Shading +
Shading pie for designers and artists.
Only interested in the Alias Matcaps?
- Download and install the extension.
- Navigate to the Add-on preferences.
- Click on "Install/Update Matcaps".
- A confirmation message will appear in the status bar once the installation is successful.
- Disable (checkbox) the Pie Menu or uninstall the Shading + extension (but you won't be notified of new Matcap releases)
Main features
- Seamlessly integrate your favorite Alias shaders into Blender Matcaps
- Model with Toon-like Matcap presets
- Switch from Cycles to EEVEE in a click
- Switch from built-in to Custom HDRI with ease
- Sync your built-in HDRI to your Scene's World instantly
- Render your Scene with your Solid Shading presets using Workbench
Consider downloading the HDRI Rotator as well — it pairs really well with Shading + and can significantly improve your workflow.
Pie Menu shortcuts
- Rendered: Workbench (CTRL + click to set only)
- Rendered: EEVEE (CTRL + click to set only)
- Rendered: Cycles (CTRL + click to set only, ALT+click to Pause/Resume Cycles)
- Wireframe
- Material Preview
- Solid (+ Solid Shading presets, read more below)
- HDRI Presets (read more below)
- Extra Toggles (read more below)
Solid Shading presets
- Default: Blender's default Viewport Shading settings
- Cell 1/2: flat colors set to material so it detects your materials viewport colours with shadows enabled - very powerful in Workbench Rendered with the compositor enabled.
- Alias Shade Sky
- Alias Showroom
- Alias Photo Horizon
- Alias Double Horizon
- Red Matcap 1
- Red Matcap 2
- Fuel Shaded
- Metal
- Clown
- Normal
- Collection
- User Preset 1
HDRI Presets
- Built-in/World: switch from Blender's built-in HDRIs to your World's HDRI
- Sync Built-in toggle: enable this to set the selected built-in preset as World HDRI
Extra Toggles
- Compositor
- Transparency
- Normals
- Wireframe
- Shadows
- Subdivision
- Camera Background only
Settings
- Import Matcaps: click on this button to import new Matcaps once the add-on installed
- Customize Pie Menu via the toggles in the add-on preferences
Default Keymap
- Z: Can be changed via the add-on settings or in the main keymap menu.
What's New
1.1.4 May 24th, 2026
- [NEW] Ctrl+Click Cycles, EEVEE, or Workbench to switch render engine without changing shading mode. An icon has been added to indicate which Engine is selected.
- [NEW] When World is selected (Sync off), browse and assign your scene World directly from the pie menu
- [IMPROVED] Clearer World Sync labels and icons (⇆ prefix when sync is active)
- [IMPROVED] Cycles button shows a pause indicator when viewport preview is paused
- [IMPROVED] Render Hardware/Backend no longer shown in Pie button labels but only descriptions
Maybe I'm asking too much. Don't, didn't get it. Tired of trying.