how to increase detail shade on a normal map?

NAIMA

How How can I do to increase in photoshop a shade detail in a normal map that come out too subtle in the baking without touching much or ruining the detail normal map like in this case a chainmail? I wanted to actually deepen and enhance the up and downs of the folds that tough in the normal map come out barely visible ...

is it possible to do retouching in photoshop?

gsokol

copy the layer, set the blend mode the multiply, then turn off the blue channel in the blending options. That will "deepen" the normal map.

NAIMA

but it won't increase also the ring deepness? I do not want the rings to increse their level ... doing that seems to do not effect , I usually use the overlay rather than multiply but same no effect...

Shogun3d

You're going to need to exagerate the folds then and rebake. I would advise against painting in an overlayed or multiplied layer normal map on top of that. Time vs Quality, if you can't get it done within the character model, and all else fails, make a simple heightmap with the folds painted in and covert it, then overlay.

NAIMA

how can I do the second? the first option is not doable for me because it would stretch the noise chain applied....

Shogun3d

Basically do the normal map conversion and painting yourself via heightmap, and convert using NDO or Crazybump. You'll want to adjust the strengths, and also convert a separate AO map. The problem with this method however, is because you're overlaying it, you won't achieve the natural perspective of the chain itself.