Normal Mapping - Green and Pink Colors

Inquisitive_Scholar

So I used Transfer Maps in Maya to transfer a normal map from my high poly mesh to my low poly mesh. I can't understand why I keep getting a green and pink band on my normal map or small discolorations on the edges.

Eric Chadwick

That's just how a normal map works. Each pixel's color points in a certain direction. Pinkish-orange is pointing very much to the right in tangent space, and darkish-green is pointing very left. Bluish purple is pointing straight outwards (middle of the hemisphere below).

This image might help visualize it... a hemisphere in the tangent space of a flat plane.


The character image here might also help
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Texture_Baking#UV_Coordinates