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Shader Magic in Blender (Ver 3.41 and above)

4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 39 ratings
see reviews
Joakim Tornhill

Are you one of those that think that nodes look scary when you see a big node tree...or perhaps you are just curious how the water in a game can flow so nicely around those rocks in the river and follow the stream perfectly?

Regardless the reason, here is where you will learn more on how to connect those nodes.

I will go through how to create shapes, how Vector math works (like cross and dot product, Face forward, snap,...) and all the common techniques used in games like vertex painting, flowmap, parallax mapping, using a texture atlas/sprite sheet, Sobel (Edge detection on textures), trimsheet and so on.

Read more

Are you one of those that think that nodes look scary when you see a big node tree...or perhaps you are just curious how the water in a game can flow so nicely around those rocks in the river and follow the stream perfectly?

Regardless the reason, here is where you will learn more on how to connect those nodes.

I will go through how to create shapes, how Vector math works (like cross and dot product, Face forward, snap,...) and all the common techniques used in games like vertex painting, flowmap, parallax mapping, using a texture atlas/sprite sheet, Sobel (Edge detection on textures), trimsheet and so on.

I will also cover more "Blender specific" stuff like finding the edges on models, how to create scratches and dirt, creating procedural patterns using the radial gradient among other things.

You might wonder why in Blender and not in Unreal Engine or Unity?

Well, why not? Most things taught in the course can be used with only small adaptions in game engines as well. However, since we don't have all the whistles and extra stuff in Blender...you as a student are forced to learn the basics without cheating ;). I know from my own experience that it is a good path to walk if you really want to know how all things are put together.

The teacher you will get, me, has more than 10 years of experience of Blender, is educated as Technical Artist in one of the highest ranked 3D schools in the World; "The Game Assembly" and are currently working as a Technical Artist for the game "Midnight Ghost Hunt" in a Swedish Game Studio.

NB.  You will however NOT learn about how to create realistic and nice materials. Those topics I cover in my course "Become a Material Guru in Blender". This course is Shader Magic.. not material magic :D.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

A Short Demo on parts of the course content.

Just a quick walk through how my view is set up to get the most out of this course.

Read more

This is all your resources. To go through the course, you will only need the images since you will create all blend files during the course. However, most of the exercises in the sessions are saved as .blend files that you can use if you want to. You also have the software for the flowmap here, if the link doesn't work as I give in the session for flowmaps.

This will give you a basic understanding on why we use "Texturecoordinate" and what the differences are on the most common outputs.

Going through the different nodes to use  to filter values out to produce desired result and shape.

Most patterns are symmetrical in shape. Often they are exactly the same on left, right, top and bottom. This session will explain how you are able to do symmetrical shapes easy.

One tile doesn't cover a complete wall, so in this session I'll go through how to duplicate those tiles and scale them to fit.

To make a good tile, we need to clean it a bit so it gets more flat and have good edges. This session goes through how to do that using a MapRange node.

Finally we put everything away in a nice little node group, which makes it easy to use later on if you want to build tiles without the need of creating all those nodes again. NB! Save!! Will use this later on in section 4!!

"Length" is one of the most used nodes when creating your own shapes, so here I will go through how you can use it.

This is more a small exercise in masking and creating easy shapes, so you get a good idea on how to put all the above together.

We dust of those tiles we did in the section 2 and starts to add mortar between the tiles with the new knowledge that we now learned in this section.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers techniques like vertex painting, flowmaps, parallax mapping, and sprite sheets, which are commonly used in game development pipelines
Explores Blender-specific techniques for finding edges on models, creating scratches and dirt, and generating procedural patterns using radial gradients
Taught by an experienced technical artist from a highly-ranked 3D school, offering practical insights and industry knowledge
Requires familiarity with Blender's node system, as it focuses on advanced shader techniques rather than basic material creation
Focuses on learning the basics without relying on pre-built tools, which is helpful for understanding how things are put together
Does not cover realistic material creation, so learners interested in that topic should consider the instructor's other course, "Become a Material Guru in Blender"

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Reviews summary

Technical shader creation in blender

According to learners, this course offers a highly technical and in-depth exploration of shader creation within Blender's node system. Students widely praise the instructor's deep expertise in technical art and the focus on practical techniques relevant to game development, including flow maps and trimsheets. Many find the hands-on, build-it-yourself methodology very effective for solidifying understanding. However, some reviewers note that the course can be quite challenging, particularly the segments involving vector math, and suggest it's best suited for those with some existing Blender experience. It's also pointed out, consistent with the course description, that the focus is on procedural and technical effects rather than realistic material creation.
Not for realistic material creation.
"As the description says, this isn't about making pretty PBR materials, it's technical shaders."
"Make sure you know this course focuses on procedural/technical effects, not realistic textures."
"If you want to learn realistic texturing, this isn't the course, but for technical effects, it's great."
Learn by building node trees.
"Building everything from the ground up was a great way to solidify the concepts."
"I appreciate that the course doesn't just provide finished files; you build along."
"Learning by doing node by node is very effective for understanding."
Covers practical techniques used in games.
"Learning about flow maps, trimsheets, and parallax in Blender nodes is super useful for game dev."
"The examples applying shaders to game-like assets were spot on."
"This course gave me practical skills directly applicable to technical art for games."
Explores shader math and node logic deeply.
"The instructor really knows their stuff and explains complex vector math concepts clearly."
"I finally understand how shaders work at a fundamental level thanks to the detailed explanations."
"Great technical dive into how to build shaders from scratch using nodes and math."
Pace is sometimes fast on complex topics.
"Sometimes the explanations move a little too quickly through the more complex nodes."
"I felt the pace was just right, challenging but manageable if you follow along."
"Had to constantly pause and rewind during the math sections."
Can be difficult, requires focus.
"Some sections, particularly on vector math, required me to rewatch multiple times to grasp."
"Definitely not for absolute beginners. Having some math background helps a lot."
"I struggled a bit with the abstract nature of some node setups."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Shader Magic in Blender (Ver 3.41 and above) with these activities:
Review Basic Trigonometry
Reviewing trigonometry will help you better understand the math behind shader creation, especially when working with vector math and rotations.
Browse courses on Trigonometry
Show steps
  • Review trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent).
  • Practice solving problems involving angles and triangles.
  • Understand the unit circle and its relationship to trigonometric functions.
Read 'The Book of Shaders'
Reading 'The Book of Shaders' will provide a solid foundation in shader programming concepts, complementing the node-based approach taught in the course.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the introductory chapters on shader basics.
  • Experiment with the code examples provided in the book.
  • Relate the concepts learned to the Blender shader nodes.
Experiment with Blender's Math Node
Practicing with the Math node in Blender will solidify your understanding of mathematical operations within the shader editor.
Show steps
  • Create a simple material in Blender.
  • Add a Math node and experiment with different operations (Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide, etc.).
  • Connect different inputs to the Math node and observe the results.
  • Try combining multiple Math nodes to create more complex calculations.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Reference 'Blender Compositing and Post Processing'
Understanding compositing techniques will help you enhance the final output of your shaders.
View Blender 3D: Characters, Machines, and Scenes... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the chapters on color correction and post-processing effects.
  • Experiment with different compositing nodes in Blender.
  • Apply compositing techniques to your shader renders.
Create a Procedural Texture Library
Creating a library of procedural textures will reinforce your understanding of shader nodes and their combinations.
Show steps
  • Create a new Blender project.
  • Design and create at least five different procedural textures (e.g., wood, marble, metal).
  • Organize the textures into a reusable library.
  • Document the node setup for each texture.
Develop a Custom Shader for a Game Asset
Developing a custom shader for a game asset will allow you to apply the concepts learned in the course to a practical project.
Show steps
  • Choose a simple game asset (e.g., a rock, a tree, a crate).
  • Design a custom shader that enhances the asset's appearance (e.g., adding moss to the rock, creating wind effects for the tree).
  • Implement the shader in Blender using shader nodes.
  • Export the asset and shader to a game engine (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine) and test it.
Shader Breakdown Presentation
Creating a presentation breaking down a complex shader will solidify your understanding and improve your ability to explain shader concepts.
Show steps
  • Choose a complex shader from online resources or create your own.
  • Analyze the shader's node setup and functionality.
  • Create a presentation explaining the shader's purpose, key nodes, and how they work together.
  • Present your breakdown to peers or in an online forum.

