Microsoft Paint goes 3D

I just spent a few weeks learning the ins and outs of Microsoft’s Paint 3D application, which is the successor to the three decades-old Paint. The new program added a lot of much-needed features, along with the ability to work with 3D models.  And, just like Paint, its great-grandfather, Paint 3D has its own unique quirks and way of working. 

Now, before I dig into the new version, I know there were more than a few Paint fans who lobbied Microsoft to keep the classic version (hint: you won, it’ll still be around). Personally, I think that keeping that version is a good idea. It is a dead simple program in a sea of complexity. That said, you really should give the new one a try.

On the surface, Paint 3D looks very different than Paint. Most of the tools are on a sidebar, and the interface has a clean, modern look. For the stalwarts, all of the old tools, such as paint brushes and shapes are there, just in different locations. These can be used as before, but most artists will appreciate the modernized features. Brushes, for example, can now use pressure-sensitivity so artists can draw more naturally with a stylus. The concept of shapes has been expanded to stickers, which can imprint bitmap images on a drawing. These give extra power in creating flat images.

The Paint 3D interface is updated and modernized.

One of the most powerful new features for 2D artists is something called “Magic Select”, which is a context-aware way to select parts of an image. You simply draw an outline around the part of the image you want selected, and Magic Select finds the edges for you. It is simple to use and powerful, I find it does a remarkably good job of selecting what I wanted. For those times where it doesn’t quite catch what I was asking for, Magic Select allows you to interactively add and subtract from the selection. Once selected, you can move the image around, copy and paste it, or make it 3D.

And 3D is where the real power of Paint 3D becomes apparent. The 2D drawing canvas in Paint 3D is simply the center of a larger 3D world. You can view this world from a 2D perspective and use it as a paint package, but you can also tumble and roll the camera to see around the canvas, which is very useful.

Multiple 2D and 3D elements can be combined in 3D to create a final image.

These objects can take the form of 3D models, which I will get to in a bit, but this also allows 2D artists to create a layering system that can separate parts of a drawing. You can select something and press the “Make 3D” button to turn your selection into a flat bit of art floating in front of or behind the main canvas. These objects can then be selected, moved, scaled, and rotated along any axis to position them over the canvas.  You can do the same with text, and text can also be extruded in 3D.

3D objects can also take the form of basic 3D shapes, imported 3D models, and models pulled from Microsoft’s Remix 3D library, which has a growing number of free 3D models you can use in your projects. 

Remix 3D is a free library of 3D objects

Artists can create 3D models using a few different techniques. The first is to start with a basic 3D shape (cube, sphere, cylinder, etc) that is manipulated using position, scale, and rotate. These can be combined with other objects and grouped. Another way to create shapes is to use the 3D Doodle tool, which allows you to draw an outline that is then extruded with hard or soft edges to create a more complex shape. 

3D models can also be painted and textured using the 2D tools to draw and paint directly on the models. This paint system can also use stickers, which allow artists to place decals and textures on objects.  I found this to be a good way to create more complex models, by letting the textures handle a lot of the details.

Once the models are done, they can be combined with 2D art on the canvas to create still art.  This can then be lit using a palette of standard lighting models. You can also export 3D models in a few standard 3D formats, and or those who like to share, models can be uploaded to the Remix 3D library.  

While Paint 3D is good at manipulating 3D models, I do wish it had a few more tools. A few more basic modeling tools, such as the ability to reshape and sculpt objects would be welcome, as well as the ability to revolve or lathe outlines. Cameras and lighting could also be extended. It would be nice to be able to view scenes orthographically, as well as place discrete lights or perhaps use image based lighting. 

It must be said that these critiques are coming from my experience as a designer and animator who spends most days using production-level 3D software. I’m probably not the target audience for this software. Paint 3D is aimed squarely at the casual user, and in that light, I think it performs quite well. It is very accessible to the average person. I found myself actually liking the simplicity of the application, and wound up just doodling in 3D, something that isn’t as easy in a higher-end program.

Microsoft doesn’t appear to be waiting three decades to update this particular application. There is an update scheduled for October that will allow Paint 3D objects to be imported into Microsoft office products such as Word and Powerpoint. An augmented reality feature is also on the schedule for this fall. 

This 3D wind turbine was modeled in Paint 3D, then imported into Powerpoint

Overall, this old 3D codger grew to like Paint 3D. For the right audience, it is a great application for anyone wanting to create both 2D and 3D art quickly. While it may not compete in features with high end professional programs, it has more than enough tools to create quality images that incorporate both 2D and 3D elements.