EDUCBA

EDUCBA

MENUMENU
  • Free Tutorials
  • Free Courses
  • Certification Courses
  • 280+ Courses All in One Bundle
  • Login
Home Design Design Tutorials Design Basic Tutorial GIMP normal map
Secondary Sidebar
Design Basic Tutorial
  • GIMP
    • What is GIMP
    • GIMP Versions
    • GIMP brushes
    • GIMP line tool
    • GIMP blend tool
    • GIMP clone tool
    • GIMP magic wand tool
    • GIMP 3D Text
    • GIMP healing tool
    • GIMP Layers
    • GIMP Fonts
    • GIMP Toolbox
    • Blur Effect in GIMP
    • GIMP Change Background Color
    • GIMP Floating Selection
    • GIMP?batch processing
    • GIMP Crop
    • GIMP Filters
    • GIMP GMIC
    • GIMP?opacity
    • Animation in GIMP
    • GIMP import image
    • GIMP replace color
    • GIMP text outline
    • GIMP video editing
    • GIMP Alternatives
    • GIMP vector graphics
    • GIMP text shadow
    • GIMP resize image
    • GIMP pixel art
    • GIMP invert colors
    • GIMP GIF
    • GIMP move selection
    • GIMP normal map
    • GIMP remove background
    • GIMP rotate
    • GIMP grid
    • GIMP text effects
    • GIMP erase to transparent
    • GIMP resize layer
    • GIMP Patterns
    • GIMP extensions
    • GIMP blur background
  • Basics and Advanced
    • Pro Tools Version
    • What is Autodesk BIM?
    • Animation Character
    • Autodesk Pixlr
    • Sketch plugins
    • Graphic designer requirements
    • Online Gaming Platforms
    • InDesign eyedropper tool
    • InDesign rounded corners
    • InDesign align
    • InDesign resize image
    • InDesign scripts
    • InDesign export to word
    • InDesign newsletter templates
    • InDesign Magazine
    • InDesign Missing Fonts
    • InDesign line spacing
    • InDesign Fonts
    • InDesign Preview Shortcut
    • InDesign Extension
    • InDesign columns
    • InDesign overset text
    • InDesign data merge
    • InDesign grid template
    • InDesign layers
    • InDesign reset preferences
    • InDesign master pages
    • InDesign layout
    • InDesign portfolio template
    • InDesign invoice template
    • InDesign word count
    • InDesign underline
    • InDesign superscript
    • InDesign presentation templates
    • InDesign drop cap
    • InDesign how to add page numbers
    • InDesign resume template
    • InDesign import pdf
    • InDesign table of contents
    • InDesign change page size
    • InDesign book templates
    • InDesign link text boxes
    • InDesign vertical text
    • InDesign Bullet Points
    • InDesign center text vertically
    • InDesign newspaper template
    • InDesign shortcuts
    • InDesign gap tool
    • InDesign paragraph styles
    • InDesign Grid
    • InDesign margins
    • InDesign highlight text
    • InDesign Wrap Text
    • ZBrush ZRemesher
    • Animation Software
    • Principles of Animation
    • 3d Animation Software
    • 3D Modeling Software
    • 3D Software Design
    • 2D Animation Software
    • 10 Quick Tips For Adobe InDesign Users
    • ADOBE FLASH CS6
    • Affinity Photo Brushes
    • Adobe Lightroom For Free
    • Lightroom Background Color
    • Lightroom?Shortcuts
    • Lightroom XMP
    • Lightroom editing
    • Masking Layers in Adobe After Effects
    • Adobe Premiere Pro Plugins
    • Adobe Speedgrade
    • Install Adobe Creative Cloud
    • Install Adobe Premiere Pro
    • What is Adobe Creative Cloud
    • What is Adobe Illustrator
    • Adobe InDesign Templates
    • What is Adobe InDesign
    • Adobe Indesign Uses
    • InDesign Background Color
    • What is Adobe Lightroom
    • What is Adobe Muse
    • What is Adobe Prelude
    • What is Adobe Premiere Pro
    • Careers in 3D
    • Careers in 3D Modeling
    • Careers in 3D Printing
    • Best Editing Software
    • Video Editing Application
    • Video Editing Tools
    • Career In Designing
    • Careers in Game Development
    • 3D Printing Models
    • Adobe Editing Softwares
    • Types of Adobe
    • Types of Illustration
    • What is Graphic Design
    • Best Graphic Design Software
    • Best Photo Editors
    • Game Testing Interview Questions
    • VFX Softwares
    • Unity Scripting
    • Unity Principle of Design
    • Unity JSON
    • Unity webGL
    • Unity 2D
    • Unity 3D Games
    • VFX Companies
    • How To Use Indesign
    • New Features InDesign CS6
    • What is Houdini?
    • Advantages of 3D Printing
    • What is Autodesk
    • Autodesk Character Generator
    • Autodesk Vault
    • Autodesk Viewer
    • Autodesk Navisworks
    • Autodesk Desktop Connector
    • Designers and Architects
    • 2D and 3D Shapes
    • Keyboard Shortcuts for Premiere Pro
    • Unreal Engine Tutorial
    • Best Audio Editors
    • Digital Image Processing
    • What is Motion Graphics
    • What is Digital Design
    • Design Pattern Interview Questions
    • Graphic Design Interview Questions
    • UX designer Interview Questions
    • Is Unreal Engine Free
    • What Is Design Pattern
    • What is VFX
    • What is Audacity
    • What is Unreal Engine
    • What is CATIA
    • What is Blueprint
    • Sony Vegas Pro for Free
    • 3D Graphics Software
    • Best Online Photo Editor
    • Photo Editing App
    • Vector Graphics Editor
    • ArchiCAD
    • ArchiCAD Shortcuts
    • Audacity Keyboard Shortcut
    • Davinci Resolve Shortcuts
    • What is pixel art?
    • Picmonkey Alternatives
    • Adobe Flash Player Alternative
    • Pro tools shortcuts
    • Pro Tools Plugins
    • Architectural Design Software
    • Architectural Design Principles
    • Architecture Design Types
    • Architectural design tools
    • Application of Digital Image Processing
    • Digital Image Processing Fundamentals
    • OpenGL Versions
    • Revit Keyboard Shortcuts
    • Revit plugins
    • Indesign version
    • What is DirectX?
    • DirectX Versions
    • Cinema 4D Plugins
    • Cinema 4d shortcuts
    • Godot Engine
    • Godot tilemap
    • Krita Animation
    • Krita Software
    • Krita Shortcuts
    • Krita eraser
    • Krita brushes
    • Krita Pixel Art
    • Krita Plugins
    • Skencil
    • Fusion 360 Keyboard Shortcuts
    • Anim8or
    • Affinity photo plugins
    • What is Affinity Photo?
    • FL Studio Plugins
    • Vectorworks
    • Architectural Design Elements
  • Inkscape
    • What is Inkscape?
    • Inkscape layers
    • Inkscape Crop
    • Inkscape text
    • Inkscape G-code
    • Inkscape mirror
    • Inkscape rounded rectangle
    • Inkscape EPS
    • Inkscape image to vector
    • Inkscape unlock
    • Inkscape Curved Text
    • Inkscape laser cutting
    • Inkscape background color
    • Inkscape arrow
    • Inkscape vector
    • Inkscape animation
    • Inkscape 3D
    • Inkscape SVG
    • Inkscape Dark Theme
    • Inkscape trace bitmap
    • Inkscape gradient
    • Inkscape Greek Letters
    • Inkscape shadow
    • Inkscape snap to grid
    • Inkscape Fonts
    • Inkscape extensions
    • Inkscape PNG to SVG
    • Inkscape Art
    • Inkscape transparent background
    • Inkscape Alternatives
    • Inkscape Remove Background
    • Inkscape text to path
    • Inkscape logo
  • Figma
    • Figma Libraries
    • Figma fonts
    • Figma Plugins
    • Figma grid
    • Figma Alternatives
  • SketchUp
    • SketchUp Keyboard Shortcuts
    • SketchUp geolocation
    • SketchUp animation
    • SketchUp Change Dimensions
    • SketchUp Import
    • SketchUp 2D
    • SketchUp rendering
    • Sketch software
    • Figma Shortcuts
    • SketchUp Layers
    • SketchUp landscape design
    • SketchUp group
    • SketchUp intersect faces
    • SketchUp Rotate
    • SketchUp Architecture
    • SketchUp 3D Models
    • SketchUp Vray
    • SketchUp Units
    • SketchUp garden design
    • SketchUp Layout
    • SketchUp Mirror
    • SketchUp Extensions
    • SketchUp Unhide
    • SketchUp kitchen
    • SketchUp background
    • SketchUp library
    • SketchUp dynamic components
    • SketchUp CutList
    • SketchUp Array
    • SketchUp Woodworking
    • SketchUp resize component
    • SketchUp Ungroup
    • SketchUp Deck Design

Related Courses

Maya Course

Photoshop course

After Effects Course

GIMP normal map

GIMP normal map

Introduction to GIMP Normal Map

Normal Map is a feature of GIMP through which we can increase the detailing of any plain texture for getting natural highlight on the material of that text which we use later in the 3d models of other 3d designing software.  In GIMP, we have not any inbuilt feature of the normal map, so we have to get a plugin for the normal map in GIMP. Today in this article, we will understand how to increase the detailing of texture on marble brick wall by using a normal map plugin, and we also learn how we can install this plugin in GIMP. So what are you waiting for let us start?

How to perform Normal Map in GIMP?

Before learning how to use a normal map, we must have a plugin of Normal map in GIMP. So let go on the browser first and search for ‘GIMP Normal map plugin.

GIMP normal map output 1

Click on the first link of search and go to the Downloads tab, then download anyone of the setup of this plugin according to your operating system of the computer.

Start Your Free Design Course

3D animation, modelling, simulation, game development & others

All in One Design Bundle(280+ Courses, 100+ projects)
AutoCADHoudiniAdobe Premiere ProPhotoshop
SolidworksVFX Visual EffectsCorelDrawUnreal Engine
Price
View Courses
280+ Online Courses | 100+ projects | 2000+ Hours | Verifiable Certificates | Lifetime Access
4.6 (64,868 ratings)

GIMP normal map output 2

You will have a zip file of this plugin.

GIMP normal map output 3

Now extract it in the Plugins folder of GIMP. For that Go to C Drive > Programs Files > GIMP 2 > lib > gimb > 2.0 > plug-ins and hit on Ok button.

GIMP normal map output 4

Now select these three files from the plug-ins folder of GIMP and copy them.

GIMP normal map output 5

And paste it into the bin folder of GIMP.

GIMP normal map output 6

 

Now restart GIMP software.

Now let us have a texture for applying a normal map for texture search texture on browsers.

GIMP normal map output 7

I will download this marble brick block.

GIMP normal map output 8

Now go to the GIMP user interface and click on the File menu of the menu bar. Click on the Open option for having this texture in GIMP.

GIMP normal map output 9

Choose your desired folder, and then the desired file of texture hit on Open button.

GIMP normal map output 10

Now we have this texture.

GIMP normal map output 11

Let us make it more black and white to see the normal map effect on it. Go to the Colors menu of a menu bar, then go on Desaturate and click on Desaturate option of the new scroll down list.

GIMP normal map output 12

Now choose the Lightness option in the Mode option of desaturating dialog box and hit ok.

GIMP normal map output 13

Now let us make the bright area brighter and the dark area darker of this texture image. You can go with any one of the options for doing this that is Brightness-Contrast, Levels, or Curves. I will go with Curves.

GIMP normal map output 14

Now drag this area of the curve in the upper direction for increasing brightness of bright areas of this image.

GIMP normal map output 15

Drag the left area of the curve in a downward direction for making the dark area of the image darker. We are doing this for having good contrast between the black and white colors of this image.

GIMP normal map output 16

Now go to Filters menu of the Menu bar and go to Map option, then click on Normalmap option of new scroll down list. You will have this normal map option only in this list if you have installed this normal map plugin on your computer.

GIMP normal map output 17

Once you click on this option, you will have this Normalmap dialog box.

GIMP normal map output 18

You can see Alpha channel and Height source option are disabled in this dialog box, so for enabling them, go to the layers panel of GIMP and make right-click on the texture layer, then click on Add Alpha channel option of the scroll-down list.

GIMP normal map output 19

Now re-open this dialog box, and this time you will have this two option active like others.

