Surface Mapping

Introduction

Many real life surfaces are not just colored but also have textures and patterns. Many also have small or large surface displacements or bumps, gouges, etc. Texture mapping is used to simulate these surfaces and thus make images more realistic. Three techniques can be used to achieve the impression of natural colors, textures, and appearances:

• Texture Mapping is the addition of a separately defined texture or pattern to a surface (e.g., wall-paper on wall). This does not affect the "smoothness" of a surface but only changes its color patterns.
• Bump Mapping is roughening the surface of an object without actually displacing the surface. The surface may look as if it actually has bumps but this is an illusion.
• Displacement Mapping - actually displacing the surface, e.g., creating a screw from a cylinder.

Article by Rosalee Wolfe on "Teaching Texture Mapping Visually" that incorporates the SIGGRAPH 97 Texture Mapping Slide Set

• PDF version
• HTML Version

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