---
title: "Skin microstructure deformation with displacement map convolution"
authors: ["Koki Nagano", "Graham Fyffe", "Oleg Alexander", "Jernej Barbič", "Hao Li", "Abhijeet Ghosh", "Paul Debevec"]
year: 2015
venue: "ACM Transactions on Graphics"
arxiv: null
doi: "10.1145/2766894"
source: "https://doi.org/10.1145/2766894"
topics: [translucent-materials]
seed_rank: 1333
seed_batch: "sss-translucent-2026-08-25"
reviewed: "2026-08-25"
pool: "graphics"
relevance_score: 7
lineage: translucent-materials
cites:
  - title: "Analysis of human faces using a measurement-based skin reflectance model"
    url: "https://doi.org/10.1145/1179352.1141987"
    year: 2006
    arxiv: null
    doi: "10.1145/1179352.1141987"
  - title: "Measurement‐Based Synthesis of Facial Microgeometry"
    url: "https://doi.org/10.1111/cgf.12053"
    year: 2013
    arxiv: null
    doi: "10.1111/cgf.12053"
see:
  - "1254-analysis-of-human-faces-using-a-measurement-based-skin-reflectance"
  - "1335-measurement-based-synthesis-of-facial-microgeometry"
---

# Skin microstructure deformation with displacement map convolution

## One-sentence takeaway

Nagano 2015: mesostructure of skin as a deformable measured material on top of SSS.

## Problem

Predecessor chain Graham microgeometry; Weyrich; ICT faces. This paper's job: Nagano 2015: mesostructure of skin as a deformable measured material on top of SSS.

## Design

Nagano 2015: mesostructure of skin as a deformable measured material on top of SSS. Lineage: Graham microgeometry; Weyrich; ICT faces.

## Evidence

ACM Transactions on Graphics 2015. DOI `10.1145/2766894`. Nagano 2015: mesostructure of skin as a deformable measured material on top of SSS.

## Limitations

Read the cited predecessors before treating this as a drop-in Anoptic shader. Do not claim the library already implements it.

## Implications for Broadside

Anoptic has a forward+ mesh renderer and is betting on FMM+RC 3D GI. Skin is the first character-appearance hole: translucent dermis, not another BRDF lobe. Do not claim Anoptic already has SSS.

## Bottom line

Mint this 2015 ACM Transactions on Graphics paper. Nagano 2015: mesostructure of skin as a deformable measured material on top of SSS.

## Links

- DOI: [10.1145/2766894](https://doi.org/10.1145/2766894)