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Fun piece of software that allows you to create three dimensional images for sharing later

Fun piece of software that allows you to create three dimensional images for sharing later

Vote: (568 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Microsoft Corporation

Version: 6.2003.4017.0

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(568 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Microsoft Corporation

6.2003.4017.0

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • One of the most functional and easy to use 3D modeling tools around
  • Comes standard with Windows 10

Cons

  • Very limited amount of features

Microsoft Paint 3D builds off of the stripped down fundamentals of Microsoft Paint to offer the first 3D drawing software packaged natively with a Windows operating system. Creating three dimensional designs once required a serious investment both in terms of money and learning curve. While programs like Maya 3D offered professional three dimensional modeling tools that could be used to create professional design for fields like game design and film CGI, they were expensive and serious resource hogs. Learning the ins and outs required a lot of learning both in terms of the fundamentals of what 3D design meant and in terms of navigating the complicated menus and tools. Paint has long served as a basic and easy to learn alternative to software like Photoshop and GIMP, and 3D Paint looks to achieve that same objective in the 3D space, and the end result is largely the same. 3D Paint can't come close to achieving the same results you can get from a more professional modeling platform, but it's a great introduction to three dimensional modeling, and it can accomplish some basic if solid work, especially if you're willing to get creative with the tools available to you.

Paint 3D offers a blend of 2D and 3D drawing options, so you can create unique hybrid art. The fundamentals will be recognizable to anyone who's worked with Paint in the past few years. If you're looking for something that can accurately scale and create 3D models for professional use, Microsoft's packed in Builder 3D is a better option, but if you're looking to create basic 3D shapes and combine them with 2D elements, this is your best choice in the main suite. The design kit is functionally similar to traditional Paint, but its 2D drawing functions aren't nearly as advanced. A neat tabbed interface allows you to quickly swap between components. In addition to standard brushes and markers, there are also both 2D shapes along with lines and curves and 3D models you can drop and manipulate right in your document. They include basic cubes and orbs as well as more advanced shapes like cats and humans. Manipulating these is as complicated as rotating and shrinking or growing, and there's not a whole lot of options for distorting individual parts of these 3D models.

Once you lay out pieces of your art, there are some options to change their look. A number of textures can be applied in a way similar to the fill tool in traditional version of Microsoft Paint, and you can also overlay your canvas with colored filter effects or add text to your creations. Additionally, new textures and models can be downloaded directly from the marketplace to expand the natural options available to you. If that seems a bit limiting, that's because it is. Paint 3D is a neat tool for the hobbyist or those idly curious about the potential of 3D modeling, and its inclusion in every version of Windows 10 makes it easy to explore, but no one with a serious passion for the art will see it as a killer app or a replacement for the tools already on the market.

Pros

  • One of the most functional and easy to use 3D modeling tools around
  • Comes standard with Windows 10

Cons

  • Very limited amount of features