The Hair Cards Tool for 3ds Max is aimed at artists handling haircard-based grooming setups. The tool introduces a non-destructive, modifier-based workflow for creating and editing haircards, while keeping the original splines untouched.

Haircards can be generated from splines with a single button click, and the result remains editable thanks to modifiers like symmetry, skewing and AO baking – all of which stay linked to the source. That makes it easy to iterate on style and structure without having to redo layouts. Existing splines can be preserved and reused, keeping base elements intact during adjustments.

AO baking, batch UVs and card editing

A major feature is Ambient Occlusion baking, which can be applied either to selected elements or all cards at once. AO maps are baked directly into vertex color, useful for preview shading or export. There’s also batch UV layout generation with options for packing based on length, area or vertical alignment. The UV system supports real-time feedback while adjusting card shapes.

Cards themselves can be mirrored, rotated, edited or reshaped – with visual handles in the viewport. You can also brush the UVs for finer control. Cards can be sorted by width or length and split into left/right groups automatically for mirrored hair setups.

Linkable and non-destructive workflow

One core idea behind the tool is that it avoids destructive modeling steps: instead of flattening geometry or collapsing modifiers, Hair Cards Tool keeps everything parametric. Artists can toggle between multiple configurations and edit the same haircards from different spline sources, using multiple object sets as input.

To support large-scale grooming, the tool also includes an “Edit Cards” modifier, which enables quick alignment and snapping without altering the spline setup. That allows riggers and grooming artists to work in parallel without breaking the scene structure.

For 3ds Max users, not Blender

This release is strictly for 3ds Max. It does not support other DCCs like Blender or Maya. The tool is delivered as a MaxScript-based package and runs within the 3ds Max environment. Hair Cards Tool for 3ds Max is available on ArtStation Marketplace for 39.90€ As with any grooming or rigging tool, it’s recommended to test the Hair Cards Tool in a non-critical environment before introducing it into production scenes. Compatibility, speed, and usability under real-world constraints may differ from the advertised workflow.

The post Hair Today, Cards Tomorrow: New 3ds Max Tool for Haircard Workflows first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.