Solid Angle has revealed Arnold 5.1 with a set of powerful new tools for better rendering experience.
Raw render vs. denoised render
A new Toon shader has been integrated as part of a non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) solution, provided in combination with the Contour Filter, making it easier to achieve incredible new styles and effects. While Arnold is long known for producing beautiful photorealistic imagery, many users have asked for functionality allowing toon or stylized non-photoreal looks, and this new shader will open up a tremendous range of options.
For technical users, Arnold continues to offer the stability needed to scale performance without sacrificing image quality.
Arnold 5.1 lays the groundwork for major developments in supporting open industry standards, helping to dismantle technical roadblocks that might be limiting your choice of tools.
You can learn more about the latest version here.