Blender 2.92 release has been announced and is now available for download. As is the case with previous releases, this one comes with a huge amount of bug fixes, improvements on existing features as well as a handful of new features. This is all thanks to contributions from the wider Blender community as well as the Blender developers.
Some of the highlights of Blender 2.92 Release Include
Geometry Nodes
Geometry Nodes is a custom modifier that allows artists to manipulate geometry through a node interface. This first release focuses on the groundwork, and object scattering, and instancing.
The feature includes the following Attributes nodes, Attribute Color Ramp, Attribute Compare, Attribute Fill, Attribute Math, Attribute Mix, Attribute Randomize, and Attribute Vector Math.
Color nodes include ColorRamp, Combine RGB, and Separate RGB. Then there are the Join Geometry and Transform Geometry nodes. Input nodes include Object Info, Random Float, Value, and Vector.
Under the Mesh nodes, we have Boolean, Edge Split, Subdivision Surface, and Triangulate. Under Point nodes, we have Align Rotation to Vector, Point Distribute, Point Instance, Point Rotate, Point Scale, Point Separate, and Point Translate.
The Utilities nodes bring us Boolean Math Clamp, Float Compare, Map Range, and Math. The Vector nodes include Combine XYZ, Separate XYZ, and Vector Math. The Group nodes include Make Group and Ungroup. Finally, the Layout nodes are Frame and Reroute.
Currently focused on point and asset scattering workflows, the Geometry Nodes functionality will expand with upcoming releases.
New Sculpting Features
The new Blender sculpting workspace introduces a new grab silhouette option that brings more flexibility when shaping silhouettes. When working with thin meshes, grabbing from one side of the object will not affect the shape on the other side. This is achieved by the property added to the grab that masks vertices based on its original normal and grab delta.
With the Multires Displacement Smear tool, smearing can be used multiple times over the same area without generating artifacts in the topology.
With the Elastic Snake mode, artists can deform the mesh using a kelvinlet instead of applying the displacement directly inside the brush radius, which is great for stylized shapes sketching. This is achieved through the added deformation types to the Snake hook and the elastic deformation type.
Fair Face Sets operation for Face Set Edit implements a mesh fairing algorithm and implements the fair operations for Face Set edit. These edit operations create a smooth as possible geometry patch in the area of the selected Face Set.
Other improvements with sculping include Allow inverting the Erase Displacement mesh filter, Paint Studio Light preset, Sculpt Session Stats, Face Set Edit delete Geometry operation, and Plane Deformation Fall-off for Grab Tool.
Grease Pencil in Blender 2.92 Release
Grease Pencil has received a lot of love with a bunch of improvements and new features. With this new release, Grease Pencil strokes can now be edited as curves just like Bézier curves.
The Trace Image feature now supports image sequences! This is ideal for bringing your storyboards into 3D.
Grease Pencil interpolation has been improved to better deal with different sized strokes. Longer strokes are no longer cut off. With the new algorithm, the strokes are properly stretched to fit the extreme shapes as desired.
Other changes with Grease pencil include Improved Join Operator, Improved Method for Interpolation, Cutter Tool New Flat Caps, Auto-merge Strokes, Rotate textures in Dots and Strokes in Texture modifier, Copy Effects with Ctrl+L, Reset Vertex Color Data, Limit Bake Animation to Selected Frames, Layer Onion Skin Enabled by Default, Interpolate Tools in Draw Mode, and more.
Add Primitive Tool
With the improved Primitive Tool, artists can create primitives interactively with just two clicks. The tool works by first defining the base of the object by holding the Left-mouse-button and dragging to define the size of the base. Next, release the Left-mouse-button and drag to define the height of the object. Finally, press Left-mouse-button again to confirm the shape of the object. Read more here.
For these and more details about Blender 2.92 release please check out the official release notes here. Meanwhile, you can get started by downloading this latest release for your preferred platform from the official download page here.
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