Ancient Brush Strokes Shaders FAQ
10 questions players actually ask, answered.
How do I turn on the shader after installing it?
Open the Options menu in-game, go to Video Settings, then Shaders. Find Ancient Brush Strokes in the list and click it to activate. You'll see the ink wash effect apply immediately to your world.
Why does my world look too dark or washed out?
Use the shader's settings menu (usually accessed by clicking the Settings button next to the shader name) to adjust the Ink Tone Darkness and Contrast sliders until the painting effect matches your preference.
Can I use this shader with mods that add new blocks?
Yes, the shader works with most block-adding mods, though custom blocks may not receive brush stroke effects as prominently as vanilla blocks. The ink wash effect will still apply to their surfaces.
My FPS dropped a lot after enabling the shader. How do I fix it?
Lower the Brush Stroke Detail or Ink Gradient Quality settings in the shader options, and ensure your render distance isn't too high. The mod is designed for low-end hardware, so reducing these settings should restore playable performance.
Do mobs and players look painted too?
Yes, mobs and player skins are rendered with the same ink wash effect, giving them a brush-stroke appearance that matches the terrain and foliage.
Why do some blocks have more visible brush strokes than others?
Blocks with varied textures or edges (like leaves, stairs, and logs) show brush strokes more prominently than flat surfaces. You can enhance visibility on specific blocks through the shader's detail settings.
Does this work with Optifine or only Iris?
Ancient Brush Strokes is built for Iris and may not be compatible with Optifine. Make sure you're using Iris as your shader loader.
Can I make water and sky look more painterly too?
The shader applies ink wash effects to water and sky automatically, but you can adjust how pronounced these effects are through the shader settings to create a more cohesive painted landscape.
What happens to my world if I disable the shader?
Your world returns to normal Minecraft visuals instantly with no changes to your blocks or saves. You can toggle the shader on and off anytime.
Does the ink effect look the same in bright sunlight and at night?
No, the shader reworks lighting to match traditional ink paintings, so daytime scenes show bright ink gradations while night scenes use deeper, darker tones. This creates different moods depending on the time of day.