TAPESTRY: The Art of Representation and Abstraction

Texture Maps: Map Types

What's it about?

The Cosine Shading equation

is part of the answer to the question the rendering algorithm must answer "What color is this pixel?". The entire answer is somewhat more complicated, taking into account ambient light, shadows, multiple light sources, and highlights.

The various "Categories" of texture map describe how we answer the question "What is the value (of something) at this point on the surface of the object?". What, exactly, is the something? The full-on rendering equation suggests many possibilities, including

Color
Bumps and irregularities
Transparency
Shininess

Collectively, these texture components (here called "types") go together to define a complete texture.

Last updated: April, 2014

[report bug]