Roughness Map Generator
Turn source luminance into a controlled roughness or smoothness map, then set levels and contrast before download.
Upload and preview without signing in. Sign in to download 256px and 512px PNGs. Mapper+ unlocks 1K, 2K, original-resolution export, and all six non-albedo PBR maps in one workspace.
Source image to Roughness map preview
Upload and preview roughness or smoothness without signing in, adjust levels and contrast, then sign in to export a 256px or 512px PNG locally.
Privacy: image decoding, pixel processing, preview, and PNG download run locally in the browser.
How does an image become a roughness map?
This roughness generator starts from source luminance, optionally inverts it, remaps black and white points, and applies contrast before writing a grayscale PNG. Dark roughness values produce tighter reflections and bright values produce broader reflections in common metallic-roughness shaders. Brightness is only a proxy, so the map still needs material judgment under neutral lighting.
- Black roughness
- Smooth / tight reflection
- White roughness
- Rough / broad reflection
- Smoothness
- 1 minus roughness
- Color space
- Linear data
How to use the Roughness Map Generator
Upload a useful source
Start with a clean material image or authored mask. Remove baked highlights and shadows that should not control reflection spread.
Choose source direction
Invert the source when bright pixels should become smoother rather than rougher.
Set levels and contrast
Use black and white points to define the working range, then adjust contrast without clipping all variation.
Choose the output contract
Export roughness for metallic-roughness shaders or smoothness when the destination expects the inverse convention.
Roughness, smoothness, and gloss output
The file can look identical in grayscale while the shader interprets it in the opposite direction.
| Output | Black means | White means |
|---|---|---|
| Roughness | Smooth, focused reflection | Rough, spread reflection |
| Smoothness | Rough, spread reflection | Smooth, focused reflection |
| Glossiness | Usually rough | Usually glossy, but confirm the shader contract |
| Packed roughness | Depends on its stored channel | Depends on its stored channel |
Roughness Map Generator FAQ
Can color brightness determine physical roughness?
Not reliably. The generator provides a controllable starting point, but paint, stone, rubber, metal, dirt, and moisture can share similar colors while reflecting light differently.
How do I convert roughness to smoothness?
For normalized scalar data, smoothness equals one minus roughness. In an 8-bit PNG, each value becomes 255 minus the source value.
Should roughness maps use sRGB?
No. Roughness stores scalar material data and should normally be imported as linear or non-color data.
Can I validate the output?
Use the Roughness to Smoothness Converter for exact inversion checks and preview the material under a broad environment light before shipping.
Is the Roughness Map Generator free?
Yes. As of August 26, 2026, the Roughness Map Generator is free after sign-in. Free accounts can process images in the browser and export 256px or 512px PNG files.
Which Roughness Map Generator export sizes require Mapper?
Exports above 512px require Mapper or a higher plan. Mapper+ unlocks 1K, 2K, and original-resolution export in the standalone tool, plus the full PBR Map Generator for creating normal, height, roughness, metallic, ambient occlusion, and emission maps together.