6 Blender Tips from a Decade of Experience – I Need Your Feedback! (Patreon)

Hey Patrons,
I’m working on my next video, where I’ll be sharing 6 hard-earned lessons I’ve learned over my 10 years using Blender.

I’ve outlined some bullet points for each tip to explain what I mean, and I’d love to get your feedback. Do these tips feel valuable? Would you like more detail or clarification on any of them?

These are still a work in progress, so I might adjust or even swap out tips entirely based on your input.

Thanks so much for your support and insights! 😊

1. You Don’t Need to Render in 4K

• Higher resolution doesn’t always mean better renders—can highlight flaws in textures and models.

• Professional VFX often uses 2K or 2.5K renders, even for 4K projects.

• CGI often needs blurring (motion blur, depth of field) to blend with live-action footage.

• Focus on lighting, composition, and detail instead of raw resolution.

2. You Don’t Need Complexity for Great Results

• Simplicity often works better than overly complex setups.

• Most of my materials, lighting setups, and nodes are simple.

• Artistic skills (composition, framing, lighting) matter more than technical tricks.

• Complex setups have their place, but they’re not always necessary.

3. Embrace Iterations Instead of Expecting Instant Results

• Even professionals start with rough renders and improve step by step.

• Iteration: fix one issue at a time, refine gradually.

• Time and feedback loops are essential for quality.

• Don’t stress over ugly first drafts; they’re part of the process.

4. Your Hardware Isn’t as Important as You Think

• Better hardware helps, but it doesn’t solve everything.

• You’ll always face limitations—learn to optimize and work efficiently.

• Tricks like reducing texture sizes and faking effects save time and resources.

• Constraints push you to be creative and resourceful.

5. Get Excited About What You Want to Do in 3D—Don’t Just Follow Tutorials

• Tutorials are great, but passion projects keep you motivated long-term.

• Find a goal that excites you—something you want to create.

• Use tutorials as tools to achieve your vision, not the focus of your learning.

• Personal projects make learning fun and rewarding.

6. Don’t Use PBR Textures—Try Image Textures

• PBR textures are resource-heavy and can overcomplicate workflows.

• Large scenes with many PBR textures can bog down performance.

• Simple image textures can achieve great results, especially for backgrounds.

• Use photos for base color, tweak them for roughness or bump maps.

• Save PBR textures for hero objects that need close-up detail.