3D artist and motion designer Jörg Grubmüller has released LimbKit, a procedural tool for generating 3D hands and feet in Blender. It is described as Geometry Nodes-based and intended to help artists block out hands and feet quickly, including paw-like variants for creatures, with an emphasis on stylised work.

The core idea is simple: instead of sculpting extremities from scratch, the workflow centres on placing readymade fingers and toes onto a palm or base mesh, then generating a merged result that can be adjusted via controls for finger length, spacing, orientation, and overall shape. The promise is not “perfect hands”, but “hands that exist”, which is often the bigger scheduling problem. LimbKit includes realistically proportioned base models for hands and feet that can be refined manually, even if the tool’s stated sweet spot is stylised characters for illustration or animation.

What it does, and what it does not claim

LimbKit’s stated function is procedural generation and adjustment of hands and feet inside Blneder using Geometry Nodes, with the output merged into a single mesh that you can further tweak via parameters. That positions it as a fast starting point for modelling and lookdev, particularly when you need to iterate on silhouette and proportions without burning hours on knuckles.

There are no stated guarantees in the provided sources about rigging readiness, deformation behaviour, UV layout, subdivision performance, or downstream interchange. If you need clean edge loops that match a house rig, consistent joint placement, or predictable deformation under extreme poses, you still have to test the generated meshes and decide whether LimbKit is a blocker, a base, or a throwaway placeholder.

Grubmüller’s background is leaning towards cartoon-style character work, including prior work as a Senior 3D Character Modeler at animation and VFX studio arx anima. That does not limit what the tool can be used for, but it does explain why the initial framing is stylisation-first: it is aimed at readable shapes and fast iteration, not forensic anatomy.

Download and library workflow

LimbKit is a free download hosted on Gumroad and is stated to be compatible with Blender 4.5+. The available walkthrough information describes a “pay what you want” style flow where entering a zero value enables a free download, followed by an email-based download step.

Setting it up as an asset library is done by pointing Blender’s Preferences File Paths to a folder containing LimbKit assets, switching an import method setting from “pack” to “appended”, then accessing the assets from the Asset Browser drop-down. From there, the described interaction is drag-and-drop: pull hand and foot assets into the scene and start adjusting parameters.

Controls, gizmos, and the “procedural bits”

The supplied walkthrough description goes further into how LimbKit presents itself once assets are in the scene. It describes procedural controls in the modifier stack, including a primary control labelled “Digim Master” and scaling tools for global and per-finger adjustment. It also describes an optional gizmo-based control mode that allows moving individual finger elements forward or backwards.

Additional controls include adjustable bending styles and colour parameters that apply across the assets, including separate options for stylised variants that can alter finger length and pointiness. The walkthrough also mentions parameters described as controlling the bend tip and the bend centre.

Practical pipeline fit

LimbKit sits comfortably in the rough modelling stage when the goal is speed and iteration: building a hand silhouette that reads, matching proportions across a character set, or getting something into layout, previs, or a stylised render without dedicating half a day to digits. The workflow can be useful for motion designers and generalists who are allergic to sculpting but still need convincing extremities on screen.

What it should not be assumed to replace is the careful part: production topology, deformation testing, UV standards, and the inevitable “why does the thumb do that” notes once animation starts. LimbKit looks like a practical way to get to a first pass quickly. Whether it becomes your base mesh generator or your temporary placeholder depends entirely on your worlflow and your tolerance for procedural geometry in hero assets.

Fact check reminder: New tools and innovations should be tested before use in production.

https://joergsla.gumroad.com/l/limbkit

The post Neat LimbKit gives Blender a hand, literally first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Druckli Tools is a node asset library for Cinema 4D by Dominik Ruckli. It installs via the Asset Browser as a zip database and adds procedural modelling, selection, distribution and generator assets aimed at node-based workflows.

