Dan Ritchie has released Howler 2026, an updated version of the unconventional and low-cost painting, animation and video-processing tool originally known as Project Dogwaffle. The application remains a sub-$100 offering, now pricing full licences at US $32.99 for Windows only. Notably, the developer had planned to cease work and make version 2025 free, but instead has resumed active development and shipped this new update .

New AI-Based Image Editing

A key addition is an experimental AI-based image editor. Users can now perform inpainting, colorising and upscaling by entering text descriptions of the edits they want. This expands Howler’s traditional natural-media painting roots into generative, AI-guided image editing.

Confetti Particle Tool

Howler 2026 also introduces the Confetti tool, designed for creating organic particle effects. The interface exposes controls over emitter shape, particle geometry, and parameters such as count, size and lifespan, enabling expressive, painterly FX directly within the app.

New Audio Recording and Editing Tools

Audio capabilities have been expanded as well. The software now includes audio recording functionality and a four-track audio editor, which supports multitrack editing, a feature that complements Howler’s existing animation and timeline tools.

Legacy Features Remain

Howler continues to support its established strengths in natural-media painting. It also retains basic 3D rendering (primarily for landscapes and foliage), timeline-based animation with onion-skinning, frame repair, retiming, and an exposure-sheet for lip-sync animation, ensuring that the core feature set remains intact.

Worth Testing in Production?

Howler 2026 delivers a quirky but cost-effective package of AI-powered image tools, particle effects and multitrack audio at just US $32.99 for Windows. Its experimental AI engine and new Confetti FX may interest concept artists, indie animators or production tool-devs seeking low-cost alternatives. As with any update, productions should test these new features thoroughly before integrating them into critical workflows.

The post Howler 2026 lands: AI inpainting, Confetti particles and four-track audio for under $33 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Adobe’s latest update to Substance 3D Modeler, version 1.15, drops with a clear focus on user needs—particularly in virtual reality (VR) modeling and workflow stability.

VR Sculpting Gets an Upgrade

The headline feature here is the enhancement of VR-based modeling. Artists who prefer working in a VR environment will appreciate the tweaks made to brush behavior and navigation. According to Adobe, these improvements aim to give artists greater precision while working in immersive spaces, bridging the gap between traditional desktop modeling and VR experiences. Whether you’re sculpting fine details or handling larger structures, the new brushes have been tuned to respond more intuitively to user input, making them feel like an extension of your hand—or headset.

Primitives

With the release of Substance 3D Modeler v1.15, primitives are now available in the retail version, offering a powerful, non-destructive workflow for creating complex geometry. Using basic shapes and combining them through boolean and blending operations, artists can now build intricate designs with more control. While primitives were previously available in the Public Beta, Adobe has added six new Combine modes—Inset, Extrude, Groove, Tongue, Repel, and Avoid—each offering unique parameters for fine-tuning how shapes interact. Additionally, a new blending type selector allows users to choose between smooth or chamfered edges, giving them flexibility in how shapes merge. The workflow has also been streamlined: object properties now appear directly in the Select tool panel, removing the need for a separate properties panel and simplifying the overall modeling process.

Shape detection

Substance 3D Modeler v1.15 introduces a new “Shape Detection” mode for resolution increase. This algorithm identifies edges and shapes in a model, providing more accurate results when upscaling. Users can easily switch between algorithms by right-clicking the resolution increase button, allowing for customized control over the process.

The update brings a range of quality-of-life improvements for artists working in both desktop and VR environments. Export mode now supports changing the clay layer resolution, allowing for finer control over the final output. Additionally, the resolution increase button no longer closes the Actions menu, making workflows more fluid. In Render mode, aspect ratios are now sorted from square (1:1) to the widest (32:9), and the Steadicam’s pitch has been adjusted 15 degrees downward to prevent cutting off the bottom of the view.

In the VR environment, a new notification for Color Picker mode helps clarify the app’s current state. The update also improves usability across the board: local assets are now prioritized in the Assets panel, and in Gizmo placement, the Warp tool can be applied while moving the Gizmo, fixing a previous bug. Artists will appreciate the consistency in material roughness, now set at 61%, and the accuracy improvements for clay visualization. Plus, rotation angles now correctly display positive or negative values, and long operation cancellations in VR are more reliable.

Documentation

As always, it’s essential to consult the official documentation before implementing the new features in your production environment. You can also check the Adobe website for up-to-date information.

Before adopting any new release into your workflow, we recommend a thorough test. Not all new features may be fully optimized for every project setup, so be sure to evaluate them against your current needs and requirements. It’s one thing to read about stability improvements—testing them in a real-world scenario is what truly counts.

The post Substance 3D Modeler released! v1.15: New VR Feature first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.