How to blender render toon shader

In the realm of 3D modeling and animation, the Toon Shader is a highly popular rendering style. By minimizing color gradients, it enhances the visual appeal of artworks, making them appear cleaner and more engaging. This style is commonly used in animated films and games. Today, we'll explore in detail how to render a Toon Shader in Blender, allowing your creations to become more vibrant and captivating.

　　What is a Toon Shader?

　　A Toon Shader is a non-realistic rendering style that simplifies objects by reducing color gradients and shadows. This effect is achieved through high-contrast color blocks and prominent edge lines, creating a visual reminiscent of hand-drawn art.

　　Preparation

　　Before we begin, ensure you have the latest version of Blender installed. You can download Blender for free from the official website. Once installed, open Blender and prepare your 3D model.

　　Creating Basic Materials

　　Firstly, we need to create a basic material for the model:

　　1. Select the Model: In Object Mode, select the model you want to apply the Toon Shader to.

　　2. Create a New Material: In the "Material" panel, click the "New" button to create a new material.

　　3. Set Base Color: In the "Shader Editor", set the "Base Color" of the "Principled BSDF" node to your desired base color.

　　Adding the Toon Shader

　　Next, we'll add the key components of the Toon Shader:

　　1. Add a Shader Node: In the "Shader Editor", press `Shift + A`, select "Shader" > "Diffuse BSDF", and add it to the node tree.

　　2. Add a ColorRamp Node: Press `Shift + A`, select "Converter" > "ColorRamp", and add it to the node tree. Connect the output of "ColorRamp" to the input of "Diffuse BSDF".

　　3. Adjust the ColorRamp: In the "ColorRamp" node, adjust the positions and colors of the color stops. By reducing the number of color stops, you can achieve the cartoon effect.

　　Adding Edge Lines

　　To enhance the cartoon effect, we'll add distinct edge lines to the model:

　　1. Switch to Cycles Renderer: In Blender's top menu, select "Cycles" under the renderer options.

　　2. Add a Geometry Node: In the "Shader Editor", press `Shift + A`, select "Input" > "Geometry", and add it to the node tree. Connect the "Normal" output of the "Geometry" node to the "Normal" input of the "Shader Editor".

　　3. Add a Mix Shader Node for Edge Lines: Press `Shift + A`, select "Shader" > "Mix Shader", and add it to the node tree. Connect the output of the "Diffuse BSDF" node to one input of the "Mix Shader", and connect the other input of the "Mix Shader" to a "Shader" > "Emission" node. Adjust the color of the "Emission" node to black to achieve the edge lines effect.

　　Adjusting Lighting and Render Settings

　　While Toon Shader doesn't heavily rely on lighting, proper lighting settings can still enhance the effect:

　　1. Add Lighting: Add a directional light or point light source in the scene. Adjust its position and intensity to make the model clearer.

　　2. Set Rendering Parameters: In the "Render Settings" panel, adjust the sampling and resolution settings to ensure a clear render.

　　Rendering the Toon Effect

　　Once everything is set up, you can proceed with rendering:

　　1. Preview the Effect: In the "Viewport" panel, switch to "Material Preview" mode to preview the Toon Shader effect.

　　2. Start Rendering: In the top menu, click "Render" > "Render Image" and wait for the render to complete.

　　Exporting the Final Result

　　After rendering is complete, you can save the result as an image or animation:

　　1. Save Image: In the render result window, click "Image" > "Save", and choose the appropriate format and location.

　　2. Save Animation: If rendering an animation, in the "Output Settings" panel, select the desired video format, then click "Animation" to render and save.

　　By following these steps, you've learned how to render a Toon Shader in Blender. This style not only makes your creations more vivid and interesting but also sparks more creativity in your artistic endeavors. If you need high-quality 3D textures, HDRI, or downloadable 3D models for your projects, you can download them directly from Relebook to enhance your workflow efficiency and artistic quality.