Version two, asset browser first

Dominik Ruckli has released version two of Druckli Tools, a node asset collection for Cinema 4D. Vversion two includes all tools from version one plus additional assets, and requires Cinema 4D 2026.1 or later. On earlier versions not all tools will work. Installation is handled directly through the Asset Browser by connecting the downloaded zip file as a database. The zip does not need to be unpacked. Two variants are available. The full version contains example scenes and additional assets. A light version omits the heavier example scenes to reduce disk usage. The toolset is distributed via Gumroad . Pricing is “Name a Fair Price” .

Minor updates, practical fixes

Several assets from version one have been updated. All selection visualisers no longer rely on a default selection string that stopped working in Cinema 4D 2025.1, Users must now explicitly define or search for selections. The Ray Connector asset has been clarified. Its input was previously labelled as a points object, which led users to assume it required geometry. It actually operates on a matrix object.

Surface Stippling has been adjusted for large scenes. The previous version reportedly produced incorrect results on very large meshes. The updated asset is described as working correctly on larger scenes. A new stippling distribution variant has also been introduced for MoGraph workflows.

Plane Split rebuilt

The most significant change is a complete rebuild of the Plane Split asset, now referred to as version three inside the library. In the previous implementation, UVs, normals, weight maps and selections were not reliably transferred after cutting geometry. The new version is described as transferring UVs and normals correctly and offering optional transfer of vertex maps and selections.

Users can define the cutting axis and whether to generate top, bottom or both outputs. Selection transfer can be toggled for performance reasons when working with large meshes. The asset can also store new selections created at the cutting edge, including point, edge and polygon selections. Users can define custom names for border, top and bottom selections generated during the cut.

Normal handling is addressed explicitly. Proper shading after cutting requires correct normals. The author demonstrates generating a normal tag before cutting, either manually or procedurally, to avoid shading artefacts caused by Phong interpolation. This is a practical reminder that procedural cutting still depends on valid surface normals.

An included example scene demonstrates a procedural crystal generator built with Plane Split and the Close Polygon Holes asset. The setup uses repeated plane cuts, parameterised height, radius, side count, displacement seed and crack count to generate fractured crystal forms. The example is procedural and adjustable but relies entirely on the provided node assets.

Selection and visualisation tools

Outline Selection provides an alternative to Cinema 4D’s built in Border Selection node. According to the author, the default node can be slow on dense meshes. The custom implementation is presented as faster, although no benchmarks are supplied.

Select by Camera View creates selections based on a camera’s field of view. It supports viewport camera reading or object link input in node setups. Parameters include XY border offset, near and far clipping planes, optional exclusion of occluded geometry and surface offset tolerance for polygon selection. An example scene shows scattering trees only within the active camera frustum.

Vertex Map Visualiser displays per point vertex map values as numeric text in the viewport. Standard vertex maps are colour based and can exceed a normalised zero to one range depending on node operations. The visualiser reveals exact float values with adjustable precision and optional camera alignment. The author notes that camera aligned text can reduce performance on high density meshes.

Normal Visualiser exposes vertex normals in node-based workflows. Cinema 4D’s viewport normal display does not function inside node meshes. The asset requires a normal tag to read data. If only Phong smoothing is present, users must convert it to a normal tag.

Axis Preview visualises transformation matrices as axes, primarily for distribution and scattering setups. It displays X and Z orientation vectors per matrix, aiding debugging of alignment in node-based MoGraph workflows. These utilities target technical directors and look development artists who need numeric and vector-level feedback inside node graphs.

Modifiers and node utilities

Close Polygon Holes procedurally fills open boundaries on meshes. It can operate automatically on all holes or use an edge selection. When used in combination with Plane Split, it can cap newly created openings. If a normal tag exists, the asset can either respect it or generate flat shading normals.

Spline Smooth restores interpolation on resampled splines. In Cinema 4D, resampling removes interpolation type influence. The asset reintroduces interpolation modes such as Bezier or B-spline on resampled splines inside procedural setups.

3D Noise extends Cinema 4D’s Sample Noise by outputting a three-dimensional vector instead of a single float. Standard Sample Noise returns a one-dimensional value, requiring three nodes for XYZ displacement. 3D Noise outputs a vector directly, simplifying vector displacement workflows. Parameters include offset, noise type, octaves, seed, scale, amplitude, speed and remapping range. This reduces node count in displacement setups.

