How to Change Voronoi Distance Metric in Blender

The Voronoi Texture node in Blender generates procedural cell-like patterns and visual noise based on distance calculations between random points. Changing the distance metric alters the underlying mathematical formula used to calculate these distances, dramatically changing the shape and style of the resulting pattern. This guide explains how to locate and change the distance metric in Blender's Shader Editor, along with an overview of what each metric option does.

Steps to Change the Distance Metric

  1. Open the Shader Editor: Select your object, switch to the Shading workspace, or open a Shader Editor window.
  2. Add a Voronoi Texture Node: Press Shift + A, navigate to Texture > Voronoi Texture, and place the node in your material graph.
  3. Locate the Metric Dropdown: Near the top of the Voronoi Texture node, below the dimension setting (e.g., 3D), click the second drop-down menu. By default, this is set to Euclidean.
  4. Select Your Desired Metric: Click the menu to choose one of the four available distance metrics: Euclidean, Manhattan, Chebychev, or Minkowski.

Understanding the Distance Metric Options

  • Euclidean: Calculates distance using standard straight lines. It produces natural, circular, and organic cell patterns.
  • Manhattan: Calculates distance based only on grid-aligned paths (horizontal and vertical movements). This creates sharp, diamond-shaped, or grid-like geometric patterns.
  • Chebychev: Calculates distance based on the maximum difference along any single axis. This results in square and blocky patterns.
  • Minkowski: A customizable generalization of the other metrics. When selected, an additional Exponent (E) input appears on the node. Changing the Exponent smoothly transitions the pattern between Euclidean (\(E = 2\)), Manhattan (\(E = 1\)), and Chebychev-like shapes (\(E \to \infty\) or values \(< 1\)).