Paint 3D Beginner's Guide: How to Create in 2D & 3D

When you launch Paint 3D, you are greeted with a simple welcome screen offering three ways to begin your project:

1. 1

   New Project

   Opens an empty white canvas. If you are following along with this guide for the first time, choose this option. You can explore the other options later.

2. 2

   Open Existing File

   Opens the Windows file browser so you can load an existing Paint 3D project, a saved 3D model, or a picture you want to edit.

3. 3

   Paste from Clipboard

   If you already copied an image or screenshot (using Ctrl+C), this instantly creates a new project with your picture placed right onto the canvas.

   

Paint 3D is fairly simple once you know where everything is. You will spend most of your time working between three main areas:

You do not have to start with a blank screen. You can bring in any photo, sketch, or screenshot using these straightforward steps:

1. 1

   Paste or Insert a Picture

   Press Ctrl+V to drop whatever image you have copied straight onto the canvas, or go to Menu > Insert (or Open > Browse files) to pick a saved picture from your PC.

2. 2

   Move the Image on Canvas

   Click anywhere inside the image's border and drag it where you want it.

3. 3

   How to Resize an Image in Paint 3D

   Drag any of the white corner handles. Hold down the Shift key while you drag so your picture does not stretch or distort out of proportion.

4. 4

   How to Rotate in Paint 3D

   Click and drag the circular handle at the top center of the picture box to spin it to any custom angle. For a quick turn, you can also use the Rotate 90° or Flip buttons in the right sidebar.

   

When you open a new document, Paint 3D gives you a default canvas size. If your imported picture does not fill the white space, or if you want a specific shape like a square for an avatar, use the Crop tool:

1. 1

   Select the Crop Tool

   Click the Crop tool in the upper-left toolbar (right next to Select).

2. 2

   Adjust Bounding Borders

   A framing box with corner handles will appear around the canvas. Drag the borders inward to cut away the extra white space.

3. 3

   Set Aspect Ratio or Pixels

   If you need a specific proportion, choose a preset ratio in the right sidebar (like 16:9 widescreen or 1:1 square), or type the exact width and height in pixels.

4. 4

   Confirm Your Crop

   Press Enter or click Done on the right to apply the crop. As always, Ctrl+Z will undo it if you cropped too much.

   

If you want to sketch, paint, or add annotations, Paint 3D includes a versatile set of digital drawing tools across two main categories:

1. 1

   The 10 Brushes & How to Change Opacity in Paint 3D

   Switch to the Brushes tab in the top ribbon. You will see 10 different media options: Marker, Calligraphy pen, Oil brush, Watercolor, Pixel pen, Pencil, Eraser, Crayon, Spray can, and the Fill bucket. On the right panel, you can adjust both Thickness and Opacity. Lowering the opacity below 100% creates translucent, layered strokes that work well for subtle shading, watercolor washes, or highlighter effects.

   

2. 2

   Lines, Curves, and 2D Shapes

   Click the 2D shapes tab to insert straight lines, curved lines (with 3, 4, or 5 anchor points), circles, capsules, stars, and speech bubbles. When you place a curved line or polygon, small circular control dots appear along the shape. Drag these dots to bend curves or round the corners to your liking.

3. 3

   Stamping Duplicates

   If you want to place several identical shapes without drawing each one from scratch, click the small Stamp icon on the shape's bounding box. It applies the current shape to the canvas and immediately creates an identical duplicate ready to position.

   

By default, drawings on the canvas are flat. Paint 3D makes it easy to turn drawings into movable 3D objects, or isolate subjects from photos with Magic Select:

1. 1

   The "Make 3D" Button

   Whenever you place a 2D shape, curve, or sticker, look at the right sidebar for the Make 3D button. Clicking this instantly gives your flat shape physical depth and lifts it off the canvas. Once it is 3D, it won't bake into the background, so you can move, spin, or scale it whenever you want. You can also click Make sticker to save your custom drawing into your sticker drawer for later use.

   

2. 2

   How to Remove Background in Paint 3D with Magic Select

   Magic Select works best when your subject stands out reasonably well from its background. Select your photo on the canvas and click Magic select in the top toolbar. Drag the corner handles of the blue framing box snugly around the person, pet, or object you want to cut out, then click Next on the right.

