Blender 4.0, released on November 14, 2023, marks a significant advancement in the open-source 3D creation suite, introducing numerous features and workflow enhancements across various domains.
Key Features of Blender 4.0:
User Interface Enhancements: The interface has been refined for improved usability, including a larger color picker, the ability to color pick outside of Blender on Windows, and a reorganized snapping menu.
Modeling Improvements: Custom normals have been enhanced, replacing the Auto Smooth system with new operators and a modifier based on geometry nodes, streamlining the process of marking edges as sharp.
Geometry Nodes Updates: The introduction of Node Tools allows for the creation of powerful tools using Geometry Nodes groups without Python scripting. Additionally, the Repeat Zone feature enables the repetition of node operations multiple times within the same frame.
Rigging and Animation: Bone layers have been replaced by bone collections, modernizing the rigging system. The animation module has received new sliders for blending between poses and performance optimizations for handling large numbers of keyframes.
Shading and Rendering: A new Principled BSDF shader offers more energy-conserving and flexible shading options. The AgX view transform provides improved color handling, and Light Linking in Cycles allows lights to affect only specific elements in a scene.
Grease Pencil Enhancements: Although undergoing its third major rewrite, Grease Pencil aims to improve interoperability with other software, performance, and integration with geometry nodes and Eevee materials.
These updates collectively enhance Blender's capabilities, making it a more robust and versatile tool for 3D artists and developers.
For a comprehensive overview of Blender 4.0's new features, you can watch the official overview video: