KeyShot has been using AI as part of the rendering workflow for many years. Denoising and in particular progressive denoising relies on custom trained AI models that speed up the creation of noise-free rendered images. KeyShot 2025.2 introduced a new generative AI workflow called AI Shots. AI Shots enables the creation of images utilizing the CAD model that KeyShot is currently working on. AI Shots relies on a combination of a generally available AI model with an in-house custom fine-tuned AI model to leverage the information provided by the CAD model. AI Shots runs locally on the desktop and does not rely on any cloud services which ensures complete privacy of the CAD model and generated images. 

AI Shots had a number of important goals: Privacy of the images and CAD data, and respecting the CAD model (reducing hallucinations that would cause an AI rendered image of a CAD model to introduce new non-existing features to the CAD model). We have achieved the privacy by running the AI model locally on the end user's computer. This is a trade-off as it required a powerful GPU to effectively run the AI models. Fortunately, most KeyShot customers have GPUs that they use for ray tracing and the same GPU can be used for AI as well. Secondly, existing AI models have been trained to create images from scratch or based on other images. While an image of a CAD model can provide a good basis we found it insufficient to prevent the AI model from adding details lacking in the model. We therefore have fine-tuned the image generation models to take as input 3D data from the CAD model. This significantly reduces hallucinations and makes it much more likely that the rendered AI image will look like an actual rendering of the CAD model. Based on this fine tuned AI model we have introduced an AI mode called Restyle, where a CAD model can be painted efficiently by AI in order to explore different styles based on a prompt. 

In KeyShot 2026.1 we are introducing a new and vastly improved version of AI Shots that not only improves the quality of the AI generated images but also adds new workflows including editing any images whether generated by AI or rendered in KeyShot. 

 AI Shots in KeyShot 2026.1 requires downloading approximately 16GB of AI model data before it can be used. This data is actually several AI models each optimized to serve specific actions in the AI Shots interface. The core AI model in AI Shots is the Qwen Image Editing model, which has been further custom trained using in-house generated images for the different modes provided by AI Shots. 

Hardware Requirements 

AI Shots requires a recent GPU from either NVIDIA, AMD, or Apple with at least 16GB of memory. It can also run using only the CPU, but this will be much slower than using a dedicated GPU. AI Shots runs on both Windows and Mac OS. AI Shots runs locally on the machine and the computation is therefore completely private. 

Using AI Shots 

AI Shots in KeyShot 26.1 has two major modes: Generating images from the CAD model or editing an existing image. The image generation mode was introduced in KeyShot 25.2, while the editing mode is new in KeyShot 26.1. AI Shots has an option to generate multiple images from the same prompt. This is an effective way to get an image with the desired look as even small variations can have a significant visual influence on the appearance of an image. A difference in 26.1 compared to 25.x is that the prompt can be short and descriptive. AI Shots in 25.x required longer more detailed prompts. It is still possible to use a long prompt, but it is not required. 

Using AI to Generate Images 

AI Shots provide 3 modes for generating images: Restyle, Background, and Imagine. 

Restyle is a powerful way to use AI to generate images based on the raw CAD model. Restyle ignores the existing materials on the CAD model and with a prompt the user can describe what the CAD model should look like and in what setting the CAD model should be placed. Based on the descriptive text in the prompt the CAD model will be rendered using AI with the materials, lighting, and a setting that matches the description. 

Examples of AI Shots Restyle outputs with the images below given the prompt ‘California Coastal Interior’.  

Background takes the rendered CAD model in KeyShot and generates a setting that integrates the CAD model as it looks in KeyShot. AI Shots will strive to match the lighting on the CAD model with the requested background in the prompt. To make the prompt more effective it is best to describe both the product as well as the background in the prompt in order to give AI Shots as much information as possible to work with. 

Rendered CAD in KeyShot model shown on the top. AI Shots Background outputs the two images below given the prompt ‘Lamp in a California Coastal interior. Breezy whites, natural fibers, and relaxed textures to create a space that honors laid-back luxury and celebrates effortless sunshine living.’.  

