

Rendering in Cycles uses samples (a single ray of light that is being sent from a pixel to the camera) to generate the operations in a single scene. The algorithm traces its light paths from the camera as opposed to from the light source, making it a sort of “backwards” path tracing engine. Path tracing is an algorithmic process that renders imagery by simulating how light reflects on an object. It can use either your machine’s CPU or GPU to produce beautiful final scenes and animations.Ĭycles’ main characteristic is its path tracing capabilities. The oldest and most used of the three internal Blender engines, Cycles is a physically-based, unbiased path tracing rendering solution for Blender. When you need to show your client a basic progress report on where the scene, animation, or rig setup is in terms of completion, Workbench is a good option. Not recommended for use as a final rendering engine, it can be used to display your work while modeling in the 3D viewport. Originally known as Blender Render, Workbench is the software’s original engine, optimized for the fastest, most graphically simplistic rendering during the modeling and test animation process. We’ve previously talked in detail about Blender’s internal engines, but to better understand how third-party renderers stack up here, it’s important to look again at what Workbench, Cycles, and Eevee can do. Third-Party Rendering Engines for Blender.
