Aartform ships Curvy 3D 4.0
Aartform has released Curvy 3D 4.0, the latest version of its idiosyncratic sketch-based modelling tool, adding an interesting range of mesh deformation and Boolean tools, plus support for SVG import.
The release – it actually shipped last month, but we only spotted it through threads on other forums – is the first major update to the software in over six years.
An unusual sketch-based modelling tool for roughing out 3D forms
Unlike conventional modelling packages, Curvy 3D’s workflow is sketch-based.
The software enables users to sketch profiles of shapes in 3D, then lathes the profiles to form 3D geometry. Parts can be joined together to form a single mesh, then details added with basic sculpting tools.
The resulting geometry can be exported in OBJ or 3DS format.
Although the examples on the product website could do with an update, it’s a rapid, intuitive way to create low-res models, or to rough out base geometry to refine in other sculpting tools.
New mesh deformation and Boolean editing features
To that Curvy 3D 4.0 adds a range of new features for making larger structural edits to meshes, or for using one mesh as the basis for generating others.
New deformation-based tools include a freeform warp; Fit to Rail, which warps a mesh from one guide curve to another; and Warp to Surface, which wraps one mesh over the surface of another.
There is also a new Boolean system and related features like Smooth Cut which cuts or extrudes shapes from the surface of a model.
It is also now possible to extract the silhouette of an object as a curve, then use it to generate a new mesh that fits over the original surface: suggested use cases include creating clothing.
Other changes: SVG import, Align & Distribute, UV tiling
Other new features in Curvy 3D 4.0 include support for SVG import, making it possible to generate guide curves in vector design software, then import them into Curvy 3D for modelling.
Base shapes can then be arranged into repeating arrays – for example, chains or staircases – using the new Align & Distribute system.
New options for detailing models include a Stamp tool and Groove and Clay brushes.
Other new features include support for UV scaling and tiling. You can find a full list via the links below.
Pricing and system requirements
Curvy 3D 4.0 is available for Windows only. It has an MSRP of $99, although at the time of posting, the software is available at a launch discount.
Read an overview of the new features in Curvy 3D 4.0
See individual features in more detail in the 4.0 beta forum