Sunday, June 30th, 2024 Posted by Jim Thacker

Sketchsoft releases Feather 1.5


Korean start-up Sketchsoft has released Feather 1.5, the latest version of its intriguing free 3D sketching app.

The update adds a new Loft system for creating 3D guides from existing drawn strokes, and Stable Stroke, for automatically smoothing hand-drawn curves.

A promising app for creating 3D sketches, using an interesting two-stage workflow
First released in 2022, Feather lets users create concept designs on tablets and laptops, running natively on iPads, and via a web app on Windows, Linux or Android devices.

It uses an interesting workflow, in which you first draw 3D guide surfaces, then draw strokes on top of the guides, rotating the developing sketch in 3D using touch gestures.

The 3D models can be exported to other DCC apps in glTF or OBJ format.

You can find more details in our original story on the app.

Feather 1.5: new Loft system for creating guides, plus better stroke stablization
Feather 1.5 refines the guide surface workflow, with the new Loft feature making it possible to create guides from existing curves, connecting them to create a 3D surface.

It is also now possible to adjust the opacity of guides.

A new stroke stabilization system, Stable Stroke, automatically smooths imperfections in hand-drawn strokes, providing more control than existing drawing modes.

There are also four new brushes, including a Wide Brush for filling in large areas.

Workflow improvements
Workflow improvements include a new 3D Joystick for moving or rotating curves on any axis, and the option to mirror strokes on the Z-axis as well as the other axes.

When exporting video – for example, to create flythroughs of models – the new Sequence option makes it possible to save and play back a series of camera shots.

Price and system requirements
Feather 1.5 is compatible with iPadOS 15.0 on iPads, and the Chrome browser on other devices. It is intended to be used on a touch-sensitive screen.

The base app is free, but upcoming paid Plus and Teams subscriptions will provide advanced import and export options, unlimited version history, and access control for shared projects.

Read a full list of new features in Feather 1.5

Download free 3D sketching app Feather for iPad or install it as a web app

Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.