CGTalk - Color vs. Diffuse

vfxnerd

10-31-2007, 02:55 AM

I've read through a few texturing pdfs and from postings here but never really understood what the difference was. I think I do know that the diffuse map should have no painted shadows or highlights.

Some people say you can use either or for your color map, and some say they only use color maps for the diffuse map.

I am using Maya so should I plug my color map in the color channel or the diffuse channel? Not quite sure how the rest does it but I usually just plug it in the color channel. Then what goes in for the diffuse channel?

jeremybirn

10-31-2007, 05:17 AM

In Maya, the "Color" is mappable in full color, and the "Diffuse" is a grayscale multiplier for it.

You could map the Color, then leave the Diffuse free to adjust as a slider value if you wanted to make the surface a little brighter or darker.

-jeremy

soulburn3d

10-31-2007, 06:15 AM

And note, every 3d app has variation in terms, there really is no industry standard. Like in max, a diffuse map is what maya calls the color map. The same thing, just a different name.

- Neil

vfxnerd

11-01-2007, 12:52 AM

Thanks for your reply Jeremy and Neil.

roundRoot

11-10-2007, 03:29 PM

So, a color map would be basic colors with no darker or lighther shades? And the diffuse map a grayscale that stores the color shades?

jeremybirn

11-10-2007, 03:38 PM

So, a color map would be basic colors with no darker or lighther shades? And the diffuse map a grayscale that stores the color shades?

Color maps can have any brightness, shades, whatever you want that's a part of the texture. Color map is really just another way of saying your main texture map, and it certainly can use different shades and tones and contrast.

You don't need to assign a map to the diffuse, but if you want to, it can brighten or darken parts of the color.

-jeremy

soulburn3d

11-10-2007, 04:46 PM

Imagine you're in a room looking at your object, and there is even lighting coming from all directions (full ambient light). What you see on your object is what your color map should be. You can then use the diffuse value to either darken or lighten that color map a bit, or you can turn the diffuse down to balance out your reflections (since, according to conservation of energy laws, the more specular an object is, the less diffuse it is).

- Neil

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