See also Overview of sculpting with maps.

To sculpt using a displacement map

1. From the main menu, select UVs & Maps > Sculpt Using Map > New Operation.

   The Sculpt Using Map window appears.

2. Select the target model (to receive the displacement map) from the Target Mesh drop-down list.
3. Click the browse icon next to the Map option and browse to select the Ptex file or image file you want to apply as a displacement map.
   NOTE:If you're applying an image map, the model must have well-defined UV texture coordinates. If the target mesh has no texture coordinates, you can use Ptex to sculpt the surface, however the topology of the target model must match the topology in the Ptex file.
4. If you're applying a vector displacement map, set the Map Space option to specify how vectors in the vector displacement map are interpreted.

   This must be set to match the Vector Space used to produce the vector displacement map. (See Extract a vector displacement map.)

   NOTE:You can extract a vector displacement map from a model with no UVs using Ptex. However, maps created with Relative Tangent or Absolute Tangent space can only be applied to models with UVs.

   For all other map types, use the default Normal (regular displacement map) option.

5. Click Go to apply the map.

   The displacement information is stored on a separate sculpt layer and can be modified globally (by changing the Strength of the layer), or locally (by applying masking to the layer).