HDR Map Editor
What the HDR Map Editor is and when to use it to make your own environment maps.
The HDR Map Editor is a free tool from iJewel3D. You use it to make your own environment maps from scratch. Open it at editor.hdrmap.com.
What an environment map does
An environment map is an image that wraps around the scene. It gives the light and the reflections on the model. An HDR map lights the scene and the metals. A gem can use a second map, and that map drives the sparkle in the stone.
When to use it
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| A good look fast | A preset from the environment library in Playground |
| Your own studio light for your models | A map that you make in the HDR Map Editor |
| A different sparkle in the stones | A separate gem map that you make in the HDR Map Editor |
How the map gets to your model
Playground accepts environment maps as .hdr or .exr files.
Step 1 of 4
- Make the map in the HDR Map Editor.
- In Playground, open the Scene tab in the right panel.
- Open the Background / Environment section.
- Upload the map.
All 4 steps are done.
The iJewel platform can store your HDR maps together with your models, materials and scene settings. A scene file (.vjson) from Playground also keeps the environment maps with the other scene settings.