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News: daily production-facing updates across post, VFX, animation, real-time, and tools. Releases, patches, interviews, research notes, and industry moves, written for fast scanning with source links and practical context, without pretending every update is “game-changing”.
Texturing XYZ puts SKAP online, pores included
Texturing XYZ’s SKAP turns 2K to 8K inputs into 16K skin maps in a browser, priced in credits at $1 each.
AdonisFX 2.0 brings Houdini support, anisotropic muscles, and triangle-level self-collisions
AdonisFX 2.0 is a big structural release: Houdini support arrives as SOP nodes, core solvers pick up anisotropy and triangle-level self-collisions, paint maps gain non-linear remaps, and the toolset gets a practical layer of “pipeline hygiene” improvements.
QuickSweep sorts your Premiere bins while you blink
EditingTools.io ships QuickSweep for Premiere Pro: one-click bin sorting, optional auto-sweep every four seconds, and an item-move history log.
BMD European Tour 2026 lets you touch the gear
Blackmagic Design’s Workflow Tour lands in Amsterdam and Berlin in March with ATEM ISO and Resolve sessions aimed at fast podcast delivery.
VFX School Closes and Leaves the Lights On
For those who don’t know the school: The VFX School was an online training platform focused primarily on…
Gradient Generator: free Cinema 4D tool for procedural gradients
Gradient Generator is a small, free helper for Cinema 4D 2025+ that generates gradient-based looks without turning your material editor into a museum of tiny sliders. It is compatible with Octane Render 2025+ (not required) and ready for Octane and Redshift users.
CrumplePop targets baked audio mixes
CrumplePop 2026 adds GPU processing and AI models that split finished mixes into editable stems inside SoundApp.
Autodesk adds generative 3D to Flow Studio
Autodesk introduces Wonder 3D inside Flow Studio, enabling text and image prompts to generate editable 3D assets.
OmniStep 2.0 adds modules and dynamic collisions
OmniStep 2.0 adds a module system, dynamic collisions, and workflow tweaks for interactive animation inside Blender.
Spline Mesher Pro rewrites Unity splines
Staggart Creations rebuilds Spline Mesher Pro with Jobs, Burst, fill meshes and editor LOD support.
RenderMan 27.2 adds USD and XPU updates
RenderMan 27.2 ships with USD, XPU and workflow updates aimed at production use.
Cinema 4D plugin for organic line growth hits the web
AlgoMesh releases Differential Line Growth, a free Cinema 4D plugin that iterates splines into organic curves.
280 free automotive Substrate materials for UE 5.7
Epic’s new Automotive Substrate Materials pack on Fab bundles over 280 vehicle-focused Substrate materials plus templates, setup assets, and calibrated maps, targeting consistent results across Lumen and the Path Tracer in Unreal Engine 5.7.3 and later.
The Grove 2.3
The Grove 2.3 adds direct drawing, subdivide and export improvements, Houdini Indie support and huge storage savings.
TweenFX is your free Friday tween sidequest
TweenFX is a free MIT-licensed tween animation plugin for Godot 4, with a demo release updated on 25 Feb 2026.
![A group of people in various poses, with a focus on a woman in white attire, overlayed with the text 'SWITCHX' and the tagline 'SWITCH [ANYTHING]. KEEP WHAT MATTERS.' The scene is set against a beach background at dusk.](https://i0.wp.com/digitalproduction.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/beeble-switchx-hero.png?resize=380%2C250&quality=72&ssl=1)
Beeble SwitchX focuses on easy background swaps
Beeble launches SwitchX, a cloud video-to-video model built for easy background swaps and relighting in 2K.
Adobe adds Quick Cut to Firefly Video Editor
Quick Cut auto-builds a first video draft from text prompts inside Firefly Video Editor. Beta starts now.
Nuke 17.0 rewires 3D and adds Gaussian Splats
Nuke 17.0 brings native splats, USD scene graph control, BigCat ML scaling and core performance gains.
VES Awards 2026 names winners and honours
VES Awards 2026 winners named across 24 categories, with Bruckheimer and Taylor receiving top honours.
5000 PBR materials, zero node wrangling
5000 PBR materials packaged for Blender Asset Browser, drag and drop, GPL licensed, priced for indies.
Revcut launches GDPR first Video-review platform
Revcut launches a European GDPR focused video review platform positioning itself as an alternative to US hosted services.
Druckli Tools V2 expands Cinema 4D nodes
Druckli Tools V2 adds rebuilt Plane Split, new distributions and node utilities for Cinema 4D 2026.1 and later.
