by Sahin Ersoz·Modeling
Images © Sahin Ersoz. Used for product review; image policy.
Sketch N' Cage stands out in the superhive library because it lets an arbitrary sketched shape act as a deformer, and its 1:1 binding with target objects makes it suited to rigging.
Sketch N' Cage is a mesh deform, surface deform and shape animation tool for Blender that works through the Grease Pencil. You draw a shape, and it is converted into a cage deform object, the same way as its sister product Sketch N' Carve, with shape keys created automatically and ready to be animated.
Unlike a lattice, Sketch N' Cage can use any arbitrary shape as a deformer, and its cage objects bind with the target object 1:1, which the developer notes makes it ideal for rigging. Newer cage types include 2D Cage (Face) and 2D Cage (Side) with infinite depth for simple flat cages. The tool also ships with the SketchN Camera Controls add-on and comes with free lifetime updates.
Sketch N' Cage supports Blender 3.1 through 5.1 and is distributed under the GPL license, and it is included with Sketch N' Carve. Tutorials cover workflows such as the 2D stone bridge cage, cage-deforming a Ford1930 and using the spin tool, and a demo video is available.
Sketch N' Cage is best for mesh and surface deformation, shape animation, and rigging through 1:1 cage-to-object binding.
Sketch N' Cage is completely free to download and use.
Sketch N' Cage supports Blender 3.1 through 5.1. Two builds are provided: version 1.1.0e for Blender 4.3 and after, and version 1.0.5 for Blender 4.2 and before. The bundled SketchN Camera Controls add-on is provided at version 4.3.0a. If your Blender release falls within that 3.1 to 5.1 range, pick the build that matches your version, and check the developer's page to confirm the current download for your setup before installing.
Sketch N' Cage differs from a lattice in two ways described by the developer. Unlike a lattice, it can use any arbitrary shape as a deformer, drawn with the Grease Pencil tools. And unlike a lattice, its cage objects bind with the target object 1:1, which makes it ideal for rigging. In practice you draw a shape, it is converted into a cage deform object, and shape keys are created automatically so the deformation is ready to animate.
Sketch N' Cage is listed as free in this catalog and is distributed under the GPL license. It also comes with free lifetime updates and is included with the sister product Sketch N' Carve. Because licensing and availability can change over time, check the developer's page for the current terms and the latest download before you rely on it. That page is also where you will find the tutorials covering the 2D cage, cage deform and spin tool workflows.
Sketch N' Cage ships with the SketchN Camera Controls add-on, provided at version 4.3.0a. Beyond the camera controls, the core tool offers a Spin tool for circular cage shapes, a Mirror Tool for symmetrical shapes along any axis, and a Remesh modifier for creating lattice-like geometries. You can also scale, rotate and translate the cage with precision for placement, and use the Simplify slider to control cage resolution as you work on your shapes.
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