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BLBlender

Paintbridge Ps

by MadCanvas·Workflow

Images © MadCanvas. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Earns its place in the superhive library for pairing Blender's projection operators with a direct Photoshop connection rather than temp-file handoff.

What is Paintbridge Ps?

PaintBridge PS connects Blender and Photoshop through a direct WebSocket transfer, moving data memory-to-memory with no temp files. The workflow runs in three steps: capture your scene, paint in Photoshop, then project the paint back to Blender using ROI-based transfer that sends only changed pixels rather than full-texture handoffs. Everything is managed from a single panel.

Capture can run automatically or manually to PSD layers in Photoshop, with multi-pass capture sending nine passes as separate layers, including Base Color, Object Mask, Normals, Depth, Ambient Occlusion, Shading, Color ID, Vertex Color, and Viewport. You can preview any pass in the Blender viewport before capturing, browse material texture slots to set a paint target and projection mask, and control the camera directly from Photoshop via the UXP gizmo with orbit, pan, zoom, and snap to axis.

Color management handles automatic sRGB and Linear conversion on both capture and projection. Capture history snapshots viewport state per capture, up to 30 entries. It builds on the same projection operators as Blender's Quick Edit while replacing file handoff with the direct connection.

Who is Paintbridge Ps best for?

Paintbridge Ps is best for blender artists who want to use Photoshop's brush engine within a capture, paint, and project texturing workflow.

How much does Paintbridge Ps cost?

Paintbridge Ps is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Direct WebSocket transfer that moves data memory-to-memory with no temp files, configurable from 512px up to 8K
  • Automatic paint projection that is ROI-based and optimized, avoiding full-texture transfers
  • Multi-pass capture sending nine passes to Photoshop as separate layers, including Normals, Depth, AO, and Color ID
  • Full camera control from Photoshop via the UXP gizmo: orbit, pan, zoom, and snap to axis
  • Texture slot browser to set the paint target and projection mask, plus per-pass preview in the Blender viewport
  • Automatic sRGB and Linear color conversion on both capture and projection
  • Capture history that snapshots viewport state per capture, up to 30 entries

Tags

#Blender#Photoshop#livelink#texturing#projection#3d painting#NPR#psd

Frequently asked questions

Which Blender and Photoshop versions does PaintBridge PS support?

PaintBridge PS requires Blender 4.0 or newer and Photoshop UXP 2023 v24.4 and up, and is listed for Blender versions 4.0 through 5.1. A JSX fallback is available for Photoshop Legacy CS6 and up, though with reduced features. The UXP app is strongly recommended for the full feature set. It works with Blender-Internal, Cycles, and Eevee render engines, so you can preview and capture passes across those workflows before projecting paint back into Blender.

Do Blender and Photoshop need to run on the same computer for PaintBridge PS?

PaintBridge PS is local only, so Photoshop and Blender must run on the same machine. The connection uses a direct WebSocket transfer that moves data memory-to-memory rather than through temp files on disk. There is no real-time viewport, so the tool is best used with Blender on a second monitor. The intended workflow is capture, paint, and project, rather than painting direct brush strokes on the model itself.

How does PaintBridge PS differ from Blender's Quick Edit?

PaintBridge PS follows the same idea as Blender's Quick Edit and builds on the same projection operators, but replaces file handoff and temp files with a direct WebSocket connection. Transfer is ROI-based, sending only changed pixels instead of the full image every time. It captures nine passes including depth, normals, and AO rather than the viewport only, adds camera control from Photoshop, and keeps recoverable capture history that Quick Edit does not provide.

Is PaintBridge PS free to use?

PaintBridge PS is listed as free in this catalog and is distributed under the GPL license. For current licensing terms and any pricing, check the developer's page from MadCanvas. A demo video is also available if you want to see the plugin before installing. Note the requirements: Blender 4.0 or newer and Photoshop UXP 2023 v24.4 and up, with a JSX fallback for CS6 and up at reduced features.

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