Redshift 2026.3 fixes displacement headaches
Redshift 2026.3 is a stability release focused on texture displacement, Hydra USD updates and host bug fixes.
Quixel Mixer dead, final offline version released
Quixel Mixer is discontinued. Quixel has published a final, free, unsupported offline build, with optional free asset packs that include 800+ assets.
Hive adds joint facial rigs to Maya
Hive Auto Rigger now builds full joint based facial rigs in Maya, priced at 40 dollars for the first month.
AFX Camera Tagger sorts your Resolve multicam chaos
Free Resolve script auto-tags camera metadata for clean multicam sync. Studio required.
3ds Max gets polite workflow babysitters
Small 3ds Max utilities promise faster camera, render and relink tasks. No revolutions, just fewer clicks.
DJV 3.3.3 fixes flipped export and adds Escape
DJV 3 brings sequence-aware browsing, expanded shortcuts, OCIO UI updates and flipped export fixes through 3.3.3.
Lutbake adds one-key LUT export to Resolve
Time in Pixels releases Nobe LutBake, a macOS tool for one-key high resolution LUT export from Resolve Studio.
Free Scene Nodes for C4D by Midlet Dufts
Midlet Dufts packages Cinema 4D Scene Nodes setups into usable assets for procedural scene work.
SynthEyes 2026 Speeds Up
SynthEyes 2026 adds a Mocha-powered affine point tracker, real-time GeoH previews and expanded USD support to cut solve iteration time.
FMX 2026 spotlights fire, fur and pipelines
FMX 2026 adds Wētā FX, Pixar and Illogic Studios sessions, plus new Premium Partners AMCRS, Accenture Song VFX and AYON.
Oscar animation directors go live online
Five Oscar nominated animation directors. One free Zoom panel. February 27. Register, log in, ask questions.
Blackmagic Schedules Free Resolve School
Blackmagic runs free live Resolve training from February to April covering edit, Fusion, colour and audio.
Foundry buys Griptape to “orchestrate AI”
Foundry acquires Griptape to add "AI orchestration" to Nuke and broader VFX pipelines.
RealBlend brings mesh painting back to Unity
New Unity mesh painting tool targets Polybrush users with in editor vertex colour and mesh editing features.
Neat Video 6.1 updates OFX and host support
Neat Video 6.1 adds Baselight 7 support, new default profile controls and OFX updates across Windows, macOS and Linux.
EIZO Previews First OLED ColorEdge
EIZO is bringing OLED into the ColorEdge lineup. The company is previewing an OLED ColorEdge model under development, positioned for 4K HDR workflows and featuring refined ABL luminance control, a status indicator, built-in calibration sensor technology, and ColorNavigator software demos at NAB and MPTS 2026.
SideFX launches central Houdini learning hub
SideFX consolidates Houdini tutorials into a structured Learning Library aimed at students and production artists.
KIRI Engine releases free Scatter for Blender
KIRI Engine releases Scatter, a free Blender add on offering click, procedural and physics based object placement.
PFTrack update tidies Maya and LiDAR workflows
PFTrack update refines Maya export, LiDAR error handling and Survey Solver node logic for Studio and Enterprise users.
InstaLOD 2026 Targets VR and Animation Pipelines
InstaLOD 2026 adds VR delivery targets, raytraced shadows and full GLTF USD animation support for real-time pipelines.
D5 Works launches with 42K models and no comission ?
D5 Works
lists 42K models and 2.2K materials and claims zero commission, with D5-native delivery via D5A and D5M.
Resolve 20.3.2 tidies up the edges
Resolve and Fusion Studio 20.3.2 refine trims, speed up AI scaling and fix a long list of real world bugs.
Arnold adds lines, points and faster volumes
Arnold update adds NPR shaders and accelerates OpenVDB volumes up to five times in official tests.
Live FX 9.9: New Unreal Engine workflows, in a 3-part tutorial
Assimilate has published a short three-part tutorial series for combining Live FX 9.9 with Unreal Engine in virtual production. The videos cover GPU Texture Share on a single system, an nDisplay workflow that outputs multiple render streams, and a Switchboard setup that enables live Unreal edits
Quad Wrap offers quad-first retopology, no magic wand
FlippedNormals releases Quad Wrap, a Blender retopology tool focused on manual quad layout and mesh wrapping.
Kangaroo Builder learns to move faces between meshes
Kangaroo Builder for Maya adds Landmark Warp, a topology transfer tool aimed at moving blendshapes between meshes without matching topology.
PureRef 2.1 adds grids lines notes and control
PureRef 2.1 ships with grids snapping drawing tools image management updates and a long list of workflow fixes.
