todent

Todent is a term used in design and digital graphics to describe a shallow, intentional indentation on a surface that alters light, shadow, and tactile impression. It refers to a pattern or texture created by small dents and can be applied to metal, ceramic, wood, or synthetic materials. The term appears in design discourse as a concise way to describe this effect and is used across disciplines to discuss surface treatment.

In traditional crafts, todent techniques include stamping, punching, chasing, and engraving to produce micro-indents. Artists use todent to emphasize form, break uniform reflections, or add visual rhythm to surfaces such as metalwork, ceramics, and leather. The effect can be subtle or pronounced, depending on tool choice, material, and intended aesthetic.

In digital graphics, todent describes a technique or texture that simulates small indentations on a surface. It can be implemented using normal maps, bump maps, or displacement maps to create the illusion of dented fine details without increasing geometry. Todent textures are used for realistic metal, leather, stone, and other materials in games and film, contributing to more convincing light interactions.

Etymology and reception: Todent is a blend of dent with the suffix -ent, used descriptively in early 21st-century design commentary. The usage remains informal and localized to craft and computer graphics communities. See also dent, embossing, texture mapping.