Daniel Ilett
Shader and graphics developer who teaches Unity shaders, post-processing and effects through tutorials and videos. Author of Building Quality Shaders for Unity (Apress, 2022).
Site · Mastodon · Youtube · Itch · Patreon · Github · X · Bluesky
- Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 13 - Terrain Lit Official Support)
Uses Unity 6.3's new Terrain Lit graph type and terrain nodes in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Sep 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 10 - Dissolve & Noise
Builds dissolve and noise effects in hand-written Unity code shaders rather than Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Sep 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 09 - Post Processing
Writes grayscale and other post-process effects in URP using the newer Render Graph API.
danielilett.com · Sep 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 08 - Custom Editors
Builds a custom shader GUI editor that bundles the shader's features into one tidy inspector.
danielilett.com · Aug 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 07 - Physically Based Rendering
Describes surfaces by albedo, metallic, smoothness and height to build a physically based shader in HLSL for Unity.
danielilett.com · Apr 2026 - Blur Shaders Pro - A Technical Breakdown
Walks through building a two-pass Gaussian blur with sparse kernel support for a shader asset.
danielilett.com · Apr 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 06 - Lighting & Shadows
Loops over lights for diffuse, specular, Fresnel and ambient lighting and handles shadows in Unity shader code.
danielilett.com · Apr 2026 - Retro Shaders Pro - A Technical Breakdown
Devlog on PS1 visual limits (wobbly vertices, affine textures) and how each was recreated in shaders.
danielilett.com · Jan 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 05 - Vertex Shaders & Tessellation
Moves vertices in a vertex shader for waves and adds tessellation for low-poly meshes.
danielilett.com · Jan 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 04 - The Depth Buffer
Reads the depth buffer in hand-written Unity shaders to build depth-based effects.
danielilett.com · Jan 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 03 - Transparency
Explains drawing transparent objects and blending in hand-written Unity shaders.
danielilett.com · Jan 2026 - Unity Shader Code Basics 02 - Textures & UVs
Explains textures and UVs in hand-written Unity HLSL shaders.
danielilett.com · Oct 2025 - Unity Shader Code Basics 01 - Your First Shader
Introduces writing HLSL shader code in Unity, where Shader Graph falls short.
danielilett.com · Oct 2025 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 12 - Post Processing)
Reads screen contents with the Fullscreen graph type to build post-process effects in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Oct 2025 - Holofoil Cards in Shader Graph and Unity URP
Makes Pokemon-style holofoil cards in Shader Graph using the stencil buffer and other tricks in URP.
danielilett.com · Oct 2025 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 11 - Terrains)
Samples terrain control and splat textures in Shader Graph to shade Unity terrains.
danielilett.com · Oct 2025 - Zelda Recall Rune in Unity URP
Recreates the Zelda Recall Rune effect by drawing chosen objects to a mask and outlining them in URP.
danielilett.com · Oct 2025 - Mystery Dungeon Sketches in Unity URP
Builds a Mystery Dungeon style sketch look in URP with shadow maps, depth textures, post processing and triplanar mapping.
danielilett.com · Sep 2024 - Mystery Dungeon Sketch Post Process in Unity URP
Builds a Mystery Dungeon style sketch post process in URP using triplanar mapping.
youtube.com · Sep 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 10 - Custom Functions)
Injects custom HLSL functions into Shader Graph, including access to additional point light data.
danielilett.com · Jul 2024 - Tip: RTHandles.Alloc ignores the stencil in RenderTextureDescriptor
Mastodon tip: RTHandles.Alloc ignores the stencil format set in the RenderTextureDescriptor.
mastodon.gamedev.place · Jul 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 9 - Scene Intersections 2)
Uses scene intersections for foamy coastal water edges and glowing edges on passing objects.
danielilett.com · May 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 8 - Scene Intersections 1)
Uses the depth buffer to detect where objects intersect other scene geometry in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · May 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 7 - Custom Lighting)
Adds custom Fresnel rim light and cel-shaded lighting into Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · May 2024 - Pokémon's Terastallize Effect in Shader Graph
Turns meshes into crystal by triangulating them and using random vectors for lighting, like Pokemon's Terastallize.
danielilett.com · Apr 2024 - Dithered Transparency in Shader Graph
Builds dithered transparency in Shader Graph.
youtube.com · Apr 2024 - MGS Stealth Camo in Shader Graph
Distorts the scene behind a mesh with Scene Color and a green tint for Metal Gear-style stealth camo.
danielilett.com · Mar 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 6 - Lighting Basics)
Introduces physically based rendering concepts such as albedo, metallic and smoothness in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Mar 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 5 - Vertex Shaders)
Modifies mesh vertices in Shader Graph to create wave displacement effects.
danielilett.com · Feb 2024 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 4 - The Depth Buffer)
Reads the depth buffer in Shader Graph to build depth-based effects.
danielilett.com · Dec 2023 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 3 - Transparency & Alpha)
Explains transparency, draw order and alpha clipping in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Dec 2023 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 2 - Textures & UVs)
Applies textures and UV coordinates for base color in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Dec 2023 - Unity Shader Graph Basics (Part 1 - Your First Graph)
Beginner guide to creating your first Shader Graph shader in Unity.
danielilett.com · Sep 2023 - Voronoi-based Lava in Unity Shader Graph
Builds animated lava in Shader Graph using custom Voronoi noise that exposes cell edges.
danielilett.com · Jun 2023 - 10 Shaders Explained Quickly
Quickly explains ten shader effects from inverted-hull outlines and silhouettes to vertex animation.
danielilett.com · Apr 2023 - Outline Post Process in Unity Shader Graph (URP)
Draws outlines as a Fullscreen Shader Graph post process by detecting color changes between neighboring pixels.
danielilett.com · Mar 2023 - Energy Shield Hologram in Unity Shader Graph
Builds a reactive energy shield hologram in Shader Graph.
danielilett.com · Feb 2023 - Six Grass Rendering Techniques in Unity
Compares six different ways to render grass in Unity.
danielilett.com · Dec 2022 - PlayStation 1 Affine Texture Mapping in Shader Code
Reproduces PlayStation 1 affine texture warping in shader code for a retro look.
danielilett.com · Nov 2021 - Portals: Part 3 - Matrix Clipping
Uses an oblique projection matrix to clip objects behind a portal correctly.
danielilett.com · Dec 2019 - Unity Tips | Part 3 - Interpolation
Unity tips on interpolation methods for blending between values smoothly.
danielilett.com · Sep 2019 - Games | Shaders | Tutorials
Creator's site hub of Unity shader and game tutorials.
danielilett.com