Career center

Learners who complete Shader Magic in Blender (Ver 3.41 and above) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Technical Artist
A Technical Artist bridges the gap between artists and programmers in game development and animation. This role requires a strong understanding of both art creation pipelines and the technical constraints of real-time rendering. This course helps build a foundation in shader creation and manipulation within Blender, a skill directly applicable to creating visually stunning and performant effects in game engines like Unity or Unreal Engine. Learning how to create shapes, use vector math, and implement techniques like vertex painting and flowmaps, as covered in this course, are essential for a Technical Artist to optimize art assets and develop custom shaders to achieve a desired look. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Artist
Shader Developer
A Shader Developer writes and optimizes shaders for various applications, including games, visual effects, and real-time rendering. This course directly addresses the core skills needed for this role. You'll learn how to create shaders from scratch, manipulate textures, and implement advanced rendering techniques. The course's focus on vector math, procedural patterns, and techniques like parallax mapping provides a strong base for a Shader Developer. The course may be useful to develop custom shaders and visual effects, and optimize shader performance across different platforms. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Shader Developer
Game Developer
A Game Developer is involved in the creation of video games across multiple platforms, and proficiency in shader creation can greatly enhance their capabilities, especially in creating visually appealing and optimized game environments. This course may be useful for Game Developers to understand the underlying principles of shader creation. The course’s exploration of techniques like flowmaps, sprite sheets, and edge detection provides practical skills to enhance visual fidelity and performance. By learning how to create custom shaders, a Game Developer can achieve unique art styles and optimize rendering for specific platforms. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Game Developer
Visual Effects Artist
A Visual Effects Artist creates stunning visual effects for film, television, and games, and this often involves using shaders to generate realistic or stylized effects. This course may be useful for Visual Effects Artists to design and implement custom shaders in Blender. By exploring techniques such as radial gradients, procedural patterns, and UV manipulation, this course helps build a foundation for creating complex visual phenomena. Understanding how to create and manipulate shaders is crucial for achieving high-quality visual effects that meet the demands of the industry. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Effects Artist
3D Artist
A 3D Artist creates three-dimensional models and environments for games, animation, and other visual media. While they may not always write shaders directly, understanding shader principles can help build a foundation for creating more effective and visually appealing models. This course may be useful for 3D Artists to create custom materials and textures within Blender. The course's coverage of procedural patterns, texture manipulation, and techniques like creating scratches and dirt provides valuable skills for enhancing the realism and detail of 3D models. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for 3D Artist
Material Artist
A Material Artist specializes in creating realistic and stylized materials for 3D models and environments. This course, while not explicitly focused on materials, provides a solid foundation in shader creation, which is essential for crafting advanced materials. You'll learn how to create procedural patterns, manipulate textures, and use techniques like radial gradients to generate unique material properties. The course’s hands-on approach to shader creation helps build a foundation for understanding how materials are rendered and how to achieve specific visual effects. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Material Artist
Real-Time Graphics Programmer
A Real-Time Graphics Programmer focuses on optimizing and implementing rendering techniques for real-time applications, such as games and simulations. This role requires a deep understanding of shaders and their impact on performance. This course helps build a foundation in shader creation and manipulation within Blender, providing practical experience with techniques like flowmaps, parallax mapping, and edge detection. Understanding how to optimize shaders and implement custom rendering effects is crucial for achieving high-performance graphics in real-time applications. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Real-Time Graphics Programmer
Simulation Engineer
A Simulation Engineer develops and implements simulations for various applications, such as engineering design, scientific research, and training. This course helps build a foundation in creating custom shaders for visualizing simulation data. The course's coverage of vector math, procedural patterns, and texture manipulation provides valuable skills for generating realistic and informative visualizations. By learning how to create and manipulate shaders within Blender, a Simulation Engineer can enhance the clarity and impact of their simulations. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Simulation Engineer
Motion Graphics Designer
A Motion Graphics Designer creates animated graphics for videos, websites, and other media, and understanding shader creation can help them create unique and visually appealing animations. This course may be useful for Motion Graphics Designers to design and implement custom shaders in Blender. The course’s exploration of techniques such as radial gradients, procedural patterns, and UV manipulation provides valuable skills for creating dynamic and engaging motion graphics. By learning how to create and manipulate shaders, a Motion Graphics Designer can enhance the visual impact of their animations. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Motion Graphics Designer
Virtual Reality Developer
A Virtual Reality Developer creates immersive experiences for VR platforms. Optimizing performance and creating visually compelling environments are critical for VR applications. This course may be useful for Virtual Reality Developers to create and optimize shaders for VR environments. The course's coverage of techniques like parallax mapping, flowmaps, and edge detection provides valuable skills for enhancing the realism and performance of VR scenes. By learning how to create custom shaders, a Virtual Reality Developer can create more immersive and engaging experiences. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Virtual Reality Developer
Augmented Reality Developer
An Augmented Reality Developer creates interactive experiences that blend the real world with digital content. Creating visually appealing and performant AR applications requires an understanding of shader creation and optimization. This course may be useful for Augmented Reality Developer to create custom shaders for AR environments. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Augmented Reality Developer
Product Designer
A Product Designer designs and develops new products, and this often involves creating 3D models and visualizations. While not directly involved in shader creation, understanding shader principles can help build a foundation for creating more realistic and visually appealing product renderings. This course may be useful for Product Designer to create custom materials and textures within Blender. The course’s coverage of procedural patterns, texture manipulation, and techniques like creating scratches and dirt provides valuable skills for enhancing the realism and detail of product models. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Product Designer
Architectural Visualization Artist
An Architectural Visualization Artist creates photorealistic renderings and animations of architectural designs. Understanding shader creation can help them create more realistic and visually appealing visualizations. This course may be useful for Architectural Visualization Artist to create custom materials and textures within Blender. The course’s coverage of procedural patterns, texture manipulation, and techniques like creating scratches and dirt provides valuable skills for enhancing the realism and detail of architectural renderings. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Architectural Visualization Artist
Scientific Visualization Specialist
A Scientific Visualization Specialist creates visual representations of scientific data, often using 3D modeling and rendering techniques. This course may be useful for Scientific Visualization Specialist to create custom shaders for visualizing complex datasets. The course’s coverage of vector math, procedural patterns, and texture manipulation provides valuable skills for generating informative and visually appealing visualizations. By learning how to create and manipulate shaders within Blender, a Scientific Visualization Specialist can enhance the clarity and impact of their data representations. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Scientific Visualization Specialist
Digital Sculptor
A Digital Sculptor creates high-resolution 3D models for various applications, including games, film, and product design. Understanding shader creation can help them create more realistic and visually appealing sculptures. This course may be useful for Digital Sculptor to create custom materials and textures within Blender. The course’s coverage of procedural patterns, texture manipulation, and techniques like creating scratches and dirt provides valuable skills for enhancing the realism and detail of digital sculptures. This course may be useful to help understand shader creation from the ground up.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Sculptor

