Free app Feather lets you sketch in 3D on a tablet or laptop
Want to create 3D designs on the move? Feather may be what you need.
The free 3D sketching app lets users create concept designs on tablets and laptops, running natively on iPads, and via a web app on Windows, Linux or Android devices.
Once complete, the 3D models can be exported to other DCC apps in glTF or OBJ format.
A promising app for creating 3D sketches, using an interesting two-stage workflow
Developed by Korean start-up Sketchsoft, Feather was originally released in 2022, and has now reached version 1.3, although it hasn’t had a lot of coverage in English-language media.
The app enables artists to create 3D sketches on devices with touch-sensitive screens, drawing strokes with a stylus, or directly with their fingers.
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.
Sketch organic or man-made objects, then export the 3D model to other DCC apps
Feather’s online user guide summarizes its other key features, which include the option to customize strokes via simple brush settings and a color picker.
When sketching man-made objects, users can smooth freehand strokes to create perfect geometric forms, and can also mirror, transform and group strokes.
It is possible to import images to use as references while sketching, and once complete, sketches can be viewed in augmented reality.
The app can export sketches in 2D or 3D format, with users able to capture PNG or JPEG images, record turntable videos as animated GIFs, or export 3D models in glTF or OBJ format.
Runs natively on iPads, or as a web app in the Chrome browser
As well as being a native iPad app, Feather is available as a web app, making it possible to use on Windows, Linux or Android devices.
It runs in the Chrome browser, although you may have to hunt a bit to find the Install prompt: for us, it was in the Save and Share sub-menu.
Price and system requirements
Feather 1.3 is compatible with iPadOS 15.0 on iPads, and the Chrome browser on other devices.
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 more about Feather on Sketchsoft’s product website
Download Feather for iPad or install it as a web app
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