Would I Use A Map For This?

[mrunion]

NOTICE: The link here is NOT my work!! It is a sample reference from Cinema4D's/Maxon's website:

http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/bodypaint3d/bp3d_r2/gallery/lady.jpg

My qusetion: If I wanted to get wrinkles like this on a character, I am assuming I would need a bump map and other appropriate maps, correct? I mean, the mesh doesn;t have these things modelled in I would think. Right?

[CoryC]

There is a technique called 'Normal Maps' that can do this. There is a free tutorial on it at Simplylightwave.com

http://www.simplylightwave.com/movie_pages/tutorial.mhtml?tut_id=517

[hrgiger]

The rule I follow is, if you can turn the model sideways, anything that would be visible from the side, bump mapping isn't suitable for. In the example that you posted, I would have modeled the veins in the neck and the puffiness around the smile lines(on either side of the nose) and maybe even the wrinles in the forhead and between the eyes but used bumps for all the small wrinkles in the skin.