A method and apparatus for rendering an object to have a bump texture begins when object parameters for the object are received. The object parameters include bump mapping coordinates and physical display coordinates. From this information, a first and second axis specific tables are generated to provide a plurality of axis specific bump intensity values. The first axis specific table relates to bump intensity values along a first axis of the bump and the second axis specific table relates to bump intensity values along a second axis of the bump map. In essence, the axis specific tables represent the bump map being mathematically repositioned to be in the same plane, with respect to the fixed coordinates of the display, as that of the object. With the tables generated, the object is rendered on a pixel by pixel basis, wherein the first and second axis specific tables are addressed for each pixel to retrieve a corresponding first and second intensity values (i.e., Bu×(fu·L), Bv×(fv·L)). The first and second intensity values are combined to produce a bump-shading component, or bump intensity value, (&Dgr;N·L) for the given pixel. The bump-shading component (&Dgr;N·L) is then combined with the normal shading component (N·L) to produce the shading function for the given pixel. The resulting shading function is then combined with rendered pixel data to produce the resultant display, or pixe,l data for the given pixel.