Stylized Character Hair Shader & Rim Lighting

Hair Shader

Hair plays a major role in character silhouette and on-screen clarity, so I wanted a solution that gave precise control over how the hair reads under different lighting conditions.

The shader was built to support stylization first, prioritizing shape and readability over realism.

this custom stylized hair shader is designed to improve character readability while remaining lightweight for real-time use.

Instead of pursuing physically accurate hair rendering, I focused on creating an art-directable solution that enhances form, lighting separation, and overall polish within a stylized environment.

To achieve this, I implemented a “fake” anisotropic highlight driven by artist-controlled parameters. This allows highlights to be shaped intentionally, giving the hair a more stylized and defined look without the cost of physically based anisotropic shading.

Rim Light Shader

I also developed a complementary rim lighting shader to help separate the character from the background and maintain visibility across different environments.

Both shaders are integrated into a single master material, with controls exposed through material instances for fast iteration.

The rim lighting was designed as a flexible shading component that can extend beyond hair — including metallic surfaces — enhancing edge definition and overall polish. It was built with real-time use in mind, balancing visual impact with responsible shader cost.