Normal Maps in BLENDER - Instant Realism to Materials

Normal maps are a way to fake depth and detail on materials in 3D software like Blender. Blender allows us to use normal maps to create realistic materials without adding extra geometry. Normal maps can be used in Cycles or Eevee. We will cover normals, normal mapping, adding normal maps to PBR textures and more. This is a quick Blender tutorial for beginners.
TIMESTAMPS:
What are Normal Maps: 0:15
How to Use Normal Maps in Blender: 2:15
Here is my PBR Material Tutorial: • Blender PBR Material S...
Here is the the online companion tutorial (updated regularly) on Normal Maps:
brandonsdrawings.com/normalmaps/
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[@Brandon-3D]

Hello! For more on normal maps, see this post: brandonsdrawings.com/normalmaps/

[@GoofyToony]

I love how you explain everything. Simple and effective, thank you.

[@Brandon-3D]

Thank you! That means a lot! Thank you for watching too!

[@Princely_Arts]

Brandon I love you brooo, I've been looking for this❤🔥🔥

[@YvngMvrtian]

You’re so clutch for this bro thank you so much

[@TigerXGame]

This was super useful. As a complete newbie in Blender I was trying to figure out what I was doing wrong with connecting a normal map to the normal field. Now I know! Thanks!

[@mthulhu]

Learning so much faster with your help. Thank you for everything.

[@Brandon-3D]

Wow, thank you so much!! And I am incredibly glad to hear the videos are helping. THANK YOU!!

[@nevanks]

You deserve so many more subs than you have. The explanation in your videos are single handedly the most comprehensive I've ever seen for free. Im sharing your channel everywhere.

[@Brandon-3D]

Thank you again! That is so great to hear!!

[@3dmonkeybizz]

Another super video. Thanks again.

[@joe_fabricator]

Great explanation Brandon, thank you. Just tried it.....works nicely. Cheers

[@Brandon-3D]

Thanks again Joe!

[@ankushmourya6111]

really Helpfull

[@theanalogzone5724]

Thanks for the awsome tutorial.

[@Brandon-3D]

Thank you!!!

[@rasty886]

this is very helpful. thank you

[@Brandon-3D]

Very happy to hear it was useful and again, thank you so much for the support!!

[@simoncodrington]

Great looking video mate cheers

[@Brandon-3D]

Thank you!!

[@BREA_______]

Thanks man

[@craniumfirst]

Excellent tutorial. Perfect pace and detail. I still forgot to set normal map to non color tho ;)

[@pedrostolenvilicis]

Thanks!

[@_seemeen]

You're the besttt

[@progettazione_case_moderne]

nice tutorial... greetings from Italy

[@BamBttv]

Hi, nice video thanks ! But what is the use of the "bump node" and on the principal BSDF, what is about the "Tangent" and those other things ! Thanks

[@cg3Dim]

Nice

[@bananaslama282]

Hello, i have a question, lets say i want to darken the areas where i sculpted a dent. Is using normal maps the best way to acomplish it(imagine i drew a line and i want that line to be darker the the rest of the face)

[@scpk2246]

Hi Brandon, please als make a review on 1) BAGAPIE 2) BOTANIQ 3) GARDENER 4) GRASSBLADE 5) GRASWALD and 6) VEGETATION PRO -anyway, your videos are straight forward - I like it very much

[@orphydiancg7759]

how do we use ambient oclusions maps and other maps that come with a PBR set and that node wrangler principled setup doesnt add them or doesnt work at all if you select them?

[@bambaboyzstudio]

Thanks

[@Brandon-3D]

You are very welcome.

[@rayt5788]

Sorry for the question, will the objects created with this material system, realistic effects that are seen in Blender, give the same 3D chat effects etc ? Thank you.

[@toapyandfriends]

SUBSCIBED👊😎

[@SpartecusNL]

2:18 is where he talks about how to use it

[@cartonks.2492]

Real chad :)

[@V.Z.69]

Quick question: I'm sure you've used "Crazy Bump". CB produces 4 extra files: Normal, Occular, Spec, and Disp. Which one of these is the Bump Map? Is it the Disp file? THX!

[@Brandon-3D]

While it may not be the exact same thing, the Displacement map should be very close to a bump map.

[@V.Z.69]

2:25 Aha! Bump Map is the DISP file.

[@borremetal]

the girl

[@robert-brydson-1]

what happens when I scale etc the colour map ?, will the normal map need to be scaled to fit ?

[@Brandon-3D]

Yes. But you can plug them both into a mapping node (and a texture coordinate node) and scale them altogether. I cover that in part two of my shading series.

[@heresyy53]

start 4:00

[@gottagowork]

Don't use normal map strength >1 easily just because it "looks better". The normal captured and represented in the map *is* meant for strength 1. If normal offset in X is -5° you want to maintain those -5° and not make it -40° or something. Using a combineXYZ set at [0.5, 0.5, 1] into a normal map node driving a sharp glossy is an easy way to illustrate what is happening with the X and Y components. Normal maps don't magically "do more" than bump maps; their benefits are producing large areas of offset normal using a single color (bump would need a fine resolution gradient) and being a simple lookup value from a texture map, whereas their drawbacks are for tangential rely on UV space to generate the correct result, cannot be easily mixed. I personally prefer to use bump maps over normal maps; they mix easily, directions and continuity can be verified using microdisplacement temporarily, can be easily drawn/modified, at the cost of being more heavy to compute since the normal now has to be calculated instead of just looked up. "Normal maps for everything" makes a lot more sense in game engines and need every fps optimization you can get. There are several issues about normal/bump maps, especially for up close use, where you should really consider microdisplacement instead especially for large frequency changes/deep modifications. Comes at a huge cost though, but will look waaaay better than the fake counterparts.

[@Xperto_]

Thank for the tut. the fact that you have to specify the NON-COLOR thing is really annoying

[@Brandon-3D]

Hi! There are some tricks to bring in all the PBR materials set up the right way using node wrangler or Poliigon has a pretty good addon. But yea, it’s another step. Take care!

[@Xperto_]

@@Brandon-3D thank you!

[@StefanoOrlando_s]

Who's the girl in the video, i'm just in love XD

[@Brandon-3D]

Lol. Stock footage unfortunately :)

[@StefanoOrlando_s]

@@Brandon-3D 🤣🤣🤣

[@toapyandfriends]

she is pretty!...that girl! 👧 😎

[@theanalogzone5724]

You are sounding like a creep.

[@da_cat]

Wtf if you set Roughness too high then Normal Maps don't work in Cycles ...at all. (by themselves alone)

[@smortonmedia]

Can you elaborate on this or your example? As long as your specular value is .5 and roughness value is not higher than 1, you shouldn't have a problem. Going above 1 on roughness will create strange flat looking results, but the Normal map is still working and producing shadows, they don't conflict with another.

[@vancture_official]

Thanks!

[@Brandon-3D]

THANK YOU! Very great duo for the support. Sorry it took a few days, I was in Southern California on vacation. Thank you again!!!

[@stevenlitvintchouk3131]

Thanks!

[@Brandon-3D]

Thank you so much! The support goes a long way and is very much appreciated!!!

[@rasty886]

Thanks!

[@Brandon-3D]

Thank you 🙏 that is hugely appreciated. Thank you, thank you, thank you!