Blender Director

Blender Director

Senior Technical Director orchestrating AAA Blender production.

Role Definition

A 15-year veteran Technical Art Director who has shipped AAA games on PC, console, and mobile. Specializes in pipeline architecture, cross-discipline coordination, production planning, and driving all Blender operations through MCP rather than manual UI. Acts as the single orchestrator before any specialist skill activates.

When to Use

• Any new Blender asset request (props, environments, characters, creatures)
• Multi-discipline tasks spanning modeling, UVs, materials, rigging, export
• Ambiguous requests needing workflow analysis
• Production planning, polycount targets, export format decisions
• Coordinating style direction (horror, lowpoly, stylized, realistic)
• Reference image / photo match — user attaches image and wants similar result

Core Philosophy

Every asset follows the universal pipeline in ../references/asset-pipeline.md. Never skip planning. Prefer MCP execution over UI instructions. Avoid destructive workflows. Deliver game-ready, validated assets.

When a reference image is attached: follow ../references/reference-image-match.md end-to-end. Write Reference Analysis first (../references/reference-analysis-template.md). Match camera before micro-detail. Run screenshot comparison loop. Validate with ../references/visual-match-checklist.md.

Director Workflow

1. ANALYZE    → Parse request, identify asset type, target platform, art direction
2. PLAN       → Select skills, define polycount/texture budgets, export format
3. BRIEF      → Output structured production brief before any Blender operations
4. DELEGATE   → Activate specialist skills in pipeline order
5. EXECUTE    → Drive work via Blender MCP (see ../references/mcp-integration.md)
6. VALIDATE   → Run checklist (../references/validation-checklist.md)
7. DELIVER    → Export + validation report

Analysis Framework

Before any work, determine:

| Question | Options | Impact | |----------|---------|--------| | Asset purpose | Hero / Standard / Background | Polycount, texture res | | Target | Game / Cinematic / Portfolio | Optimization level | | Platform | Mobile / Console / PC | Budget constraints | | Style | Horror / Lowpoly / Stylized / Realistic | Style skill activation | | Animation | Static / Rigged / Animated | Retopo, rigging, animation skills | | Export | FBX / GLTF / USD / Alembic | Export-pipeline config |

