The Foundry announced the launch of MARI 2.0, a new version of its 3D digital paint tool that introduces a new layer system. The addition of the layer system means MARI will be easier to use, offering a familiar working environment for users of Adobe Photoshop and other layer-based paint tools.
“We wanted to really push the limits and give artists a working environment that feels both familiar and revolutionary at the same time.” Jack Greasley, MARI product manager at The Foundry.
The Layer View in MARI 2.0 introduces grouping, tagging and filtering options making complex stacks easy to navigate and control. Procedural Layers let artists easily create the look they want, seamlessly blending procedural and painted detail with the same toolkit.
Every layer has its own Mask Group. Every mask is effectively a full layer stack in its own right, allowing artists to use blending, groups, adjustments and procedurals in all their masks.
Shared Layers mean artists can cut down on the bookkeeping that goes hand-in-hand with reusing layers and masks. Now they can simply share the layer within a stack and any changes they make can be automatically updated across the rest.
“The new layer system in MARI 2.0 enhances the way you can work with masks and adjustment layers and is consistent with what you would find with Photoshop,” explained Jens Kafitz, senior texture artist at Weta Digital. “There is also good compatibility between the two applications making the back-and-forth easier. A new projection mask system and new caching features to help manage the data on complex assets are also great additions to the new version of MARI.”
MARI 2.0 is available immediately for download.
