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Composition workspace | Substance 3D Viewer

The Composition workspace helps you compose images by selecting a background image, modifying the canvas size, and orienting your model to fit the background.

You can access the Composition workspace with the button in the workspace panel on the left side of the Viewer window.

Note:

When using Viewer to modify a smart object from the Photoshop (beta) app, some options in the Composition workspace can be disabled, including modifying the background and canvas size. These options can be controlled in the Photoshop (beta) app.

Canvas size

Just like in Photoshop, the Canvas is what we call the work area where your creative work exists. The Canvas size refers to the resolution, in pixels, of this work area. When you export an image from Viewer, it will be exported at a resolution matching the Canvas size.

To change the Canvas size:

  1. Open the Composition workspace.

  2. Select Canvas Size.

  3. Change the Width and Height by entering values for W and H respectively.

  4. Alternatively, if you’ve already selected a background, use the Match background size button to automatically match the resolution of the selected background image.

  5. Use the Back chevron to return to the Composition workspace.

Background image

Background images can allow you to quickly compose a shot of your model in a fully realized environment. To use a background image:

  1. Open the Composition workspace.

  2. The grey box next to the Background image text shows your current background image. Click the grey box to add a different background image to the canvas.

  3. Drag and drop a file onto the dialog that appears, or use the open button to browse to a file on your computer.

  4. The background image will appear on your canvas.

You can toggle the visibility of the background image with the checkbox in the Composition workspace.

To remove a background image:

  1. Open the Composition workspace.

  2. Click the thumbnail of the current background image.

  3. In the dialog that appears, click the trash can to remove the current background image.

Orient your model

Once you have imported a background image, you may want to orient your model to match the perspective of the image.

In the Composition workspace tab, select your model to see information about the current transform of the model and details about the frame. You can manually enter values to modify the position, rotation, and scale of your model.

Alternatively you can use the standard camera controls to orient the model.

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