FrameRef is a neat new reference board for 3D and concept work
Polygonflow has released FrameRef, a new standalone reference image organizer based on the built-in image board inside Dash, its world-building plugin for Unreal Engine.
The tool, which is aimed at workflows including concept art and 3D modeling, includes a number of interesting features, including the option to drag and drop videos from YouTube.
A standalone tool for organizing visual reference material for 3D and concept art work
Polygonflow pitches FrameRef as a “modern reference board built for creative professionals”, aimed at workflows from concept art and 3D modeling to photography and fashion design.
As with existing tools such as PureRef, it makes it possible to organize visual reference material on a virtual mood board, which can be floated over the top of your main creative software.
It has standard features you would expect in an app of this type, including the option to group images, to transform them non-destructively, and to add notes and arrows to connect them.
You can see an overview of the core features in the online documentation.
Supports videos as well as still images
As well as still images and PDFs, FrameRef supports moving images, including videos and GIFs.
What really caught our eye was the option to paste the URLs of videos from sites like YouTube, X and Twitch and have the videos display on the FrameRef canvas.
It’s even possible to drag and drop videos directly from the YouTube website.
Once added, it is possible to control playback of the videos, trim scenes, and capture reference frames from them, all without leaving FrameRef.
The software is GPU-accelerated, and provides “a fluid experience even with large boards”.
Based on the internal image board inside Polygonflow’s Dash plugin for Unreal Engine
If that sounds familiar, FrameRef is based on the Dash board, the internal reference board in Dash, Polygonflow’s world-building plugin for Unreal Engine.
However, it’s a standalone tool, and much cheaper than Dash itself, with a perpetual license costing just $19.
It’s the second feature set from Dash that Polygonflow has marketed at a wider audience, having previously made the free edition of Dash available as a 3D content browser.
Price and system requirements
FrameRef 1.0 is available for Windows only. Linux and macOS editions are planned: you can see a list of features in development in the online roadmap.
A perpetual lifetime license costs $19.
Read more about FrameRef on the product website
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