Multi-scale surface shading

Detail that survives at dune scale, ripple scale, and grain scale — blend normals by distance (and slope).

SNOWFLOW snow normals · triplanar

How it works

One normal map (or noise normal) at a single frequency looks wrong up close or far away. Sample three frequencies and weight them by camera distance. Add each detail layer as a deviation from flat rather than lerping toward it — mix would fade the macro shape out as detail comes in, while adding the delta perturbs the macro normal and leaves the silhouette intact:

up = vec3(0,1,0)
n = nMacro
n = normalize(n + (nMeso  - up) * wMeso)
n = normalize(n + (nMicro - up) * wMicro)

On steep faces, UV projection stretches — switch to triplanar (blend projections from XY / YZ / ZX by world normal).

Prompt match

“Surface detail is legible at three distinct scales simultaneously: dunes, ripples, and grain.”

Controls

Macro weight1.0

Meso weight1.0

Micro weight1.0

Distance-based blend (real behavior)

Visualize normals

Orbit closer/farther with distance blend on — micro detail fades in near, macro dominates at range.

Source prompts

SNOWFLOW waterbending

Technique notes · All techniques

← Deformation Next: wrap SSS →

multi-scale normals