Arseniy Korablev releases PolyBrush 2.2
Originally posted on 28 September 2017. Scroll down for news of the 2.2 update.
Animator and tools developer Arseniy Korablev has released PolyBrush 2.0: the latest update to his intuitive sculpting and concept design tool.
It’s largely a workflow release, focusing on improving the software’s stability and user interface, but it also introduces the option to buy PolyBrush outright for $150, on top of the existing rental options.
Create 3D concept art quickly and intuitively by sketching in 3D space
First released last year, PolyBrush is intended to enable concept artists to create 3D geometry more quickly and intuitively than conventional sculpting packages.
Users can sketch out forms by creating strokes in 3D space, using brush presets designed to mimic organic or mechanical parts. The resulting geometry can then be modified using more conventional sculpting tools.
It’s also possible to create organic characters by placing ‘bones’ – very much like their namesakes in a character rig – then using the Surface tool to create geometry between them.
The software also comes with features geared towards creating hard-surface models – or hybrid biomechanical forms – including a Lathe tool and a range of standard modifiers.
Once complete, models can be remeshed and exported to other software in OBJ format: the software has basic support for vertex colours and a real-time renderer, but it’s really designed for creating geometry.
Now simpler, faster and more stable
Korablev describes PolyBrush 2.0 as making the UI simpler and work in the progam “faster and more stable”.
The video above provides a pretty good summary of how the workflow currently plays out, along with the range of forms PolyBrush can create, including organic creatures, clothing, and hard-surface models.
Updated 31 January 2018: PolyBrush 2.2 is now available. The update adds new quick transform tools and updates the Lathe tool to add a cap holes option and support for chamfering.
Under the hood, loading times for the software have also been reduced, as has RAM usage.
Since we last wrote about PolyBrush, Korablev has also added radial menus for common actions; the option to lock layers; and a new system to render multiple rotated copies of a model for use in reference sheets.
The PolyBrush website has also been updated, removing all the blog posts on previous releases, and pretty much all written documentation, so for now, YouTube is the best source of information on individual features.
Pricing and availability
PolyBrush 2.2 is available for Windows only. As well as the existing rental pricing – which rises slightly to $25/year – there is now the option to buy a perpetual licence for $150, including all of the 2.x updates.
There is also a free Lite edition, which lacks the preset brushes of the full version, and restricts you to a single object in the scene, and eight Undo operations.