For multidisciplinary teams seeking 3D design collaboration, Gravity Sketch offers a much-preferred platform with extensive compatibility. However, individual creators focusing on immersive 3D painting would find more value in the intuitive and award-winning VR capabilities of Tilt Brush.
Key Differences Between Gravity Sketch and Tilt Brush
- Gravity Sketch is a 3D design platform catering to cross-disciplinary teams; Tilt Brush is a 3D painting VR app for individual creators.
- Platform Compatibility: Gravity Sketch is more versatile, available on tethered headsets, iPad, and desktop; Tilt Brush is primarily a VR-oriented product.
- Usage: Gravity Sketch is useful for stakeholder alignment, co-creation, and hosting reviews; Tilt Brush emphasizes immersive 3D painting and exploration.
- Bullet Community Engagement: Both have notable community involvement, with Open Source development for Tilt Brush and user-driven feature development for Gravity Sketch.
| Comparison | Gravity Sketch | Tilt Brush |
|---|---|---|
| Founded/Developed By | Gravity Sketch (London, 2014) | Skillman & Hackett, acquired by Google (2015) |
| Design Purpose | 3D Design for cross-disciplinary collaboration | 3D VR Painting |
| Key Features | 3D design, VR tools, cross-platform compatibility, LandingPad for 2D/3D content sharing | Room-scale 3D drawing, variety of export formats, intuitive interface, diverse painting materials |
| Platform Compatibility | Standalone, tethered headsets, iPad app, desktop | HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Vive; Mouse and keyboard version for development |
| Key Clients/Users | Ford, Adidas, Rivian, Polaris | Public users, animation and game creators |
| Pricing Model | Free, Business Plans, One-time Purchase | Free, Open Source under Apache 2.0 license, Steam site license for commercial |
| Main Application | Art/Game Design, Education | Animation, Multiplayer experience |
| Unique Feature | Freedom beyond 2D sketching using VR gestural design tools | Room-scale 3D painting with unique painting materials |
| Community Involvement | Highly appreciated | Continued under \”Open Brush\” |
What Is Gravity Sketch and Who’s It For?
Established in 2014, Gravity Sketch is a progressive 3D design platform allowing cross-disciplinary teams to collaborate, review, and bring their visions to life in 3D. Born out of London, it uses intuitive VR gestural design tools that take you beyond traditional 2D sketching. This tool is devised for designers, by designers, enabling accelerated design processes and clear communication of ideas.
Primarily targeted at professionals in Art/Game Design, and Education sectors, Gravity Sketch has found favor with big players such as Ford, Adidas, Rivian, and Polaris. The platform appeals particularly to those skilled in 2D, steering design processes with less ambiguity from the get-go.
Pros of Gravity Sketch
- Freedom beyond 2D sketching
- Platform compatibility across devices
- Availability of a free plan
- Significant players as clients
- Community involvement in development
Cons of Gravity Sketch
- Limited usefulness in science due to import/export restrictions
- Needs VR at every desk for ideal performance
- Still in early access, though stable and production-ready
What Is Tilt Brush and Who’s It For?
Launched in 2015, Tilt Brush is a groundbreaking VR app for room-scale 3D painting. Initially conceived by Skillman & Hackett, it was later acquired by Google. Specifically designed for 6DoF motion interfaces, it offers a virtual environment for 3D drawing. Its unique paint materials like fire, stars, and snowflakes create an unprecedented creativity experience.
The app opens that door to animation and multiplayer experience, priming users to explore the unlimited possibilities of painting in 3D space. What began as a chess game prototype is now an award-winning application, praised for its intuitive interface and 3D painting capacities.
Pros of Tilt Brush
- Intuitive interface
- Unique 3D painting experience
- Flexible license terms
- Award-winning application
- Wide file export options
Cons of Tilt Brush
- Development version only available for keyboard and mouse
- Commercial use requires a Steam site license
- Google discontinued projects impact the product’s future
Gravity Sketch or Tilt Brush – Which Reigns Supreme?
After an in-depth comparison of Gravity Sketch and Tilt Brush, the choice between the two depends largely on the user’s professional and creative requirements. Let’s break it down.
Design Professionals
For design professionals, especially from the automotive industry, Gravity Sketch offers a more comprehensive, tagged and intuitive design toolset, allowing 3D vision communication, co-creation, and stakeholder reviews. Its compatibility with Wacom tablets and the versatile use of VR make it a more functional choice for industrial application.
Art/Game Developers
Tilt Brush, with its 3D painting capabilities, offers a groundbreaking interactive interface popular among art and game developers. Its diverse export formats and the ability to create GIFs and videos cater to developers who focus on visual depth and animation.
Education Sector
In the case of teachers and students eager to explore the dimensions of design, Gravity Sketch emerges as a worthy option. Its accessible yet powerful feature set enables quick concept capture in 3D and accelerates the learning process.
Open-Source Advocates
Tilt Brush (now Open Brush) is the preferred choice for open-source enthusiasts due to its interactive interface, unique 3D painting capabilities and active community-led continued development under an Apache 2.0 license.
Final Verdict: Select Gravity Sketch for specialized and collaborative design needs, and choose Tilt Brush for immersive art creation and open-source commitments.
