Generating height maps from normal maps based on boundary conditions of virtual boundaries

A system comprising:

• one or more memory devices comprising a normal map corresponding to a three-dimensional digital model;
• and
• one or more server devices that cause the system to:
• generate, based on the normal map, a gradient map of the three-dimensional digital model;
• imposing Neumann boundary conditions to determine a Dirichlet boundary condition vector representing heights of pixels within a virtual boundary by:
• determining a horizontal gradient and a vertical gradient of the gradient map;
• defining a lower segment of the virtual boundary based on the horizontal gradient;
• and
• defining a side segment of the virtual boundary based on the vertical gradient;
• and
• generate a height map of the three-dimensional digital model based on the Dirichlet boundary condition vector.

A method comprising:

• identifying a normal map of a three-dimensional digital model;
• generating, based on the normal map, a gradient map of the three-dimensional digital model;
• a step for generating a height map using Dirichlet boundary conditions determined from Neumann boundary conditions for a virtual boundary of the digital model;
• and
• generating a visual representation of the three-dimensional digital model based on the height map.