Why digital clay
The story behind Shapeaway, a sculpting app for Windows that behaves like real clay.
Polygon modelling asks you to think about the mesh. Real clay asks you to think about the shape. Shapeaway was built to feel like the second.
Its clay is a volume rather than a skin of triangles. Push it, cut through it, stick two lumps together and smooth the join: nothing tears, nothing folds inside out, and nothing needs repairing before it prints. That one decision is why the same app serves an artist roughing out a creature and a hobbyist printing a mug.
On top of the clay sit the tools professionals expect: pressure-sensitive brushes, detail meshes for pores and scales, materials, lighting, hair, and cameras matched to photographs. Underneath, every brush is measured, and every release runs a self-test inside the shipped app before it goes out.
Shapeaway is made for Windows, works with a mouse or a pen, and keeps your work on your computer: no account, nothing sent anywhere.
