Curvature map

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

A Cavity map is different, it stores ambient occlusion which is limited to small crevices only.

Curvature can be used to mask where the surface would get more wear or where sub-surface scattering might occur (convex), where it might accumulate more dirt (concave), 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.
• 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

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

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