Normal Maps

In 3D design a normal map is a texture to make an object look more realistic. These videos demonstrate the concept and how to apply normal maps in blender. From the video description, learn about Normal Maps and "...its use in faking lighting calculations of a surface." These are commonly used to create a higher detail object with a smaller file size by "baking" the textures into the object.

Image from "What is a Normal Map?" by Get Learnt w/ Chunck on Youtube

Normal Map basics

how to use