Bump maps in inkscape?

Post questions on how to use or achieve an effect in Inkscape.
JMan90
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:33 pm

Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby JMan90 » Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:37 pm

Hi all,
I was reading how to create lighting effects in an online book on Inkscape. As I understand, the lighting filters, use the objects alpha channel as the bump map for the lighting filter. I was wondering if it is possible to manipulate the alpha channel directly. For instance, setting a gray-scale image into the channel.
Thanks,
Vance

User avatar
brynn
Posts: 10309
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:34 pm
Location: western USA
Contact:

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby brynn » Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:17 am

Well the alpha channel, by definition, carries transparency info. While grayscale, to my knowledge, contains no transparency.

What are you trying to do, create a new filter or edit a pre-existing one maybe? Have you checked out the Filter Editor?

If you were to apply a filter which uses one of the lighting primitives, you could then access and edit the alpha channel. Although not with Inkscape. The filters all basically apply a bitmap, or raster graphics image, or portions of it, like the alpha channel, to the vector image created in Inkscape. I don't think there is any way, using Inkscape, to change the alpha channel info.

User avatar
druban
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby druban » Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:27 am

If you want to design your bump map in inkscape you will have to export it as a bitmap and use the gimp or ps to paste it into your image's alpha channel and then bring it back into inkscape.
You might consider using the layer blend modes -multiply or screen - to superimpose a lighting effect overall and this might be faster and cleaner than a raster effect.
Your mind is what you think it is.

JMan90
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:33 pm

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby JMan90 » Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:05 pm

Thanks guys. I'll try out the superimposing technique, and also exporting it to GIMP. I thought I would get an email when there were replies, that's why I took so long to respond.

User avatar
prkos
Posts: 1625
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:45 am
Location: Croatia

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby prkos » Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:55 pm

I have a feeling it can be done using Filters but I haven't had time to test it, I'll reply if I find something.
just hand over the chocolate and nobody gets hurt

Inkscape Manual on Floss
Inkscape FAQ
very comprehensive Inkscape guide
Inkscape 0.48 Illustrator's Cookbook - 109 recipes to learn and explore Inkscape - with SVG examples to download

User avatar
RobA
Posts: 335
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:22 am

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby RobA » Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:37 am

prkos wrote:I have a feeling it can be done using Filters but I haven't had time to test it, I'll reply if I find something.


Yes you can. Under the Colour matrix filters there is a "Luminance to alpha" preset that turns a B&W image into an alpha bumpmap.

Here is an example:
bump.png
bump.png (59.6 KiB) Viewed 6860 times


And the Filter Dialog. Note the use of the Image primitive to load the bump map.
2010-07-29_113138.jpg
2010-07-29_113138.jpg (90.08 KiB) Viewed 6860 times


I've also attached the SVG file (with the bump map image embedded)

-Rob A>
Attachments
bumptest.svg
(37.85 KiB) Downloaded 415 times

User avatar
prkos
Posts: 1625
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:45 am
Location: Croatia

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby prkos » Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:19 am

This is awesome! Thanx ffaat!
just hand over the chocolate and nobody gets hurt

Inkscape Manual on Floss
Inkscape FAQ
very comprehensive Inkscape guide
Inkscape 0.48 Illustrator's Cookbook - 109 recipes to learn and explore Inkscape - with SVG examples to download

User avatar
brynn
Posts: 10309
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:34 pm
Location: western USA
Contact:

Re: Bump maps in inkscape?

Postby brynn » Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:56 am

Yes, awesome Rob!


Return to “Help with using Inkscape”