Adobe has integrated a new AI tool into Illustrator called Turntable, which promises to revolutionize the conceptualization phase in product design. This feature automatically transforms a 2D vector illustration into a set of up to 74 3D views, generating rotations and tilts. The crucial point is that each resulting view remains a fully editable vector, allowing adjustments to shapes and colors without losing the initial work. This drastically shortens the step between the flat sketch and volumetric exploration.
How Turntable optimizes the product designer's workflow 🚀
For the product designer, Turntable eliminates the tedious manual creation of multiple views to present a concept. Starting from a line vector drawing, the AI infers the missing geometry to build coherent perspectives. This allows quickly evaluating volumetry, proportions, and the behavior of a design from all angles without leaving Illustrator. The tool is ideal for quickly generating view sheets for presentations, exploring shape variants, and making informed design decisions before investing time in complex 3D modeling, all while preserving the infinite scalability of the vector.
Beyond time savings: a shift in design mindset 💡
Turntable is not just an automation tool; it fosters more spatial thinking from the early phases. Graphic or product designers can experiment with the three-dimensionality of their ideas intuitively, seeing how a logo or product shape behaves in motion. This early and editable preview capability opens new possibilities for iteration and discovering unexpected uses for a design, integrating light 3D exploration into a traditionally 2D pipeline.
How can Illustrator's Turntable tool transform the traditional product design workflow by generating 3D vector visualizations directly from 2D sketches?
(P.S.: Designing a product in 3D is like being an architect, but without having to worry about the bricks.)