Get and Set Polygon Color convert between point-based and polygon-based vertex colour representations. The toolset allows per polygon colour assignment using arrays, iteration and conditional logic inside nodes. Example scenes demonstrate threshold-based colouring and polygon index comparisons.

These assets are procedural building blocks rather than UI tools. They are intended for users already comfortable inside the Scene Nodes system.

Generators and distributions

The Stitching asset generates procedural stitches along a guide spline on a surface mesh. It operates in real world scale. Parameters control stitch length, gap, randomness, zigzag or parallel patterns, thread count, lift, tilt, bendiness and global seed.

A grow animation system supports progressive stitching with different animation modes, including floating and machine style stitching. Users can define subdivision for performance versus smoothness trade offs and adjust fade spread and randomness.

Multi Loft functions similarly to Cinema 4D’s Loft object but operates on spline segments within a single connected spline rather than separate spline objects. It supports open or closed configurations, segment interpolation and optional caps. An additional optimise asset can weld resulting points.

Split Spline Mask extends the standard Spline Mask by producing open splines rather than always closed results. It includes axis selection, inversion and optional end point welding.

Two new distribution types are included. Surface Stippling Distribution adapts the existing stippling generator to MoGraph distribution. The author states that distribution density no longer depends on object scale, addressing behaviour in the earlier asset. Parameters include iteration count, neighbour count, search distance, strength, solver mode and optional vertex map driven charge for clustering and repulsion. Example scenes include toothbrush bristles, scale placement and large point distributions.

Paint Stroke Distribution builds on a previously published tutorial setup. It distributes strokes over a surface using flow splines derived from gradient intersection assets and vertex maps. Parameters are reorganised compared to the tutorial but functionality is described as equivalent. Example scenes demonstrate painterly portrait effects and more complex scenes with lighting and shadow driven maps.

The documentation is delivered primarily through tutorial videos by Dominik. As always, new tools and innovations should be tested before use in production to confirm stability, compatibility and performance under real project conditions.

// https://dominikruckli.gumroad.com/l/txmvnj

The post Druckli Tools V2 expands Cinema 4D nodes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Cinema 4D Scene Nodes are Maxon’s procedural, data driven graph system inside Maxon Cinema 4D. They operate below the Object Manager, enabling direct control of geometry, hierarchies and attributes. Midlet Dufts is a packaged Scene Nodes asset distributed via Gumroad for artists who prefer not to start with an empty graph.

Scene Nodes, Without the Blank Graph

Midlet Dufts is an asset for Cinema 4D built on the Scene Nodes system. Dufts provides a collection of Scene Nodes-based setups intended to simplify procedural scene construction inside Cinema 4D.

Scene Nodes in Cinema 4D represent Maxon’s lower-level procedural architecture. Unlike the legacy Object Manager-based workflow, Scene Nodes operate on a data-centric graph that directly manipulates geometry, attributes, hierarchies and instancing through node operations. The system is powerful but requires a different mental model from traditional C4D workflows.

Midlet positions Dufts as a ready-made solution built on top of this node system, offering artists access to procedural techniques without constructing node graphs from scratch.

What Dufts Actually Provides

Midlets is built entirely using Cinema 4D Scene Nodes. It is not a plugin compiled in C++, nor a compiled extension. Instead, it is a node based asset constructed within Cinema 4D’s own system. This distinction matters. Because Dufts is created inside Scene Nodes, it relies on native functionality provided by Cinema 4D rather than external SDK hooks. In practice, this means the tool integrates as a Scene Nodes asset within the host application.

Context: Cinema 4D Scene Nodes

Cinema 4D Scene Nodes were introduced as part of a broader architectural evolution. They allow artists and TDs to construct procedural hierarchies and geometry using a graph based system. Nodes operate on data streams rather than static objects, enabling more granular control over attributes, instancing and structure.