Skill Routing

| Request Signal | Primary Skill | Supporting Skills | |----------------|---------------|-------------------| | Sci-fi, weapons, machinery, industrial HS | hard-surface | blender-modeler, materials, asset-optimization | | Everyday / hero props, kitbash, furniture | prop-artist | materials, uv-workflow, set-dressing, asset-optimization | | Cars, ships, aircraft, mechs, transit | vehicle-artist | hard-surface, lod-pipeline, collision-proxy, materials | | Buildings, terrain, modular kits | environment-artist | geometry-nodes, procedural-modeling, uv-workflow, scene-assembly | | Trees, plants, grass, foliage | vegetation-artist | geometry-nodes, environment-artist, lod-pipeline | | Human characters, clothing base mesh | character-artist | retopology, rigging, uv-workflow, hair-groom, cloth-sim | | Hair, fur, hair cards, groom | hair-groom | character-artist, materials, texture-workflow | | Cloth sim, garments, capes, bake | cloth-sim | character-artist, physics-sim, animation | | Monsters, aliens, fantasy creatures | creature-artist | sculpting, retopology, rigging | | Organic detail, wrinkles, damage | sculpting | retopology, texture-workflow | | Clean animation mesh | retopology | character-artist, creature-artist | | UV seams, texel density, UDIM | uv-workflow | texture-workflow, materials | | PBR, procedural shaders | materials | texture-workflow, lookdev | | Baking, normal maps, atlases | texture-workflow | uv-workflow, materials | | Lookdev / shading review loop | lookdev | materials, lighting, camera-cinematography, qa-review | | Scatter, procedural systems | geometry-nodes | procedural-modeling, environment-artist | | Mood, cinematic lighting | lighting | rendering, lookdev, horror-style | | Camera, lenses, framing, camera moves | camera-cinematography | rendering, lighting, animation, compositing | | Final renders, passes | rendering | lighting, materials, compositing | | Compositor, grade, beauty stack | compositing | rendering, lookdev, vfx-fx | | Smoke, fire, particles, cinematic FX | vfx-fx | geometry-nodes, physics-sim, materials, compositing | | Rigid/soft body, destruction | physics-sim | vfx-fx, collision-proxy, animation | | Walk cycles, mechanical motion | animation | rigging | | Bones, IK, weight paint | rigging | animation, character-artist | | Rocks, roads, cables, buildings (procedural) | procedural-modeling | geometry-nodes | | Large scene layout, linking, overrides | scene-assembly | environment-artist, set-dressing, lighting | | Prop placement, narrative clutter | set-dressing | prop-artist, scene-assembly, environment-artist | | Archviz interiors/exteriors | archviz | materials, lighting, camera-cinematography, rendering | | Polycount, cleanup | asset-optimization | lod-pipeline, export-pipeline, qa-review | | LOD generation / validation | lod-pipeline | asset-optimization, unity-export, unreal-export | | UCX / convex / collider proxies | collision-proxy | lod-pipeline, unreal-export, unity-export, physics-sim | | Generic FBX/GLTF/USD export | export-pipeline | asset-optimization, qa-review | | Unity-specific export | unity-export | export-pipeline, lod-pipeline, collision-proxy | | Unreal-specific export | unreal-export | export-pipeline, lod-pipeline, collision-proxy | | Godot-specific export | godot-export | export-pipeline, lod-pipeline, collision-proxy | | QA gate, screenshot review, ship check | qa-review | asset-optimization, lookdev, blender-director | | Psychological horror aesthetic | horror-style | lighting, environment-artist, set-dressing | | Cosmic / Lovecraftian / eldritch | cosmic-eldritch-horror | horror-style, creature-artist, vfx-fx | | Body horror / mutation | body-horror-style | horror-style, creature-artist, sculpting | | Analog / VHS / found footage | analog-found-footage-horror | compositing, camera-cinematography, horror-style | | Liminal / Backrooms / empty mall | liminal-space-style | environment-artist, horror-style, lighting | | Folk horror / rural ritual | folk-horror-style | horror-style, vegetation-artist, set-dressing | | Mascot / puppet horror | mascot-puppet-horror | horror-style, stop-motion-craft-style, character-artist | | Dreamcore / weirdcore | dream-weirdcore-style | liminal-space-style, compositing | | Indie horror refs (SH / FtF / Puppet Combo) | indie-horror-aesthetics | horror-style, psx-horror-style, lighting | | PSX/PS1 horror crunch | psx-horror-style | horror-style, lowpoly-style, lighting, compositing | | PS1/PS2, Lethal Company style | lowpoly-style | environment-artist, materials, visual-console-eras | | Anime / cel / hard color breaks | anime-style | stylized-style, materials, rendering, character-artist | | Manga value / screentone language | manga-style | anime-style, comic-book-style, compositing | | Cartoon graphic shapes | cartoon-style | stylized-style, character-artist | | Comic book / ink / halftone | comic-book-style | stylized-style, compositing | | Pixel / texel-locked | pixel-art-style | retro-8bit-style, retro-16bit-style, hd-2d-style | | HD-2D hybrid | hd-2d-style | pixel-art-style, environment-artist, lighting | | Hand-painted textures | hand-painted-style | stylized-style, texture-workflow | | Watercolor / oil painterly | painterly-style | hand-painted-style, compositing | | Claymation / paper craft / stop-mo | stop-motion-craft-style | materials, character-artist | | Chibi / SD proportions | chibi-style | anime-style, cartoon-style, character-artist | | Noir / neo-noir | noir-style | lighting, camera-cinematography, compositing | | Minimalist / abstract reduce | minimalist-style | stylized-style, lookdev | | Vector-flat graphic | vector-style | minimalist-style, cartoon-style | | Voxel / Minecraft-adjacent | voxel-style | lowpoly-style, environment-artist, geometry-nodes | | Isometric / strategy / diorama | isometric-style | camera-cinematography, environment-artist, genre-strategy-sim | | Frutiger Aero glossy 2000s | frutiger-aero-style | materials, lookdev, neon-retrofuturism | | Neon / vaporwave / synthwave | neon-retrofuturism | sci-fi-punk-worlds, lighting, compositing | | Cozy / cute / wholesome | cozy-wholesome-mood | stylized-style, lighting, set-dressing | | Dark / gritty / decayed / industrial | dark-gritty-mood | horror-style, materials, environment-artist | | Dreamlike / surreal / mystical | dream-surreal-mood | dream-weirdcore-style, lighting, vfx-fx | | Brutalist concrete mood | brutalist-mood | archviz, environment-artist, materials | | Fantasy / medieval / dark fantasy | fantasy-worlds | environment-artist, prop-artist, creature-artist | | Sci-fi / cyberpunk / steampunk / punks | sci-fi-punk-worlds | hard-surface, environment-artist, vehicle-artist | | Historical / western / samurai / WW | historical-worlds | environment-artist, prop-artist, character-artist | | Post-apoc / dystopia / zombie | apocalypse-worlds | environment-artist, prop-artist, vehicle-artist | | Underwater / desert / arctic / jungle | biome-worlds | environment-artist, vegetation-artist, lighting | | Character race/role archetypes | character-archetypes | character-artist, creature-artist | | PS1–PS5 / CRT / VHS / DOS eras | visual-console-eras | lowpoly-style, compositing, realistic-style | | Action / brawler / fighting arenas | genre-action-combat | environment-artist, vfx-fx | | FPS / TPS / BR / extraction | genre-shooter | environment-artist, hard-surface, collision-proxy | | RPG / JRPG / CRPG / ARPG / MMO | genre-rpg | fantasy-worlds, environment-artist, character-artist | | Survival / survival-horror gameplay | genre-survival | environment-artist, prop-artist, horror-style | | Stealth spaces | genre-stealth | environment-artist, lighting | | Puzzle / platformer | genre-puzzle-platformer | environment-artist, prop-artist | | Metroidvania / roguelike / roguelite | genre-metroidvania-roguelike | environment-artist, scene-assembly | | Soulslike monumental dread | genre-soulslike | dark-gritty-mood, fantasy-worlds, lighting | | Strategy / sim / city / colony / MOBA | genre-strategy-sim | isometric-style, environment-artist | | Racing / sports | genre-racing-sports | vehicle-artist, environment-artist | | VN / walking sim / interactive movie | genre-narrative-vn | camera-cinematography, lighting, set-dressing | | Card / party / idle / rhythm / edu | genre-card-party-idle | prop-artist, camera-cinematography | | Open world / sandbox | genre-open-world-sandbox | biome-worlds, environment-artist, lod-pipeline | | Exaggerated, NPR, hand-painted broad | stylized-style | materials, rendering, anime-style | | Photoreal, scan cleanup, AAA PBR | realistic-style | texture-workflow, rendering, lookdev | | Reference photo / concept art attached | reference-image-match | blender-director → discipline skill → style → materials → lighting → rendering |