   Paint 3D will highlight what it detected. If an edge was missed, click Add and draw a quick line over the part to include. If it grabbed too much background, click Remove and trace over the unwanted area.

   

3. 3

   Working with Your Cutout

   Click Done. Your subject is now a separate floating cutout. Paint 3D automatically fills in the background canvas behind it so there isn't an awkward hole. You can drag your cutout to another part of the canvas, copy it into another project, or delete the old background entirely.

   

When you add a 3D model (either from the 3D shapes tab or the built-in 3D library), it floats freely in 3D space rather than sticking to the canvas.

1. 1

   Using the 3D Library

   In supported versions of Windows with an active connection, you can click the 3D library tab to search thousands of free models (such as vehicles, animals, characters, and furniture) and insert them directly into your scene. If the library button shows a network connection error, see our troubleshooting guide for why the online service was retired and how to add 3D models to your scene.

   

2. 2

   The 3D Control Handles Explained

   Whenever you click on any 3D model, Paint 3D places five control handles around it:

   • Corner handles: Click and drag any white corner handle to scale the model larger or smaller.
   • Bottom ring (Tilt): Tilts the model forward toward you or backward away from you.
   • Right ring (Turn): Spins the model horizontally to face left or right.
   • Top ring (Roll): Rotates the model clockwise or counter-clockwise on the screen.
   • Left slider (Depth handle): This is the depth control. Drag it up or down to push the object farther back (even behind the canvas) or pull it forward toward you.

   

When placing 3D objects from the front, it is easy to think two shapes are touching when one is actually floating feet behind the other. That is where 3D View comes in:

1. 1

   Turn on 3D View

   Click the 3D view button in the top toolbar (right next to the zoom slider). Your canvas will tilt in perspective so you can see the real depth of your scene.

2. 2

   Look Around (Orbit)

   Hold down your Right Mouse Button and drag across the screen. This rotates your viewpoint around your models so you can inspect them from the side, top, or back.

3. 3

   Slide Your View (Pan)

   Hold down the Alt key and drag with your left mouse button (or click and drag with your middle mouse wheel) to slide the camera sideways or up and down. Click the 3D view button again at any time to snap back to your flat workspace.

   

You aren't limited to ready-made cubes and spheres. Under 3D shapes > 3D doodle, Paint 3D provides three freehand tools to create custom 3D objects from scratch:

1. 1

   The 3D Tube Brush

   Think of this like squeezing toothpaste or bending a wire. Click and drag to draw lines, pipes, vines, or handles. You can choose different tube shapes in the right sidebar (circular, faceted, or diamond). After drawing, little adjustment dots appear along the line so you can bend and reshape the curve before finishing.

   

2. 2

   Soft Edge Doodle

   Draw a closed loop, like a cloud, pillow, or body part. The moment you bring your line back to the starting point and close the shape, Paint 3D automatically puffs the sketch into a smooth, rounded 3D cushion.

   

3. 3

   Sharp Edge Doodle

   Instead of a continuous smooth curve, click point-by-point to outline straight geometric sides. When you connect back to your starting point, Paint 3D extrudes the outline into a crisp, flat-faced 3D block with sharp edges.

   

Once you have a 3D model in your scene, you can customize how shiny it looks and even paint directly onto its surface:

1. 1

   Surface Finishes

   Select any 3D model and look at the right sidebar. Under the color palette, the material dropdown gives you four surface finishes:

   • Matte: A flat, non-reflective finish like clay or paper.
   • Gloss: A smooth, shiny finish with clear highlights, like smooth plastic.
   • Dull Metal: A soft, brushed metallic look like pewter or brushed aluminum.
   • Polished Metal: A bright, mirror-like chrome finish that reflects scene lighting strongly.

   

2. 2

   Painting Directly onto 3D Surfaces

   You don't need a special texture editor to color your model. Pick any brush from the Brushes tab (such as the spray can, oil brush, or marker) and start drawing right across your 3D model. Paint 3D automatically maps your strokes around the curved surface. You can also drag stickers or pictures onto the model, and they will bend smoothly around the shape.

