(ENG) TUTORIAL NPR Painterly Arnold Shader Pack: Arcane & Anime Style (Maya 2022 - 2026)

NPR Painterly Shader for Maya/Arnold: 

This painterly shader for Maya and Arnold is the result of years of experimentation and refinement. It is ready to use on any prop or character, even without UVs, although hand-painted textures are highly recommended for optimal results.

🔥 What's New in Version 2.0:

• The Final Fern Shader: The exact shader I used for my latest Fern project is now included!

• Optimized & Faster: The node network has been heavily optimized to be lighter and compute much faster in your scenes.

• Maya 2026 Ready: Fully tested and compatible with Maya 2026 and the latest Arnold core.

📦 What's Included in the Package:

• Three "Plug & Play" Shaders: You get the original Zuko shader, the Chibi Fern Watercolor shader (from Update 1.4), and the brand-new optimized Final Fern shader.

• 40-Minute Video Tutorial: Learn how to customize and apply the shader to different geometries and lighting conditions.

• Customizable Framework: You will learn how to tweak and customize this shader depending on your specific artistic goals.

• Procedural Textures: Normal brushstrokes, displacement brushstrokes, and my favorite overlay textures for compositing.

• ...and Kirby!: You'll get a free Kirby model included in the package, with the shader already applied and the Substance Painter file. This means you can dive right in and start playing around immediately.

• Detailed Documentation: Step-by-step instructions for easy reference, eliminating the need to re-watch the video constantly.

⚠️ Important Warnings & Recommendations:

• Skill Level: This tutorial requires an intermediate/advanced level in Maya/Arnold and a solid understanding of the Node Editor.

• Free Resource: Before buying, check out my free document "Inside Zuko", where I discuss the process of creating a character with this shader. You can find it on my Gumroad or ArtStation.

• Texture Dependency: For the best results, use hand-painted textures. The shader is designed to complement high-quality textures, not replace them. (Note: This tutorial does not cover painting techniques, but I provide additional resources to support your learning).

• Compositing: Depending on your references, compositing might be needed. While the Zuko example is pure 3D out of the box, projects like Mario and Fern rely on compositing (like adding overlays on top) to achieve the final 2D look. This overlay technique is included in the tutorial.

• Lighting Limitation: The shader is unaffected by light color temperature; it only reacts to light value (intensity).

• These are the shaders I use personally; THIS IS NOT A TUTORIAL ON HOW TO CREATE YOUR SHADERS or digital painting. It is a plug-and-play resource. If you are interested in learning how to paint in a more painterly style or create your own shaders, please check out my other tutorials :)

UPDATE 1.4:

New Watercolor shader + Geo Added (Chibi Fern from Frieren)

🔥 Version 2.0 is OUT - The "Fern" Update! / ¡La Versión 2.0 ya está aquí!

Thank you for your support! This is a massive update, completely FREE for all previous buyers. Here is what is new in V2.0:

• The Final Fern Shader Added: The exact "plug and play" shader I used for my latest Anime/Watercolor project (Fern) is now included. You can finally explore the exact nodes and settings I used for that 2D look.

• Faster Performance: The shader logic has been deeply optimized. You will notice much faster render times in Arnold.

• Maya 2026 Ready: Fully updated and compatible with Maya 2026 and the latest Arnold core.

• The Ultimate Pack: With this update, the package now officially includes THREE distinct stylized shaders (Zuko, Chibi Fern, and Final Fern), plus procedural brushstrokes, and the free Kirby test model to start playing immediately.