Gradient Removal

Gradients are common in textures, often resulting from uneven lighting or imperfections in real-world materials, where seams show noticeable color differences. This operator is a powerful tool for reducing those gradients.

Before

After

Gradients removed

Additionally, it can be used to smooth out folds. For example, in the image above, a textile wasn't perfectly aligned on the table during digitization, causing bumps that may appear undesirable in renders. This operator helps to smooth out those imperfections.

Be cautious when using the gradient removal operator, as it’s easy to overdo it and end up removing too many details from the texture. The goal is not to make everything look overly perfect or homogeneous, as filtering out small details and imperfections can result in a less realistic appearance. The example below illustrates how excessive use of the operator can eliminate crucial details of the fabric, compromising its authenticity.

Overdone gradient correction leading to loss in detail

Overall, normal maps are generally the least sensitive to gradient correction, while diffuse maps are more sensitive, particularly if they contain larger patterns rather than solid colors. Be sure to click through the different maps and check the effect of the gradient removal by toggling the operator on and off using the eye icon. It is common practice to apply multiple gradient removal operators with different settings to different sets of maps. This allows for more targeted adjustments, ensuring the best results for each type of map.