Katana 9 deepens USD and previews Hydra 2
Katana introduces UsdSuperLayer, new USD lighting and material nodes, and alpha Hydra 2 viewer support.
Nevercenter speeds up Milo 2026 and drops VR quietly
Milo 2026.0 moves to Unreal Engine 5.7, adds raytracing on Mac, pathtracing on Windows, faster lighting, workflow tweaks and removes VR.
Modeler 26 for Houdini released
Modeler 26 for Houdini introduces a significantly expanded PolyPen, Bezier-based deformation, curve-driven boolean operations, viewport card drawing, and a new object layer system.
Blender 5.1 Beta Improves Performance, Workflow, and Compositing
Blender 5.1 enters public beta with a familiar focus on refinement rather than disruption. The update brings targeted improvements across animation, compositing, UI, and USD export, offering a smooth and predictable upgrade path for artists already working in Blender 5.0.
130 animations, one rig, zero drama
Quaternius releases a second Universal Animation Library with over 130 humanoid animations, free for commercial use.
Download IKEA furniture as 3D models, minus the trolley
A community script allows direct downloads of IKEA’s web 3D models, skipping the store visit and the measuring tape optimism.
New 3D Pose Reference Tool for Character Artists
HAELE 3D announces Pose Studio, a fully editable 3D pose reference tool for character artists with anatomical view toggles. Still in development.
Topiary Generator grows procedural foliage in Blender
Topiary Generator converts any mesh into procedural topiary foliage in Blender using Geometry Nodes, available for $15.
RapidPipeline Plugin Brings One-Click CAD Prep to Unreal
RapidPipeline launches a native Unreal Engine plugin that lets artists import, clean and optimise CAD/3D assets locally inside the Unreal Editor.
One click exports and zero patience for menus from Blender to Unreal, Unity and more.
A free Blender add-on offers fast exports to Unity, Unreal and Godot using collections and selection logic.
Crocotile 3D Gets Projection UVs Tool and Workflow Additions
Crocotile 3D version 2.6.5 introduces a projection UVs tool, grid snapping, export options and animation control enhancements.
Frame Ref tidies your reference mess
Frame Ref 1.0 launches with an infinite canvas for images, video, PDFs and GIFs, aimed at daily reference work for creatives.
MetaTailor adds engine bridges and less FBX fatigue
MetaTailor 2.5 introduces official engine bridges and workflow updates for realtime character clothing pipelines.
BlendShape Monitor puts Maya rigs under a heat lamp
A new Maya plugin visualises blendshape influence in real time, targeting riggers dealing with dense and poorly documented rigs.
Animate re-animated
The King is dead, long live the King: Adobe caves, and Animate remains available with support and fixes, but no new features.
Blender turns meshes into sponges. Rubber duck not included
A free Blender Geometry Nodes setup converts meshes into sponge like forms using volumetrics and procedural subtraction.
glTF learns to splat without losing the plot
Khronos proposes a glTF extension for Gaussian splats, aiming to standardise how splat data is stored and exchanged.
Adobe pulls the plug on Animate at last
Adobe has confirmed the end of life of Adobe Animate, setting clear dates for sales, access, and support wind-down.
Resolume adds 10 bit colour and speed fixes
Resolume update adds 10 bit output, faster loading, Wire usability changes, and capture updates for live graphics.
RGB sliders now judge your colour skills
A free Android game turns RGB value matching into a timed test of colour perception. No scopes. No mercy.
GGro grows strange things in Houdini, for free
Free Houdini add-on GGro generates procedural organic growth forms via custom solvers and influence nodes.
Sky: Geometry Nodes-Based Volumetric Cloud and Atmosphere System for Blender
Sky is a new Geometry Nodes-based system for Blender that generates physically based volumetric clouds and a real-scale atmospheric sky directly inside Cycles.
Infinity Hotel: Endless Rooms, Endless Renders
HFF Munich’s VFX students built Infinity Hotel, a hybrid short film merging live action with CGI, LiDAR scans, and Dolby Atmos sound.
Lazy Composer 2 Teaches Blender to Pretend It Shot Film
Lazy Composer 2 adds film emulation presets and grading sliders to Blender, aiming to make renders look expensively intentional.
FMX opens ticket shop and confirms collaboration track talks
FMX opens ticket sales, confirms new speakers, details pass options and highlights ongoing PANEURAMA industry research.
Photoshop gets less destructive and slightly less vague
Adobe updates Photoshop with new adjustment layers, higher-resolution generative output and a new Dynamic Text feature.
World Creator 2026.1 polishes the boring bits
World Creator 2026.1 focuses on stability, pen input and modest performance gains rather than new features.
