Install

1. Install the extension / add-on zip in Blender (Edit → Preferences → Extensions or Add-ons).

2. Enable Tree Craft.

3. Open a 3D Viewport and the N-panel (press N) → tab Tree Craft.

Quick start

1. Open Tree Craft in the sidebar.

2. Choose a preset (e.g. Oak).

3. Click Add at 3D Cursor.

4. Enter Edit Mode — adjust the scaffold, branch radii, and leaf density.

5. (Optional) Leave Edit Mode and enable Baked if playback feels slow.

Refresh Assets rescans the bundled assets and rebuilds preview icons if you update the blend files.

Understanding the scaffold

Tip: Vertices that only sit on face edges control leaves, not branch thickness. To change radius, select vertices on free edges.

Modifier stack

Each bundled tree uses several modifiers in order. The add-on sidebar edits attributes and viewport tools; the look of the tree comes from this stack:

Any modifiers after Tree Craft (for example Subdivision or extra Geometry Nodes) are disabled on the presets — you can ignore them unless you turn them on yourself.

Flow in short: scaffold mesh → scatter instances → convert to points → Tree Craft places foliage blocks on those points and grows the woody parts.

You can tweak Scatter on Surface (density, density map, etc.) to change how many placement points Tree Craft gets for branch instances. Make Points is the bridge; leave it on unless you know you want a different point source.

Tree Craft modifier (overview)

Open the Tree Craft Geometry Nodes modifier on the object to refine the generated look (beyond Edit Mode radius / leaf density):

Keep UV Distortion: 1 - keeps uncorrected UVs; lower values straighten bark mapping.

Panels

Tree Craft (main)

• Preset browser with previews

• Add at 3D Cursor

• Refresh Assets

• Active plant name + Baked toggle (when a Tree Craft object is active)

Edit Tools (Edit Mode)

• Median Radius / Median Leaf Thickness — apply one value to the selection

• Set Branch Radius / Set Leaf Density — drag in the viewport to paint values (same as Alt+R and Alt+T)

Display (Edit Mode)

• Show Overlay / Show Gizmos

• Edge Overlay Alpha, Face Overlay Alpha, Point Radius

• Leaf Density Gizmo Radius, Gizmo Scale

• Gizmo Limit — cap how many gizmos are shown (64–512, or Unlimited)

The same overlay options also appear under the viewport Overlays menu (Edit Mesh).

Gizmos and shortcuts

1. Enter Edit Mode on a Tree Craft mesh.

2. Make sure viewport Overlays and Gizmos are on, and Tree Craft display options show gizmos.

3. Drag a branch circle to change thickness, or a leaf handle to change density.

4. Or press Alt + R / Alt + T and drag (Shift = finer control, Ctrl = snap).

Tips

• If many points are selected, gizmos prefer your selection. Use Display → Gizmo Limit if you need more (or Unlimited).

• Use X-Ray when handles sit behind faces and you still want to grab them.

• You can always edit the scaffold mesh itself — gizmos are just a faster way to set thickness and density.

Baking (viewport playback)

Bake caches the generated look so Blender spends less time updating the tree during playback and in heavy scenes.

1. Select the tree in Object Mode.

2. In the Tree Craft panel, turn Baked on.

3. Enter Edit Mode anytime — bake pauses so you can edit, then comes back when you leave Edit Mode (if it was on).

4. Turn Baked off whenever you want the live setup again.

Nothing is locked in: bake is a speed switch, not a “finalize forever” step.

Tips

• Block the silhouette with a few edges first, then refine thickness and leaf faces.

• Sef Shade Smoth for faces