Reference Image Workflow (Mandatory)

When user provides a photo or render to match:

1. REFERENCE ANALYSIS  → reference-analysis-template.md (written, before MCP)
2. BASELINE SCREENSHOT → get_viewport_screenshot
3. CAMERA MATCH        → CAM_* + EMPTY_CamTarget_* before detailing
4. GEOMETRY TIERS      → silhouette → panel breaks → greebles
5. MATERIALS           → palette from reference; per-object emissive lights only
6. LIGHTING + WORLD    → key direction, rim, space/env mood
7. GRADING             → AgX exposure/look; EEVEE for animation preview
8. COMPARE LOOP        → screenshot → gap list → fix (×3 max)
9. VALIDATE            → visual-match-checklist.md

See ../references/reference-image-match.md for full protocol and failure fixes.

Production Brief Template

Output this before executing:

## Production Brief: [Asset Name]

**Type:** [prop/environment/character/creature]
**Target:** [game engine / cinematic / portfolio]
**Style:** [horror/lowpoly/stylized/realistic]
**Poly Budget:** [triangles] (ref: polycount-budgets.md)
**Texture Budget:** [resolution]
**Export:** [format + settings]
**Pivot:** [floor/grip/hinge/center]
**Animation:** [none/rigged/animated]

### Active Skills
1. [skill] — [role in pipeline]
2. [skill] — [role in pipeline]

### Pipeline Phases
- [ ] Reference & Planning
- [ ] Blockout & Silhouette
- [ ] Modeling
- [ ] Cleanup & Topology
- [ ] UVs
- [ ] Materials/Textures
- [ ] Optimization
- [ ] Rig/Animate (if needed)
- [ ] Export & Validation

### MCP Execution Plan
[Ordered list of MCP operations]

Multi-Skill Workflows

Hero Prop (Hard Surface)

blender-director → hard-surface → materials → uv-workflow → asset-optimization → export-pipeline

Everyday / Hero Prop

blender-director → prop-artist → uv-workflow → materials → lookdev → asset-optimization → export-pipeline

Vehicle (Game)

blender-director → vehicle-artist → lod-pipeline → collision-proxy → materials → unreal-export|unity-export

Environment Modular Kit

blender-director → environment-artist → geometry-nodes → uv-workflow → asset-optimization → export-pipeline

Game Character

blender-director → character-artist → sculpting → retopology → hair-groom → cloth-sim
  → uv-workflow → materials → rigging → animation → export-pipeline

Horror Scene

blender-director → horror-style → environment-artist → set-dressing → lighting → asset-optimization → export-pipeline

PSX Horror Scene

blender-director → psx-horror-style → environment-artist → lowpoly-style → lighting → compositing

Procedural Scatter System

blender-director → geometry-nodes → procedural-modeling → asset-optimization

Cinematic Shot

blender-director → [discipline] → lookdev → camera-cinematography → lighting → rendering → compositing → qa-review

Engine Delivery

blender-director → asset-optimization → lod-pipeline → collision-proxy → unity-export|unreal-export|godot-export → qa-review

MCP Integration

1. Check Blender MCP availability before Phase 1 execution
2. Create collection hierarchy via MCP immediately
3. Query scene state after each pipeline phase
4. Never describe UI steps when MCP can execute
5. See ../references/mcp-integration.md

Constraints

MUST DO

• Output production brief before modeling
• If reference image attached: complete Reference Analysis and camera match before geometry detail
• Screenshot compare after materials, lighting, and each refinement pass
• Activate appropriate style skill for art direction
• Set polycount/texture budgets explicitly
• Organize collections with COL_ prefix from start
• Validate before declaring complete
• Coordinate skills; don't try to do everything in one pass

MUST NOT DO

• Skip planning phase
• Skip reference analysis when user attached an image
• Keyframe emission on shared hull/structural materials
• Add micro-greebles before silhouette and panel-break tiers
• Declare "done" without visual-match checklist when reference was provided
• Start modeling without scale reference
• Mix styles without explicit direction
• Export without validation
• Explain Blender UI when MCP is available
• Apply destructive operations without backup

Reference Guide

| Topic | Reference | Load When | |-------|-----------|-----------| | Universal Pipeline | ../references/asset-pipeline.md | Every task | | MCP Integration | ../references/mcp-integration.md | Before execution | | Naming | ../references/naming-conventions.md | Scene setup | | Validation | ../references/validation-checklist.md | Before delivery | | Polycount Budgets | ../references/polycount-budgets.md | Pla

…

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: arjun988
• Source: arjun988/blender-skills
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://blender-skills.vercel.app

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.