by Ignacio Matey·Modeling
Images © Ignacio Matey. Used for product review; image policy.
Ivypen earns its place in the Superhive library by handling ivy procedurally through Geometry Nodes and adapting to geometry from simple primitives to photoscanned meshes. The developer notes future versions may add optimization improvements, new hanging-plant species, and procedural wind.
Ivypen Add-On is a Blender tool for adding and customizing ivy in a user-friendly way. Installation is done by installing the zip file, after which the add-on appears in the viewport sidebar (press N). On first use, clicking Append brings in the Geometry Nodes node and the materials the add-on needs. To build ivy, select the object you want it to climb, click create ivy, and Blender switches to edit mode so you can draw the growth with the pen tool.
The add-on exposes a range of parameters. You can set the climbing object, choose leaves (its own ivy leaf textures are provided, or you can supply your own within a collection), and adjust branch and leaf density, extension of branches relative to the original curve, maximum and minimum leaf size, branch radius, ivy trim, and noise scale and amplitude. A remesh inflation control tunes the remesh done inside the Geometry Nodes setup, so the effect adapts to geometry ranging from a simple cube to photoscanned meshes.
Published by Ignacio Matey under a GPL license, Ivypen sits in the Superhive library for Blender 3.2 through 4.0.
Ivypen Add-On is best for blender artists creating procedural, customizable ivy on varied geometry.
Ivypen Add-On is completely free to download and use.
Ivypen Add-On is listed for Blender versions 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 4.0, and its description notes Blender 3.3 and above. If you run one of these versions, the add-on installs from a zip file and appears in the viewport sidebar under the N panel. Releases outside this range aren't listed, so if you're on a different Blender build it's worth checking the developer's page before installing to confirm the setup works with your version.
Ivypen Add-On installs like a standard Blender add-on: install the zip file, and it appears in the sidebar of the viewport, which you open by pressing N. The first time you use it, click Append so the Geometry Nodes node and the materials the add-on relies on are appended to your blend file. After that, select the object you want the ivy to climb, click create ivy, and Blender switches to edit mode so you can draw the growth with the pen tool.
Ivypen Add-On is listed as free in this catalog, so you can add it to your Blender projects without a purchase here. It ships under a GPL license, and the developer offers separate personal and commercial licensing on their own store. Licensing terms and any current pricing can change, so for the definitive details it's best to check the developer's page directly. That's also where you'll find the download and any updates the creator has posted.
Ivypen Add-On includes density parameters for both branches and leaves, and the developer cautions that a high density means more calculations, which can cause Blender to crash. When raising Density branches or Density leaf, increase the values gradually and watch how your scene responds rather than pushing them high all at once. Because the ivy is built procedurally through Geometry Nodes, heavier settings put more load on your machine, so moderate density keeps the setup workable while you dial in the look.
Ivypen Add-On provides its own ivy leaf textures, and you can also add your own leaves. To keep the instances from getting messed up, the developer advises placing each leaf's origin in the proper place and using a suitable rotation and scale, and the leaves need to sit in a collection. A collection of leaves is provided with the add-on. You choose which leaf source to use through the Leaf parameter, alongside controls for maximum and minimum leaf size.
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