In contrast to Xpresso, which focuses on parameter linking and expression driven relationships, Scene Nodes operate at a deeper structural level. They can generate and modify entire object hierarchies and geometry procedurally. Scene Nodes also underpin Capsules, which are packaged node graphs exposed through a more conventional object style interface. Capsules can hide graph complexity while providing user facing controls. As with any third party Scene Nodes asset, studios should validate compatibility, inspect the internal graphs, and run stress tests under real project conditions before committing to production use.

// Midlet Dufts official Gumroad page
// https://midlet.gumroad.com/l/dufts

The post Free Scene Nodes for C4D by Midlet Dufts first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Quad Wrap is a manual retopology add-on for Blender from AFX Lab, designed for artists who prefer explicit quad control over automation and already distrust magic buttons.

What was released

AFX Lab on FlippedNormals has released Quad Wrap, a new retopology tool designed to help artists rebuild meshes using manually placed quads. The tool is presented as a Blender add-on and focuses on direct user control rather than automated topology generation. According to the vendor, Quad Wrap allows artists to wrap clean quad geometry over existing meshes, targeting use cases such as character modelling, hard-surface cleanup, and asset preparation for animation or realtime use. The product is distributed through the FlippedNormals online store and is positioned as a utility rather than a procedural or AI-assisted solution. No claims are made regarding speed improvements, automation, or one-click results.

How Quad Wrap works

Based on the available documentation, Quad Wrap provides tools to manually draw and place quad strips directly on top of a reference mesh. The workflow relies on the artist defining edge flow and surface coverage explicitly.

Host application and compatibility

Quad Wrap is developed specifically for Blender and is delivered as an addon installed through Blender’s standard extension mechanism. The vendor does not list support for other DCC applications, nor does it mention any cross-platform compatibility beyond Blender. Version requirements for Blender are not clearly stated on the product page at the time of writing. Not independently verified at press time.

No information is provided regarding compatibility with Blender Geometry Nodes, modifiers, or sculpt mode workflows. Pipeline integration details, including support for scripted automation or studio deployment, are not documented.

Intended users

The tool is aimed at artists who prefer manual retopology and want explicit control over quad layout. This includes character artists, modellers working on deformation-critical assets, and VFX artists preparing meshes for downstream rigging or simulation.

There are no claims that Quad Wrap reduces skill requirements or eliminates the need for topology knowledge. The messaging consistently frames the addon as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for established modelling practices.

Pricing and availability

Quad Wrap is available for purchase directly from the FlippedNormals website. At the time of writing, the listed price is USD 19. The vendor does not specify licensing terms beyond standard store policies. Information about updates, maintenance, or long-term support is not detailed. Not independently verified at press time.

Documentation and learning material

The FlippedNormals product page includes a short description and preview media. No full user manual, technical reference, or detailed workflow breakdown is linked. Artists evaluating Quad Wrap are advised to review any available demos and test the addon against their own production requirements.

FlippedNormals Quad Wrap product page
https://flippednormals.com/product/quad-wrap-retopology-tool-67984

The post Quad Wrap offers quad-first retopology, no magic wand first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Milo is the real-time rendering companion to Silo from Nevercenter, designed for fast lighting and lookdev directly from models edited in Silo. It runs as a linked app, updates automatically on save, and ships with the same perpetual licence.

Unreal Engine upgrade does the heavy lifting

Nevercenter has released Milo version 2026.0.0, a substantial technical update centred on a full migration to Unreal Engine 5.7. According to Nevercenter, the engine upgrade delivers significant improvements in both rendering quality and performance, following systematic optimisation across the renderer.

In a video walkthrough accompanying the release, Nevercenter founder Tom Hudson demonstrates real-time raytracing running on an Nvidia RTX 3060, (a five-year-old GPU), with lighting rigs adjusted interactively at high frame rates. Hudson states that comparable scenes in previous Milo versions ran significantly slower on the same hardware, particularly when raytracing was enabled.

Raytracing and pathtracing split by platform

Rendering features now diverge more clearly by operating system. On macOS, Milo 2026.0 adds real-time raytracing support. Nevercenter states that this mode is broadly equivalent to the raytracing implementation on Windows, with improved shadow quality and lighting fidelity compared to earlier raster-only Mac builds.