Dynamic Flow makes water move without waiting
Dynamic Flow is a low cost Blender add-on that creates real time, terrain-aware water without baking or physics simulation.
Dosch Design Adds Defense Trucks to the Asset Library of Modern Cities
Dosch Design adds detailed defense logistics trucks to its 3D asset library, quietly acknowledging that modern realism now includes military vehicles in everyday urban environments.
Godot 4.6 Arrives With Major CG-Friendly Updates
Godot Engine 4.6 ships with polished workflows, Modern UI, Jolt physics as default, improved reflections, debugger tools and LibGodot support.
Storm HydroFX ships water without the node graph
Storm HydroFX 1.0 launches as a standalone GPU FLIP fluid solver for Windows with whitewater, mesh export and annual subscriptions.
Simply Cloth Studio 2.0 rebuilds cloth in Blender
Simply Cloth Studio 2.0 is a full rebuild for Blender with new UI, adaptive wrinkle tools, and faster, more stable cloth simulation.
Teya Conceptor Free and Pro Editions Expand 3D Concept Workflow
Teya Conceptor’s toolset for quick 3D geometry creation has broadened free edition capabilities while retaining time-based limitations and a brush-centric workflow.
Material Maker 1.5 adds DDS, FBX, CLI, 10 new nodes
Material Maker 1.5 adds common game formats, command-line export, workflow upgrades, and more nodes in this free procedural texturing tool.
Blender LTS patches, still no surprises
Blender 4.5.6 LTS and 4.2.17 LTS deliver bug fixes only, confirming Blender’s long term support policy for production use.
Liquid Thinking: Paradigm Brings GPU Speed to Houdini
Theory Accelerated releases Paradigm, a GPU liquid solver for Houdini, now in open beta and free until February 2026.
UVPackmaster 4 unwraps a smarter way to pack
UVPackmaster 4 for Blender refactors its core, adds Dynamic Tiles, new texel density control, and better group layouts.
Baselight v7 refines the colourist’s toolkit
FilmLight’s Baselight v7 adds smarter mattes, new depth tools and workflow upgrades for complex grading and VFX-heavy productions.
Adobe After Effects 2026 Lands With 3D, Text and Performance Boosts
After Effects 26.0 debuts 3D parametric meshes, Substance 3D materials, SVG import and core workflow improvements.
HFF Munich seeks new mentor for 3D animation
HFF Munich is hiring a part-time 3D animation mentor for its VFX programme under Prof. Jürgen Schopper, starting 1 May 2026.
Premiere drops the “Pro” and picks up some serious AI
Adobe has released the Creative Cloud 26.0 updates for its video apps, headlined by a big shift in Premiere. The “Pro” label is gone, and in its place comes a more capable editor. The new release centres on automated masking, improved tracking, and a creative pipeline that’s tighter than ever.
Animcraft 5.5: Stability, ribbons, and MetaHumans
Animcraft 5.5 improves mocap stability, rewrites the Dragon Breath Ribbon System, and expands MetaHuman and Maya tools.
LumaFusion for Android catches up with iOS sibling
LumaFusion 2.5 for Android introduces faster transitions, smarter clip location, and APV codec export support.
LotPixel drops 1,300+ free PBR textures in Hub app
LotPixel Hub beta gives 3D artists free access to 1,300+ PBR textures up to 8K, with Blender integration and more DCCs to come.
Blender topology patch tool Quad Filler reaches 1.0 release
Quad Filler 1.0 is released for Blender, automating clean quad patching between open edge chains with expanded modes and hotkey support.
Delhi in 3D: Kitbash3D goes urban
Kitbash3D launches New Delhi, a 3D asset kit with 84 models and 127 materials for building detailed urban cityscapes.
Visual Effects Society Announces Full List of Feature, Episodic, and Student Award Nominations
The Visual Effects Society has released the nominations for its upcoming awards, covering a broad range of feature…
No More 2D Smoke and Mirrors: Volumetric Noise for Nuke
Compositing Academy releases Volumetric Noise for Nuke, a raymarched plugin generating true 3D volumetrics with lighting and occlusion.
Foundry locks in full subscription future for 2027
Foundry drops perpetual maintenance: from 2027, all Nuke, Mari, and Katana users will be on subscription only.
Ocean, clouds, and splats: D5 Render 3.0 sets sail
D5 Render 3.0 introduces new environment tools, expanded AI generation, and a lightweight D5 Lite for SketchUp users.
Procedural sawdust: EC Wood Grain hits Blender
Eric Charles releases EC Wood Grain, a Geometry Nodes setup that adds procedural 3D wood detail directly in Blender.