How to Bake a Normal Map in Blender: A Comprehensive Guide

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Baking normal maps is a crucial skill for 3D artists and game developers looking to optimize their workflows. Whether you’re creating assets for games, animation, or VFX, learning how to bake normal map in Blender can significantly enhance your ability to create detailed, efficient 3D models. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, covering everything from model preparation to final application.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the baking process, ensure you have:

  • Blender (4.2+)
  • A high-poly model (with the details you want to capture)
  • A low-poly model (the target for your normal map)

Steps To Bake a Normal Map in Blender

A. Prepare Your Models

low-poly and high-poly object
Prepare low-poly and high-poly models
  1. Import or create your high-poly model in Blender.
  2. Import or create your low-poly model.
  3. Align both models: Ensure they occupy the same space and have identical scales.
  4. UV unwrap your low-poly model if not already done.
uv unwrap high-poly model to bake normal map in blender
UV unwrap the high-poly model

B. Set Up Materials

Setup material for baking
  1. Select your low-poly model.
  2. In the Material Properties panel, create a new material if necessary.
  3. Add an Image Texture node to the material.
  4. In the Image Texture node, create a new image for your normal map. Set an appropriate resolution (e.g., 2048×2048) and name it (e.g., “NormalMap”).

C. Configure Baking Settings

Configure properties to bake texture map in Blender
  1. Navigate to the Render Properties tab in the Properties panel.
  2. Locate the Bake section.
  3. Set Bake Type to “Normal”.
  4. Enable “Selected to Active”.
  5. Adjust Max Ray Distance to a small value (e.g., 0.1) to prevent artifacts.

D. Prepare and Bake the Normal Map

Important step - Select Low-poly first and then shift select High-poly
Select Low-poly first and then shift select High-poly
  1. Select your low-poly model first (it should be the active object, highlighted in lighter orange).
  2. Shift-select your high-poly model second.
  3. Click the “Bake” button in the Render Properties.
  4. Wait for the baking process to complete.

    F. Save and Refine

    Save Normal Map
    1. After baking, open the Image Editor.
    2. Select your baked normal map image.
    3. Save your normal map (Image > Save As).
    4. Optionally, use image editing software to clean up artifacts or adjust the map.

    G. Apply the Normal Map

    Assign normal map in Blender
    1. In your low-poly model’s Material Properties, add a Normal Map node.
    2. Connect the Image Texture node (with your baked normal map) to the Color input of the Normal Map node.
    3. Connect the Normal output of the Normal Map node to the Normal input of your material’s Principled BSDF (or equivalent shader).
    bake normal map in Blender result

    Tips and Troubleshooting

    • Inverted normal map? Try flipping the green channel in an image editor or adjusting the Normal Map node settings.
    • For complex models, consider baking in parts for higher resolution in crucial areas.
    • Experiment with the Cage option in baking settings for more control over ray projection.
    • Always save your work before baking, as it can be resource-intensive.

    Conclusion

    Learning how to bake normal map in Blender opens up a world of possibilities for creating highly detailed, optimized 3D models. This technique is invaluable for game development, animation, and VFX work. As you practice and refine your skills, you’ll be able to create increasingly complex and efficient models that maintain visual fidelity while meeting performance requirements.

    Remember, normal maps are just one of many texture types you can bake in Blender. Explore other options like ambient occlusion, roughness, and displacement maps to further enhance your models and streamline your workflow.

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