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Trimflow

by Shape-Shift·Workflow

Images © Shape-Shift. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Trimflow earns its place in the superhive library for a non-destructive take on trim-based detailing, borrowing Substance Painter's Path approach while working with trims rather than brushes. It carries a 5-star rating across nine ratings and has passed 1,500 sales.

What is Trimflow?

Trimflow is a Blender add-on from Shape-Shift for laying repeating patterns such as ornaments or stitches onto objects in a non-destructive way. Its approach is similar to Substance Painter's Path tool, but it works with trims instead of brushes. You draw a curve onto the surface of a mesh, and the add-on converts trim textures into decals that can be adjusted, copied, or swapped for another.

An integrated baking tool turns trim decals into masks, which can then feed material creation inside Blender or in other applications like Substance 3D and Marmoset Toolbag. With a shader setup, decals can also be blended with their target object's material, which is useful for rendering inside Blender without baking and keeping the workflow fully non-destructive.

Trimflow can also use trims with Head and Tail pieces at their ends and a seamless, tiling section in between, an optional feature that adds versatility. Conventional trims from existing libraries or third-party packs work too, and can be adjusted to support Head and Tail. Example assets, online documentation, and a YouTube tutorial playlist are included.

Who is Trimflow best for?

Trimflow is best for blender artists applying repeating patterns like ornaments or stitches to surfaces non-destructively, and baking trim decals into masks for texturing in Blender or external apps.

How much does Trimflow cost?

Trimflow is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Draw a curve onto a mesh surface to turn trim textures into decals that can be adjusted, copied, or swapped
  • Integrated baking tool converts trim decals into masks for material creation in Blender, Substance 3D, or Marmoset Toolbag
  • Decals can be blended with the target object's material via a shader setup, for rendering inside Blender without baking
  • Optional Head and Tail trim pieces with a seamless, tiling section between them
  • Works with conventional trims from existing libraries or third-party asset packs, which can be adjusted to support Head and Tail
  • Includes the Sami Knife and Shoe examples with their trim sheets and textures, plus online documentation and a YouTube tutorial playlist

Tags

#trims#decals#texturing#non-destructive#baking#ornaments#stitches#workflow

Frequently asked questions

What Blender versions does Trimflow support?

Trimflow lists support for Blender 3.5 through 5.2. Version 2.2 adds Blender 5.2 compatibility and will not work with Blender 5.1 and older; for those releases, the developer points users to Trimflow 2.1.3 instead. If you are on an older Blender build, check which Trimflow version matches your setup before installing so the add-on behaves as expected. This range covers a wide span of Blender releases, so most users can find a compatible version.

Can Trimflow's masks be used outside Blender?

Trimflow includes an integrated baking tool that turns trim decals into masks. Those masks can be used for material creation inside Blender, or in other applications such as Substance 3D and Marmoset Toolbag, so the output is not locked to a single environment. This lets you keep the decal-drawing and baking steps in Blender while continuing your material work in whichever texturing tool you prefer.

Can I use my own trim textures with Trimflow?

Trimflow works with conventional trims from your existing library or third-party asset packs, and those trims can also be adjusted to support the optional Head and Tail feature. Several example trim sheets ship with the add-on, along with the Sami Knife and Shoe examples and a documentation guide on creating your own patterns with Head and Tail pieces. That means you are not limited to the bundled sheets.

Can Trimflow render inside Blender without baking?

Trimflow lets you blend decals with their target object's material through a shader setup, which is useful for rendering inside Blender without baking and keeps the workflow completely non-destructive. If you do need masks for external material work, the separate integrated baking tool converts trim decals into masks instead. The included Sami Knife example ships with comments in the shader view to show how the setup is arranged.

Is Trimflow free, and what license does it use?

Trimflow is listed as free in this catalog, and it is distributed under the GPL license. Licensing and any purchase options can change over time, so check the developer's page for the current terms before you rely on them. The developer also asks users to review the FAQ ahead of any purchase and offers support through Discord, a Blenderartists thread, Superhive messages, and email.

Alternatives to Trimflow

Also in Workflow for Blender.

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