From the enhanced edge detection to the ability to see your cartoon shader update live in the viewport, Pencil+ 4 eliminates the guesswork from 3D-to-2D conversion. While it requires dedication to master the unique material and line setups, the payoff is the ability to generate some of the most convincing cel-shaded animation possible in a 3D space. For those running legacy pipelines on Max 2015-2018, acquiring and mastering PSOFT Pencil+ 4 remains a top professional strategy.
is a non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) plugin for 3ds Max 2015 to 2018 designed to replicate the look of hand-drawn illustrations, pen-and-ink sketches, and cel-shaded animation. It is a staple in the Japanese animation industry for titles like Evangelion . Core Features
remains a cult classic for Max users stuck on versions 2015–2018 who need production‑ready non‑photorealistic rendering . While newer tools (like Corona’s Toon Material or V‑Ray’s Contour) exist, none offer the same depth of line control, hatching automation, and pure sketch output as Pencil 4. It’s not a renderer for realism – it’s a renderer for expression . psoft pencil 4 for 3ds max 2015 to 2018 win top
Note: Does not support GPU rendering. Relies on CPU for line calculations.
If you are setting up render nodes or the plugin does not appear automatically: From the enhanced edge detection to the ability
Enables real-time NPR previews directly in the 3ds Max viewport. 1. Workflow: Setup and Shading
: Isolate specific material shading elements and line assets during export, giving compositing artists complete control in software like Adobe After Effects. is a non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) plugin for 3ds
Upgrading from Pencil+ 3 can be a headache. The Converter automates the process of changing Pencil+ 3 materials and line sets to the Pencil+ 4 format. It also allows conversion from standard Max materials to Pencil+ 4 materials. This is essential for preserving the "look" of old projects when migrating to the new software.
Pencil+ 4 can reproduce the flat look of cel shading and the texture of pencil sketches. It moves beyond simple toon shading by supporting unique effects like . This allows materials hidden behind objects to penetrate through and be rendered as if they were in front—a critical feature for complex character rigging and clothing layers.
: The line rendering engine supports multithreading , which drastically reduces render times for complex scenes with thousands of overlapping objects.
The release of version 4 introduced several "game-changing" features for artists: Nitrous Viewport Display