diff --git a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_render.3.ronn b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_render.3.ronn
index 13411032d..cb46a2e31 100644
--- a/doc/man/man3/notcurses_render.3.ronn
+++ b/doc/man/man3/notcurses_render.3.ronn
@@ -5,15 +5,71 @@ notcurses_render(3) -- sync the physical display to virtual ncplanes
 
 `#include <notcurses.h>`
 
+`int notcurses_render(struct notcurses* nc);`
+
 ## DESCRIPTION
 
+`notcurses_render` syncs the physical display to the context's prepared
+ncplanes. It is necessary to call `notcurses_render` to generate any visible
+output; the various notcurses_output(3) calls only draw to the virtual
+ncplanes. Most of the notcurses statistics are updated as a result of a
+render (see notcurses_stats(3)).
+
+A render operation consists of two logical phases: generation of the rendered
+scene, and blitting this scene to the terminal (these two phases might actually
+be interleaved, streaming the output as it is rendered). All ncplanes are
+locked while generating the frame. Frame generation requires determining an
+extended grapheme cluster, foreground color, background color, and style for
+each cell of the physical terminal. Writing the scene requires synthesizing
+a set of UTF-8-encoded characters and escape codes appropriate for the terminal
+(relying on terminfo(5)), and writing this sequence to the output `FILE*`. If
+the `renderfp` value was not NULL in the original call to notcurses_init(3),
+the frame will be written to that `FILE*` as well. This write does not affect
+statistics.
+
+Each cell can be rendered in isolation, though synthesis of the stream carries
+dependencies between cells.
+
+### Cell rendering algorithm
+
+Recall that there is a total ordering on the N ncplanes, and that the standard
+plane always exists, with geometry equal to the physical screen. Each cell of
+the physical screen is thus intersected by some totally ordered subset of
+planes `P0`, `P1`…`Pi`, where 0 < `i` ≤ `N`. At each cell, rendering starts at
+the topmost intersecting plane `P0`. The algorithm descends until either:
+
+* it has locked in an extended grapheme cluster, and fore/background colors, or
+* all `i` planes have been examined
+
+At each plane `P`, we consider a cell `C`. This cell is the intersecting cell,
+unless that cell has no EGC. In that case, `C` is the plane's default cell.
+
+* If we have not yet determined an EGC, and `C` has a non-zero EGC, use the EGC and style of `C`.
+* If we have not yet locked in a foreground color, and `C` is not foreground-transparent, use the foreground color of `C` (see [Notes][] below). If `C` is `CELL_ALPHA_OPAQUE`, lock the color in.
+* If we have not yet locked in a background color, and `C` is not background-transparent, use the background color of `C` (see [Notes][] below). If `C` is `CELL_ALPHA_OPAQUE`, lock the color in.
+
+If the algorithm concludes without an EGC, the cell is rendered with no glyph
+and a default background. If the algorithm concludes without a color locked in,
+the color as computed thus far is used.
 
 ## RETURN VALUES
 
+On success, 0 is returned. On failure, a non-zero value is returned. A success
+will result in the `renders` stat being increased by 1. A failure will result
+in the `failed_renders` stat being increased by 1.
+
+## BUGS
+
+In addition to the RGB colors, it is possible to use the "default foreground color"
+and "default background color" inherited from the terminal. Since
+notcurses doesn't know what these colors are, they are not considered for
+purposes of color blending.
+
 ## AUTHORS
 
 Nick Black <nickblack@linux.com>
 
 ## SEE ALSO
 
-notcurses_cell(3), notcurses_ncplane(3), notcurses_output(3)
+notcurses_cell(3), notcurses_ncplane(3), notcurses_output(3), console_codes(4),
+utf-8(7)