GIMP normal map output 20

Now click on 3d Preview button of this dialog box for seeing the 3d preview of this texture.

GIMP normal map output 21

This is the 3d preview dialog box.

GIMP normal map output 22

Hold this block in 3d preview box and rotate to see the texture on this plane. You can see now there is a brick shape on your texture plane.

GIMP normal map output 23

Now you can use any one of the Filters of Normal map boxes from this list to apply them to this texture for increasing details of material of texture. You can see the effect of every filter of this list one by one on your texture.

output 24

I will choose a 3 x 3 filter that will adjust RGB values in 3 x 3 pixels of this texture and embossed its details. Increase the value of scale for enhancing more details.

output 25

You can hold the keyboard’s Alt key, then make the right click of the mouse and hold it; also then move the mouse to zoom in or zoom out this object in the preview window. Now enable the Invert X option of this dialog box and see its effect on embossed details. It will go in the inward direction of the plane.

output 26

And once you disable it, you can see it will come in the outward direction of the plane. So you can go with this option according to your choice.

output 27

We have some option at the top of this preview window. Let us analyze them also for better handling on a normal map. The first button is ‘Rotate object’; click on it for enabling it, and you can rotate your texture object.

output 28

Next is Rotate Light button; click on it for selecting it.

output 29

You can increase light or decrease light on your texture.

output 30.1

output 30.2

You can also see your preview in another 3d shape. Choose anyone from this list.

output 31

You can choose the Cube, Sphere or any other which you want. It will give you an idea of how it will look when you use it on the 3d model.

output 32.1

output 32.2

Once you have done all your desired settings, hit on the Ok button of the normal map dialog box.

output 33

And you will have your normal map on your texture with your set parameters of the normal map. Now export this as a PNG or JPEG file for using it in any other 3d modeling software. So for that, go to the File menu of the menu bar and click on the Export As option.

output 34

Save it at your desired location with the desired file extension.

output 35

Conclusion – GIMP normal map

In this article, you must found that a normal map is a very exciting and useful feature for enhancing details of material of any texture, which you will use on 3d models as its material. Now you can easily manipulate parameters of the normal map for having an effective result on your texture.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to GIMP normal map. Here we discuss the useful feature of the GIMP normal map for enhancing details of material of any texture. You may also look at the following articles to learn more –

  1. Best Photo Editors
  2. What is Graphic Design?
  3. GIMP Alternatives
  4. Transform Tool Photoshop
Popular Course in this category
Maya Training (10 Courses, 7+ Projects)
  10 Online Courses |  7 Hands-on Projects |  100+ Hours |  Verifiable Certificate of Completion
4.7
Price

View Course

Related Courses

Photoshop Training (10 Courses, 12+ Projects)4.9
After Effects Training (3 Courses, 3+ Projects)4.8
0 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Primary Sidebar
Footer
About Us
  • Blog
  • Who is EDUCBA?
  • Sign Up
  • Live Classes
  • Corporate Training
  • Certificate from Top Institutions
  • Contact Us
  • Verifiable Certificate
  • Reviews
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  •  
Apps
  • iPhone & iPad
  • Android
Resources
  • Free Courses
  • Photoshop Tutorial
  • 3ds Max Tutorial
  • All Tutorials
Certification Courses
  • All Courses
  • Design Course - All in One Bundle
  • Photoshop Course
  • Maya Course
  • Unreal Engine Course
  • Unity Course
  • DaVinci Resolve Course
  • Pro Tools Course

ISO 10004:2018 & ISO 9001:2015 Certified

© 2022 - EDUCBA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE CERTIFICATION NAMES ARE THE TRADEMARKS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

EDUCBA
Free Design Course

Banner Creation, Object Selection, Sky Replacement, Advance Filters & others

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

EDUCBA Login

Forgot Password?

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

EDUCBA
Free Design Course

3D animation, modelling, simulation, game development & others

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

EDUCBA

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Let’s Get Started

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. By closing this banner, scrolling this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to our Privacy Policy

Loading . . .
Quiz
Question:

Answer:

Quiz Result
Total QuestionsCorrect AnswersWrong AnswersPercentage

Explore 1000+ varieties of Mock tests View more