave uses the amount of blackness or whiteness to determine the amount to raise or lower that pixel.

The first thing to do, then, is to convert the Texture maps to Grayscale, and try them just the way they are to see what happens.

Load 'Front Map2.bmp' into Photoshop. Do 'Image->Mode->Grayscale'. When it says...



Click 'OK'. Next, you will have to give it more contrast. I use the 'Levels' control in Photoshop by doing CTRL-L.

You should move the lefthand black up-arrow to the right, passing the beginning of the blacks. Move the rightmost light gray up-arrow to the left, passing the right hand side of the histogram to throw away many whites. And, finally move the center medium-gray up-arrow to the left to make the overall image whiter.



The image just after turning to grayscale is on the left, the higher contrast one on the right.



Save it as 'Front Bump.bmp'.

Do the same sequence to the 'Back Map2.bmp' and call it 'Back Bump.bmp'.

Go to LightWave Layout and bring up the 'Surface Editor' (F3). Click on the 'T' to the right of where it says 'Bump'.



Under 'Surface Name' I pick 'FrontPolygons'. Under 'Projection' I select 'Planar'. Under 'Texture Amplitude' I put 1.2. Under 'Image' I load 'Front Bump.bmp'.



Then I click on 'Use Texture' and press F9 to render it. You will notice that I can come in closer now, and the reality now holds up better than it did before.



I do the same with 'BackPolygons' and 'Back Bump.bmp'.



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