Cover Image Credit: Dex Ezekiel

Bonus Videos + Tutorials mentioned in the video:

https://youtu.be/uOmYInaX-wE?list=PLzg4_2BrWAVwSyEgbgYGGflFefgtrmbay

Principle 1: Camera View is King

In the end all you do with 3D is create a 2D image

1. Do it how you want
   1. What you think looks best
   2. What you think is most efficient
   3. What you are most comfortable with
2. Do whatever it takes
   1. Break the model
   2. Combine multiple techniques
   3. Invent your own techniques
   4. There are no rules (for how to create it)

Principle 2: 3D is perfect! Make it not so.

1. 3D is based on math + physics by default
   1. Anime chooses when to follow those
2. Add humanity back into it
   1. Always think: “How would you do it in 2D?” → “What characteristics does that have?”

Principle 3: If you can do it in 1 frame, you can do it in multiple

Now you have to decide whether it’s worth doing

My Recommended Settings for Blender

What Blender version should I pick?

1. Blender 4.1

   → Has more control over needed features, but is also missing some newer features

2. Blender 5.0+

   → Most beginner friendly, but the newer Eevee engine is harder to fine-tune

3. Goo Engine (Modified version of Blender made for NPR/Anime)

   → Free if you install it yourself, if you pay you get an installer

   → Has the most features needed for Anime

   ⇒ If Goo Engine 5.0 is out. Use that!

⇒ You can download older Blender versions here

What are the best render settings?

*Any settings not mentioned here can stay default

1. Render Engine: Eevee
2. Ambient Occlusion: ON (pre 4.1)
3. Bloom: OFF
4. Screen Space Reflections: ON
5. Motion Blur: OFF
6. Shadows: Cascade Size: 4096 px High Bit Depth ON
7. Color Management: View Transform: Standard Look: None

What are the best output settings?

1. Resolution: 1920 x 1080

   → Unless you want to recreate the exact look of an anime. Resolution can vary quite [a lot between anime](https://www.reddit.com/r/animepiracy/comments/lqi2jr/1080p_isnt_always_the_best_resolution_for_anime/#:~:text=Native Resolution,seem to be updated anymore.)

2. Frame Rate: 24

View Layers?

*If you’re compositing in Davinci Resolve

1. Combined: ON

2. Z or Depth: ON

   → At some point after 4.1 “Z” got renamed to “Depth”

3. Cryptomatte: Object: ON Material: ON