You can also drag the outer circle, as well as the horizontal and vertical axes, to rotate it in each dimension. You can rotate the object in 3D using the center dial, which allows you to rotate it freely by dragging the middle dot. Choosing the Extrude button gives you this basic offset view of the extruded object. You can select multiple objects, including live text, and as long as you group it first it will be treated as a single piece of artwork. Most kinds of artwork can be processed using the new 3D tools, which are found in the Effects > 3D and Materials menu. Here, we’ll look at its often impressive capabilities, as well as looking at its many shortcomings. It is, nonetheless, available to all CC subscribers who have updated Illustrator.
These are labeled as ‘Technology Preview’ – a euphemism for beta software that is still undergoing development. Now Adobe has brought us some interesting new 3D tools with Illustrator 2022. Read the Open Letter to Adobe by Alan Gilbertson and Theresa Jackson for more details. Substance has a steep learning curve, and consists of four separate applications notably, and to much public consternation, it is not included in the Creative Cloud subscription, requiring a separate monthly purchase. They also quietly dropped support for Dimension, instead releasing their Substance suite of 3D texturing and rendering tools. In 2021 Adobe announced that 3D would be dropped from Photoshop entirely in future versions. Adobe continued to enhance its 3D modeling environment in Photoshop, and in 2017 introduced Dimension, its 3D rendering environment that allowed models from Photoshop and elsewhere to be imported, textured, positioned, lit and rendered quickly and easily. Then, in 2010, they brought 3D tools to Photoshop CS5 (but only, at first, to the higher-priced Extended Edition).
The functionality improved marginally over subsequent releases.
In 2003 Adobe dropped Dimensions and instead built a cut-down version of its 3D tools into Illustrator CS, providing basic modeling techniques. The artwork could then be imported into Photoshop at any size and textured as required-if you had the requisite skills. Its unique approach was to create vector artwork in just a fraction of the time that other 3D applications could produce finished renders. Its first foray into the medium was Adobe Dimensions (not to be confused with Adobe Dimension, singular) in 1996, a standalone app which provided basic extrude and revolve capabilities. Adobe has a checkered history of implementing 3D modeling.