Sketchfab’s Photoshop Integration Allows You To Share Your 3D Models On The Web

Adobe recently updated Photoshop with a few 3D capabilities. A hidden gem that wasn’t much discussed is the ability to export and share 3D models directly from Photoshop thanks to Sketchfab.

The main focus of last week’s update was on 3D printing support directly from Photoshop. While Photoshop is not a 3D modelling application, it has had the ability to open 3D files for a while. It can be useful if you want to add textures and work with the actual 3D model.

Adobe is rethinking this a bit and positioning Photoshop as the last stop before exporting your 3D model. After modelling your object in your favorite 3D application, you open it and Photoshop and print to your MakerBot or send your file to Shapeways, which will handle the 3D printing part.

But what if you are just working on a 3D character for a video game, or want to send your model to your coworkers to get feedback? This is where Sketchfab comes along. As a reminder, Sketchfab is a Soundcloud for 3D models. You can upload, browse and embed 3D models from your browser.

And now, you can just press the “export to Sketchfab” button in Photoshop to bring your file to the web. Adobe-owned Behance already supports Sketchfab embeds to showcase your creations in your online portfolio. But there are many other potential use cases, including internal communications.

Finally, as Sketchfab relies a lot on the WebGL technology, Adobe is now indirectly a WebGL proponent. It would have been different a few years ago when Flash was the de facto platform to share interactive content on the web.

It’s a validation of Sketchfab’s technology, and the team of 11 can expect more users now that Sketchfab is directly integrated in Photoshop. The startup has raised $2 million and now faces the difficult feat of becoming the default 3D sharing platform before anyone else does.

Here’s an example of a Sketchfab embedded model:

(Top gif by: Rhizome)