In Photoshop CC 2015, 3D Mesh Presets are pre-built geometric shapes that allow you to quickly convert 2D layers into three-dimensional objects. These presets provide a foundation for 3D compositing, enabling users to wrap images around complex shapes like spheres, cubes, or even wine bottles without needing external 3D software. Available 3D Mesh Presets in CC 2015

Photoshop CC 2015 includes 12 default mesh presets. These are categorized by their complexity:

Single-Mesh Presets: Simple geometric primitives such as a Donut, Sphere, or Cylinder.

Multi-Mesh Presets: More complex models consisting of multiple distinct parts (surfaces you can modify independently), such as a Cube, Cone, Soda Can, or Wine Bottle.

Utility Presets: The Postcard preset, which converts a flat layer into a 3D plane that can be rotated and positioned in 3D space. Key Features for Mesh Management

The 2015 release introduced specific tools to make working with these presets more efficient:

Simplify Mesh: A critical feature for performance, this allows you to reduce the polygon count of a 3D model. It helps prevent sluggishness by lowering the number of triangles while maintaining the overall shape.

New Mesh from Grayscale: You can create custom "depth-based" meshes where darker pixels create recessed areas and lighter pixels create raised areas.

3D Panel Control: Each component of a mesh appears in the 3D panel, where you can toggle visibility (eye icon) or select individual parts to change their specific materials. How to Use Mesh Presets

Select a Layer: Choose the texture, photo, or solid color layer you want to wrap onto the 3D shape.

Access the Menu: Go to 3D > New Mesh from Layer > Mesh Preset.

Choose Your Shape: Select one of the built-in models (e.g., Wine Bottle or Sphere) from the fly-out menu.

Enter the 3D Workspace: Photoshop will prompt you to switch to the specialized 3D workspace. This provides the 3D, Properties, and Secondary View panels essential for navigation. Extending Your Library

If the built-in presets aren't enough, you can add custom models. Photoshop recognizes Collada (.dae) files as meshes. To add them as presets, place the .dae file into the Presets\Meshes folder within your Photoshop application directory. Photoshop 2015 - Simplify your 3D Mesh

Advanced Techniques: Merging Multiple Presets

You are not limited to one mesh per file. You can create complex scenes by merging presets.

Example: Creating a "Gift Box on a Table"

  1. Create a Cube Mesh (The table).
    • Resize it to be wide and flat.
  2. Create a second Cube Mesh (The gift).
    • Scale it down.
    • Rotate it 45 degrees.
  3. Create a Torus (Donut) Mesh (The ribbon).
    • Scale it non-uniformly (squash it).

To merge them, simply create a new 3D layer for each. To combine them into a single 3D object group (so they share lighting), right-click a 3D layer in the Layers panel and select Merge 3D Layers.

1. How to Access the Built-in Presets

In Photoshop CC 2015, the "Mesh Presets" (Soda Can, Wine Bottle, Hat, etc.) are located inside the 3D panel.

  1. Open Photoshop CC 2015.
  2. Go to the top menu: Window > 3D.
  3. In the 3D panel, ensure the Source is set to "Selected Layer(s)".
  4. Look for the Mesh section within the panel.
  5. Click the dropdown menu under "Mesh". You should see a list of presets like:
    • Soda
    • Wine Bottle
    • Hat
    • Pie
    • Sphere
    • Cube
    • Cylinder
    • Cone

Alternatively, via the Menu Bar:

  1. Create a new layer (it can be empty or filled).
  2. Go to 3D > New 3D Mesh from Layer.
  3. Hover over Mesh Preset.
  4. Select the shape you want.

3. How to "Reinstall" Missing Presets

If the presets menu is empty, the asset files are missing from your Photoshop installation folder. You can manually download and place them.

  1. Download 3D Assets: You need the "Photoshop 3D Content" pack. You can often find this via Adobe's older help pages or by searching for "Adobe Photoshop 3D Content sample assets".
  2. Locate the Folder: Navigate to your Photoshop installation directory.
    • Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2015\Presets\Meshes
    • Mac: Applications/Adobe Photoshop CC 2015/Presets/Meshes
  3. Paste Files: Copy the .csh or .obj mesh files into this folder.
  4. Restart Photoshop.

1. "3D is disabled because of a missing GPU"

Third‑Party 3D Mesh Presets (Formats: OBJ, 3DS, COLLADA)

Since Adobe’s presets are limited, most users import external OBJ files. Common sources:

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