Curvature map

A curvature map is a texture that stores the convexity/concavity of the mesh. Also called Cavity, Concavity, Convexity, Pits & Peaks, Worn Edge.

The colors can be used to mask where the surface would get more wear, where it would accumulate more dirt, where sub-surface scattering might occur, to check for surface continuity, etc.

Concavity (green) & convexity (red), made with rebb's r7_vertCurvature.py. Image by 'rebb'.

• corner vertex baking - maya mel/python Polycount Forum thread.
• My Cavity Map Notes Polycount Forum thread.
• r7_vertCurvature.py by 'rebb'. A Maya script that bakes concavity/convexity into VertexColor.
• Worn Edges Using A Distorted Vertex Map by Neil Blevins. A 3ds Max tutorial what uses his script cornerEdgeToVertexMap to color the convex edges as VertexColor, and creates a procedural material to get chipped edges.
• tc_curvature by Tom Cowland. A Mental Ray shader for calculating surface curvature.
• Tension Modifier by Grant Adam. A modifier for 3ds Max that creates color data for Compression, Expansion, Concavity, and Convexity.
• Curvature node by Denis Pontonnier. A shader node for Lightwave.
• Convexity tool in Xnormal
• Worn Edges tool in TexTools for 3ds Max (not available yet).

Concavity (red) & convexity (green), made with Grant Adam's Tension Modifier. Image by Grant Adam.

Related Pages

• Curvature map
• DuDv map
• Flow map
• Normal map
• Radiosity normal map
• Vector displacement map

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