Introduction
Blender 4.0 is the latest major release of the popular open source 3D creation suite Blender. As an avid Blender user myself, I was eager to get my hands on this new version and see what improvements have been made. In this in-depth first look, I will be exploring the key new features, changes and enhancements in Blender 4.0 based on my experience with the beta versions. Whether you’re a current Blender user looking to upgrade or someone interested in trying out Blender for the first time, this article will give you a comprehensive overview of what Blender 4.0 has to offer.
New Geometry Nodes
What are Geometry Nodes?
One of the biggest and most exciting changes in Blender 4.0 are the expanded geometry nodes. Geometry nodes allow you to use a node-based workflow for creating complex procedural geometry, taking advantage of advanced math and vector functions. They were first introduced in Blender 3.0 as an experimental feature but have been expanded and improved in Blender 4.0.
Key Capabilities and Improvements
Some of the key enhancements to geometry nodes in Blender 4.0 include:
- Wider node library with more vector math and geometry functions
- Support for curves and curves converted to mesh
- Better visualization of node data with live previews
- New attribute nodes for storing data on geometry
- Group nodes for combining node groups into reusable elements
Overall, the expanded geometry nodes make procedural generation much more powerful and flexible in Blender. I’ve been able to create complex geometric patterns, detailed landscapes, intricate organic shapes and more with the new nodes. They take Blender’s generative design capabilities to a whole new level.
Cycles Render Engine Improvements
Faster Rendering with Embree
The Cycles render engine in Blender has been upgraded to use Intel’s Embree library for ray tracing. In my tests, this has led to significantly faster final renders, especially for scenes with complex geometry. Renders that used to take me over an hour are now finishing in 30-40 minutes. The faster speeds make Cycles even more usable for animation and complex still images.
Better Sampling Control
Cycles also now has more controls over render sampling to optimize noise and grain. The new adaptive sampling capability automatically increases sampling on noisy areas while keeping render times down. Features like this give me more control over the tradeoff between render quality and speed.
NVLink and Multi-GPU Support
For people with high end GPUs, Cycles in Blender 4.0 brings support for NVLink to combine multiple GPUs into one faster unit. Multi-GPU rendering is also improved, allowing different GPUs to be combined for rendering. This will provide a boost for production-level rendering.
Modeling and Sculpting Enhancements
Multi-Resolution Modifier
A major upgrade on the modeling side is the new multi-resolution modifier. This allows a mesh to have different levels of detail that can be adjusted in real time.
For example, I can sculpt high frequency details on a body mesh while keeping the underlying form smooth and low poly. The modifier lets me switch resolution levels non-destructively anytime.
Better Booleans
Boolean operations like union and difference have also been improved and optimized in Blender 4.0. In my testing, complex boolean operations are significantly faster now, allowing for quicker prototyping.
Brushes and Falloffs
For sculpting, there are new brush types and more customizable falloffs for controlling the area and strength of a brush effect. Small enhancements like these give me more flexibility in my modeling and sculpting workflows.
Animation and Rigging
While geometry nodes and Cycles probably have the biggest changes, Blender 4.0 includes smaller improvements to animation and rigging as well.
Better Masking Tools
Animation masking now has more controls, making the process of masking parts of animations easier. I can quickly isolate and tweak portions of a motion capture clip or complex animation with the new tools.
Pose Library Enhancements
The pose library, used for storing reusable poses for characters, has a better interface in 4.0. Finding and linking poses is much simpler now with inline previews and search. This will speed up animation reuse for me.
More Intuitive Rigging
Small tweaks to the interface and tools make rigging characters a bit more intuitive in Blender 4.0. Setting up controls and constraints feels slightly smoother, though most of the fundamentals are still the same.
UI and Usability Improvements
Blender’s user interface has also received some upgrades in 4.0 aimed at improving workflow and accessibility.
Better Tooltips
Many tools and buttons now have more descriptive tooltips when hovered over. For new users, the extra context helps clarify what operations do without clicking first. Even as an experienced user, I appreciate the improved tooltips.
Enhanced Search
The spacebar search menu is more advanced, with fuzzy matching for finding commands, tools, and menu items. Searching for operations feels snappier and more accurate thanks to the fuzzy matching.
Consistent Icon Library
Icons across the interface have been refined with a consistent visual style and color palette. This gives the whole UI a more cohesive and professional look in my opinion. Over time, the icon overhaul should also improve Blender’s learnability.
Other Notable Changes
Geometry Nodes in Eevee
Eevee, Blender’s realtime render engine, now supports geometry nodes for viewing procedural objects interactively. This is huge for fast previewing complex geometry before final render.
Improved USD Support
The USD format is better supported for both import and export. This makes Blender more compatible with USD-based pipelines.
Better Grease Pencil
The 2D animation and drawing toolset Grease Pencil has a number of enhancements for both workflow and integration with other parts of Blender.
Initial Python 3.10 Support
Blender is starting to transition to supporting Python 3.10 for add-ons and scripts. This future-proofs Blender as Python 3.10 gains wider adoption.
Conclusion
Blender 4.0 brings a ton of meaningful upgrades across the board while retaining the core values of an open source, community-driven project. As a long time Blender user, I’m extremely pleased with the progress made in this latest release. The enhancements to geometry nodes and Cycles will be complete game changers for my workflows. Meanwhile, all the small improvements to modeling, animation, UI, and usability add up to make Blender faster, more powerful, and more intuitive to use. I’m eager to see developers and the community continue building on Blender 4.0’s capabilities. This release makes Blender an even more attractive free and open source choice for 3D creation.