On Windows, Milo gains a pathtracing mode intended for final-quality output rather than interactive navigation. Pathtracing is described by Nevercenter as physically based and progressive, refining the image over time when the camera remains still and restarting when the view changes. Hudson notes that lighting interpretation differs slightly from raytracing and raster modes, requiring manual adjustment of ambient levels or lighting rigs when switching between modes. Pathtracing is not available on macOS, due to Unreal Engine limitations on that platform (for now at least).

Soft shadows without raytracing

One notable rendering change applies across all platforms and quality modes. Soft shadows are now supported even when raytracing is disabled, for example, the Ring Light preset, which previously produced hard-edged shadows in raster mode.

In Milo 2026.0, raster mode preserves softer shadows for certain light types, while others such as the Sun rig continue to produce harder shadows by design. Nevercenter positions this as a quality improvement for users working without raytracing enabled, including those on lower-power systems.

All built-in lighting rigs have been updated and equalised. Nevercenter states that these presets now behave more consistently across raster, raytracing and pathtracing modes, and respond more smoothly to interactive adjustments.

Separate display and render quality settings

Milo 2026.0 introduces independent quality settings for display and render output. Users can navigate scenes in raster or raytracing mode while rendering final output using raytracing or pathtracing. This is a workflow feature intended to maintain interactivity in heavier scenes while still enabling higher-quality final frames. The render quality can be set to follow the display mode or overridden per output. Hudson notes that raytracing performance is now fast enough on many systems, including Apple Silicon machines such as the MacBook Air M2, that users may choose to stay in raytracing mode full time.

File handling and Silo synchronisation tweaks

Several small but practical workflow changes are included. Milo now supports drag-and-drop loading of model files directly into the application. Nevercenter also states that support for loading additional file formats has been added, and Integration with Silo has been refined . Objects set to wireframe or ghost shade mode in Silo are now automatically hidden in Milo when the file is saved. Nevercenter describes this as a convenience feature to exclude alternate or work-in-progress geometry from renders without manual layer or visibility management.

As in previous versions, material changes saved in Silo continue to update automatically in Milo, including adjustments to specular values that affect surface shininess in the renderer.

VR quietly exits

VR support has been removed entirely in Milo 2026.0. Nevercenter states that the feature was used very little and became increasingly difficult to maintain alongside new rendering features. Hudson describes the removal as a compromise to prioritise rendering quality and performance. Nevercenter does not rule out reinstating VR support in the future if user demand is strong, but no roadmap or commitment is provided.

What stays the same

Existing Milo features remain intact. These include turntable rendering and live spin previews, depth of field controls, wireframe overlays, adjustable background modes including sky, gradient, solid colour and image backgrounds, and line-art style rendering. Nevercenter emphasises that these features benefit indirectly from the performance improvements, remaining responsive even with higher-quality lighting enabled.

Nevercenter also highlights continued compatibility with its photo editing application CameraBag as part of the broader workflow, although no changes to that integration are described in this release.

Licensing and availability

Milo is not sold separately and continues to ship as part of the Silo licence. Nevercenter sells Silo as a perpetual licence, with Milo included at no extra cost. Milo 2026.0.0 is available to all current Silo users.

Supported platforms are Windows 10 or newer and macOS 12 or newer, including Apple Silicon systems. Hardware requirements for raytracing and pathtracing depend on GPU capabilities and operating system support, as defined by Unreal Engine.

Production notes

Milo 2026.0.0 represents a technically significant update, driven largely by its Unreal Engine 5.7 foundation and a focus on renderer performance. While Nevercenter demonstrates strong interactive results, particularly with raytracing enabled, artists should test the new version carefully on representative scenes and hardware before adopting it in production workflows.

// Nevercenter Milo 2026.0 release notes
// https://nevercenter.com/silo/features/#release_notes

The post Nevercenter speeds up Milo 2026 and drops VR quietly first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.