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Shader Magic in Blender (Ver 3.41 and above).
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Provides a comprehensive introduction to shader programming concepts. It covers the fundamentals of GLSL, which is highly relevant to creating shaders in Blender. The book explains the math behind shaders in an accessible way, making it a valuable resource for understanding the underlying principles taught in the course. It is particularly useful for those who want to deepen their understanding of shader creation beyond the node-based interface.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Blender 3D: Characters, Machines, and Scenes for...
Save
While this course focuses on shader creation, understanding compositing is crucial for the final look of your renders. provides a comprehensive guide to Blender's compositing tools and techniques. It covers topics such as color correction, adding effects, and combining different render layers. It is more valuable as additional reading to understand how shaders fit into the broader rendering pipeline.
Blender 3D: Characters, Machines, and Scenes for...
Kindle Edition
$$$

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Rating
4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
14.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Joakim Tornhill
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers techniques like vertex painting, flowmaps, parallax mapping, and sprite sheets, which are commonly used in game development pipelines
Explores Blender-specific techniques for finding edges on models, creating scratches and dirt, and generating procedural patterns using radial gradients
Taught by an experienced technical artist from a highly-ranked 3D school, offering practical insights and industry knowledge
Requires familiarity with Blender's node system, as it focuses on advanced shader techniques rather than basic material creation
Focuses on learning the basics without relying on pre-built tools, which is helpful for understanding how things are put together
Does not cover realistic material creation, so learners interested in that topic should consider the instructor's other course, "Become a Material Guru in Blender"
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