   

Paint 3D doesn't have complex cutting or sculpting tools, but you can build surprisingly detailed models simply by overlapping basic shapes:

1. 1

   Position Overlapping Shapes

   Position your basic shapes so they overlap, such as placing cylinders against a box to make wheels on a toy car.

2. 2

   Select Multiple Objects

   Switch to the Select tool, hold down the Ctrl key, and click each 3D shape you want to combine (or drag a selection box around all of them).

3. 3

   Lock into a Group

   In the right sidebar, click Group. All of those separate shapes are now linked together as one model. You can resize, move, and rotate the whole group as a single unit without the pieces drifting apart. If you ever need to adjust one piece, just select the group and click Ungroup.

   

Under the Text tab, you have two different options: 2D text and 3D text. It helps to understand the difference before you start typing:

1. 1

   How to Edit 2D Text

   Drag a text box on your canvas, choose your font, and type. Keep in mind: you can only edit 2D text while that typing box is active. As soon as you click outside of it, Paint 3D permanently bakes the letters into the canvas pixels. You cannot click back in to fix typos later. If you clicked away by accident, press Ctrl+Z immediately.

2. 2

   How to Edit 3D Text

   If you want text you can reposition later, pick 3D text. Paint 3D turns your lettering into solid, extruded 3D blocks. While you can't change the spelling once placed, you can select it anytime to move it, rotate it across all three axes, scale it, or change its color and material finish.

   

Adjusting the lighting and canvas settings helps your 3D models look more realistic and makes it easy to export clean graphics:

1. 1

   The Effects Tab (Light Wheel & Mood Filters)

   Click the Effects tab at the top. On the right sidebar, you'll see a circular dial with a small sun icon. Drag the sun around the dial to change the angle of the main light source, watching how highlights and shadows shift across your models. You can also pick color filters (like Default, Warm Sun, or Mist) to give your scene a warm, cool, or nighttime feel.

   

2. 2

   How to Make a Transparent Background in Paint 3D

   If you're making a logo, sticker, or cutout to use on a website or in a presentation, you don't want a solid white box around it:

   • Click the Canvas tab in the top toolbar.
   • Toggle Transparent canvas to ON (or switch Show canvas to OFF). The white canvas immediately turns into a grey transparent workspace.
   • When you're ready to save, export your file as a 2D PNG and make sure the Transparency box is checked so the background stays clear.

Near the top right of the Paint 3D toolbar is a button labeled Mixed reality. Clicking it sends your current 3D creation straight into the Windows 3D Viewer app (which comes included on Windows 10 and Windows 11).

1. 1

   See It in Your Room (AR Camera)

   If your computer has a webcam, turn on Mixed Reality inside 3D Viewer. It uses your camera feed to place your 3D model directly onto your desk or floor so you can see how it looks in the real world.

2. 2

   Studio Lighting View & Turntable Animations

   If you don't have a camera, 3D Viewer is still great for checking your work. You can switch between different studio lighting setups, test shadows, and play turntable animations that spin your model smoothly on a pedestal.

   

When your project is finished, click Menu at the top left, then select Save as. Paint 3D gives you four export options depending on how you plan to use your work:

1. 1

   Paint 3D Project

   Saves your master file so you can reopen it anytime and keep moving, editing, or adding shapes. Always keep a project save before exporting.

2. 2

   Image (PNG, JPG)

   Exports a flat picture. Pick 2D PNG with the Transparency box checked if you want your cutouts or 3D art without a background.

3. 3

   3D Model (.glb, .3mf, .fbx)

   Export .glb for web and AR, .3mf for standard 3D printing slicing software, or .fbx for game engines and 3D suites.

4. 4

   Video / GIF Animation

   Renders a short animation, such as a turntable spin, swing, or wobble. You can save it as an .mp4 video or an animated .gif.

   

These are the most useful mouse and keyboard shortcuts to remember while working in Paint 3D:

If you like watching someone demonstrate each tool on screen, here is the full video tutorial by Skills Factory. It walks through all of the features in this guide step by step: