Autodesk releases Arnold 7.4.3
Non-photorealistic effects generated using Arnold’s new Inference imager by Autodesk artist Lee Griggs. The imager makes it possible to apply machine learning models as post effects.
Autodesk has released Arnold 7.4.3, the latest version of the production renderer.
The update adds a new Inference imager, making it possible to apply image-to-image machine learning models using the ONNX framework, to stylize rendered output.
Performance has been improved, particularly when rendering volumes or using Global Light Sampling, and there are updates to OpenPBR and USD support.
New Inference imager applies machine learning models to renders
The main new feature in Arnold 7.4.3 is the new Inference imager, which makes it possible to apply image-to-image machine learning models using the open-source ONNX framework.
It can be used to transfer the visual style of a reference image to rendered output, making it possible to create a range of non-photorealistic effects, as shown in the video above.
How practical the workflow will be beyond still images is open to debate: Autodesk notes that image models often “lack coherence between frames, and fail to maintain visual consistency, temporal stability, and semantic continuity”, leading to noticeable artefacts in animations.
Performance improvements to volume rendering and Global Light Sampling
Arnold 7.4.3 also features a number of performance improvements, including faster volume rendering on GPU: scenes with procedural or OpenVDB volumes render “up to 3.3x” faster.
Scenes using Global Light Sampling render “up to 2.5x” faster, and separate changes improve Global Light Sampling on glossy materials in GPU renders.
Improvements to OpenPBR and USD workflows
Arnold’s implementation of the new OpenPBR material specification, introduced last year in Arnold 7.3.3, has been updated.
The changes provide better control over subsurface scattering effects in thin-walled materials, and the OpenPBR metal lobe is now properly energy-conserving.
There are also a number of smaller feature and workflow updates, including to the HTML render reports that Arnold generates, and to USD workflows.
The final version of Arnold to support Arnold 7.4.3
Arnold 7.4.3 will also be the final version of the renderer to support for CentOS 7, which reached end of life last year.
Arnold supports Linux with at least glibc 2.17 and libstdc++ 4.8.5: unlike with Flame and Maya, Autodesk doesn’t specify particular distros.
Support in the integration plugins
Most of Arnold’s integration plugins have been updated to support the new features:
3ds Max: MAXtoA 5.8.3
Cinema 4D: C4DtoA 4.8.3
Katana: KtoA 4.4.3
Maya: MtoA 5.5.4
At the time of posting, the Houdini integration has not been updated to support Arnold 7.4.3.
System requirements and availability
Arnold 7.4.3 is available for Windows 10+, glibc 2.17+ Linux and macOS 10.13+. Integrations are available for 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Katana and Maya.
GPU rendering is supported on Windows and Linux only, and needs a compatible NVIDIA GPU.
The software is rental-only, with single-user subscriptions now costing $55/month or $430/year, up a further $15/year since the release of Arnold 7.4.1 in March.
Read a full list of new features in Arnold 7.4.3 in the online documentation
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