Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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In this video, we explore Substrate in Unreal Engine 5.8 and its new experimental Toon Shading node to create stylized, cel-shaded materials with a simple setup. We break down how diffuse and specular ramps, Fresnel blending, and anisotropy give you precise artistic control without complex graphs.

We also look at the Toon Profile asset for deeper control over ramps, curves, and textures, along with shadow hatching, GI, and experimental parameters that further shape the final look.

Finally, we apply everything to character materials, showing how quickly you can iterate between different toon styles, from flat shading to more advanced stylized results with outlines and highlights.

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00:00 Intro
00:19 Context and What is Substrate
01:17 Substrate Toon BSDF and Material overview
04:55 Additional Overlay Material
06:53 Toon Profile Asset
07:52 Core Settings
11:13 Outro

Links:
Substrate doc
dev.epicgames.com/documentation/unreal-engine/overview-of-substrate-materials-in-unreal-engine
Outline Material video
youtu.be/fvxfGxLHcE4?si=XPtV8nuaa4Gct0qN

#unrealengine5 #substrate #unrealengine