Google have released the first version of their 3D app Toontastic 3D. The application is designed for children and provides an impressive platform in order to create exciting stories. Users can create their own characters and settings by drawing on the screen before the application turns them into three-dimensional figures. We’ve been playing with the app in the office, and creating a 3D character from a 2D drawing is incredibly simple: as you would expect for the target audience!
The Toontastic 3D designing app follows Microsoft’s announcement of their new 3D Builder app for Windows Phones and their 3D update of the classic ‘Paint’ application. The free Toontastic 3D app is available for both iOS and Android and there are no in-app purchases meaning it’s safe for kids to roam around on their own.
How it works
The application uses either pre-made characters which can be customized by changing their color, or self-made characters drawn by the user. These characters are loaded into a setting of choice from the number of options. Then a storyboard can be created using sounds recorded by the device’s microphone and animation using your fingers. Further animations can be created by tapping on characters or objects in the environment. Stories can be either 3 parts or 5 parts and Google encourages educational use with the ‘Science Report’ category and High School setting.
Verdict
While aimed at children, here at 3DPI we’ve had a look at the app ourselves and were mildly amused. Interactive characters, as well as interactive backgrounds with moving doors, shooting cannons and other functions give users a number of different creative opportunities. Surprisingly, the app only had 500 downloads when we checked it out earlier.
Product Manager, Thushan Amarasiriwardena explained the motivation behind the release in a Google blog post,
We hope the app will empower kids to imagine, invent and explore while developing skills for the creative jobs of tomorrow—whether they dream of becoming a filmmaker, a teacher, a designer, a cartoonist, or just want to explore the boundaries of their imaginations.
Nominate Toontastic in the 3D design software category in the 1st Annual 3D Printing Industry Awards, or choose another 3D design tool.
Featured image of the Toontastic 3D app. Image via Google.
