Rendering is the stage where Blender calculates the final image from your scene, its materials and its lighting.
Choosing a render engine
- Eevee: very fast, ideal for getting started and for real-time previews.
- Cycles: slower but photorealistic, because it genuinely simulates the path of light.
Launching the render
In the Render tab of the Properties panel, set the resolution and the quality. Then go to Render → Render Image (shortcut: F12). A window shows the calculation in progress, then the finished image.
Save the result from Image → Save As, choosing a file format (PNG, JPEG and so on).
Key takeaway: F12 starts a render. Begin with Eevee for speed, then move to Cycles when you are after realism.