The usual approach to a model like this is to trust the auto supports and hope for the best. What Don Whitaker shows instead is a layered routine that mixes automatic passes with deliberate hand placement, and it usually lands a great print on the first try. For anyone with models full of overhangs and delicate parts, that reads as a genuine alternative to click-and-pray.
The subject is a prehistoric Lepidodendron tree with dense branches, prepared for resin printing on a Photon S, a Mars Pro, or a Mono X, using equal parts Elegoo grey and an ABS-like Siraya Tech resin. The sequence runs Auto Orient first, then light supports generated automatically, then the Island Detector on its Detailed setting, which flagged 47 unsupported islands. Add Support to All Islands clears the bulk, leftover spots get manual light and mini supports, medium supports anchor the lower part of the model, then back to light settings for more anchoring, and a final sanity check adds minis to problem areas.
The detail that stands out to me is the mini support trick: small horizontal spans reach tight crevices that vertical pillars cannot, and they prevent failures without leaving noticeable blemishes on the surface. The recorded numbers are specific too, 1.1mm light diameter, 0.38mm tip, 2.3mm tip length, everything else default, plus a 5mm Lift Object. Hiding the main pillars through the visibility menu to inspect the geometry is another touch worth copying.
One open point: the maker believes every tool shown is available in the free version of Lychee, so people on the free tier may be able to follow along without upgrading.
Project by Don Whitaker. Watch it on their YouTube channel: