Adobe's new 3D tool is more powerful than you might think

An image illustrating use of Adobe Substance 3D Viewer
(Image credit: Adobe)

Last week's Adobe MAX 2024 creative conference saw the announcement of so many new features in Creative Cloud apps that inevitably some of them slipped by with less attention. Headline news included the launch of Firefly Video AI-powered Generative Extend in Premiere Pro and Enhanced Image Trace in Illustrator.

But as well as flashy new AI features, Adobe announced the launch of an entirely new free stand-alone desktop app for viewing and editing 3D files. Adobe Substance 3D Viewer (beta) works with Photoshop (beta) to bring 3D content into traditional design workflows by allowing 3D models to be easily added to 2D Photoshop designs as editable Smart Objects. And that has more potential than you might have considered.

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Joe Foley

Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.

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