CrazyBump

[adamrw91]

This is one of my favorite applications to use along with 3ds max any serious 3ds animator should go out and download this application right now. Crazybump is an application that uses any normal picture and then it outputs a normal map, a specular map, and a displace map. these then can be used to make some amzing 3d models. this program has been used by many large studios to create video games, such as tthe most notable was the game Crysis.

here is the original image:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o297/adamrw91/fullsizestone_COLOR.jpg
after crazybump i got

the normal map:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o297/adamrw91/fullsizestone_NRM.jpg

the specular map:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o297/adamrw91/fullsizestone_SPEC.jpg

and a displace map:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o297/adamrw91/fullsizestone_DISP.jpg

After you get all them and put them on your model you get amazing textures.
Like so:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o297/adamrw91/everything-1.jpg
so i highly recomend that all of you go out to http://www.crazybump.com/ and download it NOW!

[Testament-Doom]

I use Crazybump ALL the time, get it. It's so wonderful.

Yes, it IS FREE!

[pyr0b0y]

thanks a lot, helped out a lot

[BuddyB309]

I use Crazybump ALL the time, get it. It's so wonderful.

Yes, it IS FREE!

Bah humbug! A true artist paints their own normal maps!;)

[Testament-Doom]

BuddyB, To tell you the truth, honestly, IMO, I don't think we can really "paint" accurate normal bump maps. :)