These are a few screenshots of a really cool app called CrazyBump which is now out of beta so go and download the CrazyBump v1.02 demo. I have to say, this is really a godsend for saving lots of time previewing, creating, and saving displacement, normal, specular, occlusion, and diffuse maps. Here’s a photo I found on the web mapped onto a simple cube, but there is also an option to use an actual .obj file or another mesh file of your choice to preview the displacements on! Excellent app. I will definitely be using this heavily!

crazyBumpscreen001.jpg picture by Jawabiscuit

crazyBumpscreen004.jpg image by JawabiscuitcrazyBumpscreen006.jpg image by Jawabiscuit
crazyBumpscreen002.jpg image by JawabiscuitcrazyBumpscreen003.jpg image by Jawabiscuit

crazyBumpscreen007.jpg picture by Jawabiscuit

crazyBumpNormal.jpg picture by Jawabiscuit

crazyBumpScreen009.jpg picture by Jawabiscuit

disclaimer:

This is not the actual bump map for this character by the way. I was just testing it with a random character head. So I am in no way claiming this as my work, but it is for demonstration purposes only.