Easy Custom Normals for Clean Toon/Anime Shading

Supported Blender Versions: 4.3, 4.4

The missing component of Custom Vertex Normals authoring! Get clean Normals even with imperfect topology. No more fighting with retopology, or needing proxy meshes just to avoid problems from a few triangles. With Weighted Normals and Laplacian Normal Smoothing, you can get the same results on uneven triangulated meshes as on clean quad topology. Often this let's you author directly on game production meshes!

And this is only the start! More features are coming to help conveniently setup clean Normals on anime style faces and hair.

Key Features

• Laplacian Smooth Normals Modifier: Smooth normals independently of topology. Invert face weights to eliminate shading artifacts instantly.

• Live Preview & Non-Destructive Workflow: Built with Geometry Nodes, see results live without manually wiring up materials or baking.

• Anime Face Proxy Mesh (Coming Soon): Transfer perfect stylized face shading to your anime characters with a riggable, shape-adjustable face proxy.

These tools speed up your anime and stylized character art workflows. Whether you’re prepping a model for real-time or want simpler shading control within Blender, this makes your life much easier!

Installation

1. Download the addon
2. In Blender, go to Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
3. Click "Install" and select the downloaded zip file
4. Enable the addon by checking the box
5. Find the addon’s tab in the 3D Viewport N Panel

Quick Start

1. Install the addon and find the "Fondant Tools" tab in the N Panel
2. Add objects to the list that you want to modify
3. Click Add Normals Modifier to apply the effect
4. Adjust parameters as needed and use Set Custom Normal from Attribute when satisfied

Detailed documentation available along with troubleshooting and FAQs is available at https://tools.fondant.gg/custom-normals/

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Will this work in game engines?

Yes, once you apply the custom normals using "Set Custom Normal from Attribute," they become standard Blender custom split normals. These can be exported to most game engines that support custom normals.

Can I use this with shape keys?

Yes! One of the key advantages of this addon is its ability to work with shape keys. The "Set Custom Normal from Attribute" operation will apply custom normals without applying the modifier, which preserves shape keys.

How can I create different normal effects on different parts of my mesh?

Use vertex groups or color attributes to control the effect. Several parameters support the "Input Attribute Toggle" which allows you to use these attributes to mask or vary the effect across your mesh.

Does this work with the Subdivision Surface modifier?

Yes! The addon temporarily disables Subdivision/Subsurface when you set the custom normals.