April 2019 Release of Adobe Dimension Makes Viewing 2D Designs in 3D Easier Than Ever

Adobe Dimension gives you everything you need to create incredible photorealistic scenes using existing 2D and 3D images and designs, and this month we’re adding a host of new tools and features to give your workflow an added boost in both power and efficiency. Regardless of your level of 3D design experience or the complexity of your project, you’ll be able to easily add new levels of customization to your 3D scene, and get your hands on a final render much quicker than before.

This release of Dimension includes the introduction of cloud renders, higher-resolution placed graphics, and the exciting addition of Substance materials to the mix. Read on to learn more about what Substance materials can do for your 3D designs, and get more details on everything new and improved in this release of Adobe Dimension.

New to Dimension: Render right in the cloud

We’ve all been there — you’ve just completed your Dimension scene, and you’re eager to get your hands on that final render. If you’ve ever rendered 3D content before, you’re probably aware that it’s a time consuming process where your computer gets hot and loud and you can’t work on other things. If you’re new to 3D, on the other hand, lucky you — upgrades in the latest version of Dimension mean you may never have to worry about rendering taking up your machine resources.

We’re thrilled to announce Cloud Rendering (Beta). This in-app service automatically sends your 3D scene to the cloud, renders using our servers, and then streams the results to your machine so you can watch the progress and download the final image. This frees up your computer resources in the process, and in the end, it means rendering will complete much faster than before.

Cloud rendering in the latest version of Adobe Dimension.

Cloud Rendering is free in Dimension during the feature’s beta period. During this beta, all Creative Cloud users will get 15 free credits per month (your credits will automatically refresh on the first day of the month). Each render uses between 1-3 credits, depending on the quality, and all renders will automatically get denoising during the beta. We’re very excited to hear what you think of cloud rendering, so head over to our forums and comment or fill out this survey.

New to Dimension: Import Substance materials

One of the most fun aspects of working in 3D is customizing the look of objects to be made out of any type of material, but creating photorealistic materials isn’t always easy. How metallic or rough should copper be, anyway? How do you make it look like rusty copper? This is why we’re really excited to announce support for Substance materials with .SBSAR format import and new Substance materials in the starter assets.

Substance materials have easily edited parameters that generate thousands of unique variations with one file.

Created with Substance Designer, Substance materials are parameter based, and that means there are thousands of variations of patterns and designs you can create from even just one Substance material. In the image above you can see how a geometric metal Substance material can generate many unique looks with simple parameters such as bevel distance and spacing controls. Every substance is different, meaning you’ll get unique controls specific to the type of look you’re generating. To get started using Substance materials in Dimension, check out our Supported Material File Types for more detailed information.

Improved in Dimension: Higher-res placed graphics and saving in CC Libraries

We’ve improved the process of placing graphics onto models in ways that will offer you more control and higher quality results. Now, when you place a graphic onto a model, it will maintain a higher resolution with less pixelation and higher visual fidelity, so your 3D scene will look even more realistic than before. Graphics also now have two modes: decal and fill.

Of course, with your higher resolution graphics in there, you’ll also want to make sure your images are properly saved. Dimension now supports the saving of both graphics and colors in CC Libraries. Any changes you made now save automatically, for use on other Dimension projects and in other Adobe products.

Graphics can now be applied in decal mode (left), or fill mode (center) with options to control tiling (right).

When you have an image saved in CC Libraries, it means that image is a fully cloud-linked file. If you edit that image in Photoshop or Illustrator and save it, it will update automatically in Dimension. You’ll see the CC Libraries panel has also been updated to support custom grouping.

Cloud-linked graphics from CC Libraries will now update automatically for use in Dimension when you edit them in Photoshop or Illustrator.

New to Dimension: Scale objects easily using units and dimensions

Yep, Adobe Dimension now officially has…dimensions! You’ll be able to choose from several 3D units of measurement to use, and this will allow you to easily change size of your objects. All-in-all, it’s now easier to scale your designs.

It’s now easier to scale objects in Dimension using units and size properties.

For more information on how to set up your scene’s units of measurement, check our our Document Settings guide.

There are many more enhancements and tweaks in this latest version of Adobe Dimension. To see everything new, check out our full release notes for Dimension 2.2. If you haven’t tried Dimension yet, head over to our homepage to download the latest version and learn more about how you can visualize branding, packaging, logo designs, and art in 3D with photorealistic renderings. If you’ve never worked in 3D before, don’t worry; Adobe Dimension features an intuitive and familiar UI that makes it perfect for graphic designers. And for a little additional fun, visit our collection of 40 free 3D typography models on Adobe Stock – perfect for trying out some of these new Dimension features while celebrating 36 Days of Type.

Join a growing community of 3D designers

Adobe Dimension is still growing and evolving, and we need your help to continue building the 3D design tool of the future. Help us shape Adobe Dimension by joining the discussion on the feedback forums. You’ll be able to see what’s on our product roadmap, suggest new features, and vote on existing ideas.

#AdobeDimension

We love seeing and sharing your incredible 3D designs, whether they are packaging designs, product mockups, brand visualizations, or 3D art. When you’re sharing your designs on Twitter or Behance, don’t forget to tag them with #AdobeDimension, and on Behance be sure to select Adobe Dimension under “Tools Used.”