Cel Shading
3D with cartoon style
Cel shading renders 3D graphics with flat colours and hard edges, mimicking hand-drawn animation and creating distinctive visual styles.
Overview
Cel shading (or toon shading) applies non-photorealistic rendering to 3D graphics, creating the appearance of hand-drawn animation. Instead of smooth gradients, surfaces show flat colour bands separated by hard edges. Games like Jet Set Radio and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker proved cel shading wasn’t just a gimmick—it created timeless visual styles.
Fast facts
- Alternative names: toon shading, NPR (non-photorealistic rendering).
- Technique: quantised lighting, edge detection.
- Early examples: Jet Set Radio (2000), Cel Damage (2001).
- Defining use: Wind Waker (2002).
- Modern status: established art style option.
Technical approach
How cel shading works:
- Quantised lighting: discrete colour bands instead of gradients.
- Edge detection: dark outlines around objects.
- Flat colours: reduced colour palette per surface.
- Consistent style: materials all render similarly.
Notable implementations
Games that used cel shading well:
- Jet Set Radio: skatepunk aesthetic.
- Wind Waker: timeless Zelda visuals.
- Borderlands: shooter with comic style.
- XIII: comic book action.