Imagine is a pure generative AI model that ignores the CAD data and simply creates an image based on the prompt. This can be used to explore ideas or to create full backgrounds or textures without taking into account the CAD model in KeyShot.

Examples below with the prompt: ‘Photoreal electric trimmer, aerospace-grade titanium shell with CNC-milled geometric surface pattern, hand-carved bog oak inlay panels set flush into the body, contrast between cold metallic precision and warm organic grain, isometric three-quarter view, white seamless background, KeyShot-style studio render’ 

Using AI to Edit Images 

In KeyShot 2026.1 AI Shots is enhanced with a new powerful editing capability. As with generating images there are multiple modes for editing: Transform, Replace, and Upscale. The modes work on both AI generated images and images rendered in KeyShot (including screenshots). 

Transform makes it possible to change existing images based on a prompt. This can be any change such as removing components, changing colors, moving an item, or placing a product in a specific setting. 

Examples of Transform below: AI Shots Transform can be used to take an image of a product such as the toy airplane and place it in a setting. The image on the right uses the prompt ‘A kid plays with the airplane’. 

Replace is similar to Transform except the change is made to a specific region highlighted by the user. With Replace, AI Shots will only make a localized change. This can be used to delete specific items, change a specific material, or add a feature in a specific location. 

AI Shots Replace can be used to edit regions in an image. Taking the examples below, where AI Transform also added other toys on the sand. On the right the image shows the output given a mask over the toys on the sand and the prompt ‘Just Sand’. 

Upscale is using AI to increase the resolution of images either by 2x or 4x. AI will add details where needed. This is a quick way to get a higher resolution image. No prompt is required for upscaling images. 

Examples of AI Shots Upscale: Left original image, right upscaled version (2x). Notice the added detail and crisper edges in the upscaled version. 

AI Shots Workflows 

Below is an example of AI Shots workflows that show how an image can be created using a mix of restyle and editing operations. 

Starting with a Visune scene with tableware.

Use Restyle with the prompt 'Contemporary tableware in a Farmhouse interior. The tableware has varying colors, finishes and textures.'

Then to add life to the scene, a number of Replace Edits.

 1st Replace :

Added a puff of steam using a mask painted above the pot.

2nd Replace:

Added coffee in the left mug using a mask painted at the top of the mug.

3rd Replace:

Added soup in the large dish using a mask painted on the inside of the dish.

4th Replace:

Added cereal in the bowl.

5th Replace:

Added a spoon to the cereal bowl.

5th Replace:

Added a spoon to the cereal bowl.

6th Replace:

Added a metal spoon to the soup dish.

Then use  Transform for adding bread to the image.

Transform was specifically instructed to place a few slices of bread to the left of the soup dish.

One final Transform to make it late evening with cosy indoor lighting.

AI Shots Performance 

AI Shots runs best with a recent GPU from either NVIDIA, AMD, or Apple. It can run using a CPU, but this is generally much slower than using a dedicated GPU. To highlight the performance of different hardware platforms we have tested AI Shots on the following hardware: 

• NVIDIA Blackwell Max-Q 96GB
• AMD R9700 AI PRO
• MacBook Pro M5Max (36GB, 32 GPU Cores)
• AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX

Benchmark 

We performed benchmark tests for Restyle at 1024x1024 resolutions. 

Above: Time taken to generate a single 1024x1024 image using AI Shots Restyle. 

Conclusion 

AI Shots in KeyShot 2026.1 is a major upgrade that significantly improves the quality and capability of AI Shots. In KeyShot 2026.1 new editing capabilities have been introduced that makes it faster and easier to make changes to images whether rendered in KeyShot or generated with AI Shots. 

AI Shots remain unique in that it has been trained to respect the 3D CAD model. The reason for this custom training is to minimize any unwanted changes to the CAD model, where AI might add features or components that do not exist in the original CAD data. 

Another unique feature of AI Shots is that it runs entirely local using the users GPU or CPU to run the AI model. No CAD data, prompt, or any other data is uploaded to the cloud ensuring full privacy of the CAD model and generated images. 

As product designers, we often see 3D rendering as the final step of a project the moment we make our finalized concept look photorealistic. But what if we used rendering technology at the very beginning of the design
process, to create physical tools that help us ideate?

I recently discovered that KeyShot’s Displacement feature is not just for making bumpy renders, it’s a powerful tool to literally change geometry and manufacture tactile prototypes.

In this post, I will walk you through my exact workflow to create custom, 3D-printed sketch texture plates that help me add instant, textures to my sketches.

Step 1: Preparation in Fusion 360

We start out in CAD. For this project, I used Autodesk Fusion 360 to create the base model for my texture plate.

1. I sketched a simple 10x10 cm square.

2. I created a border around it and executed the profile down by 1mm to create a frame.

3. I then made an offset of 2mm on the inner plane, pushing it down so the entire piece has a total height of 2mm, forming a sort of 'minitray'.

4. A good tip is to add a different material in Fusion 360 on the plane.

I then exported this as a STEP file.

Step 2: KeyShot Displacement

After importing the STEP file into KeyShot, I opened the Material Graph for the inner plane material. KeyShot recognizes that this single body has two distinct material areas based on the colors I assigned in Fusion.

Here is how I built the procedural displacement material:

1. Source: I sourced a high-quality, black-and-white displacement or roughness image from AmbientCG.

2. Color Adjust: I connected the texture map to a Color Adjust node. The goal here is to reduce grayscale as much as possible, I want sharp, defined peaks and valleys.

3. Color To Number: Next, I connected it to a Color To Number node. This gives absolute control over whether an area is completely black or completely white, ensuring a clean 3D print without unwanted artifacts.

4. Displacement: Finally, I connected the chain to a Displace node and executed the geometry to see the model physically transform.

Step 3: From Digital Mesh to Physical Print

Once I was happy with the resulting geometry in KeyShot, it was time to move back to manufacturing.

1. Exporting 3MF: KeyShot allowed me to export this complex displaced mesh as a 3MF file. 3MF is far superior to STL for handling complex textures and geometry data.

2. Back to Fusion (Mesh environment): I imported the 3MF back into Fusion 360.

3. Merging the Bodies: The import results in two separate mesh bodies. To fix this, I used the Mesh Combine tool, selecting one as the target and the other as the tool, and selected 'Merge' to create a single, solid mesh.

4. Slicing & Printing: I then sent the final merged mesh to my Bambu Slicer and 3D printed the plate on my Bambu printer. In the slicer I added ironing to make the top surface as smooth as possible.

Step 4: Sanding and Finishing Touches

Once the prints are off the build plate, there is one final, crucial step: sanding. I lightly sand down the top surface of the printed underlays. This step removes any minor 3D printing artifacts and ensures the top face is perfectly smooth. That way, when you place a piece of paper over it, your pencil only picks up the beautiful, crisp texture from the displaced geometry, rather than the layer lines from the printer.

 

Step 5: The Final Sketching Result

Finally, it’s time for the best part! Just slide your custom underlay beneath your sketch paper and lightly shade over it with a pencil or pastel. The digital KeyShot material is instantly transferred onto your physical sketch, giving your manual ideation process a massive, realistic upgrade. To get the absolute best results when using these custom underlays, keep these three things in mind:

Markers first, texture second: it's best to lay down your base colors with markers before applying the texture. If you apply only pencil it doesn’t pop as much.

Go with the grain: Try to shade in the same direction as the texture's natural grain. This helps the pencil catch the raised edges perfectly, resulting in a much more realistic material representation.

Use a flat tip: Avoid using a razor-sharp pencil. A blunt or flat tip covers more surface area and glides smoothly over the underlay without poking through the paper or getting caught in the deep grooves.

 

Bringing Textures into the Real World

This workflow proves that displacement can be more than a rendering trick. It is a powerful geometry engine that bridges the gap between digital texture and physical reality. Creating these custom sketch underlays is just one example. You can use this method for everything from creating custom grip textures on functional prototypes to generating complex organic patterns that would take days to model manually in CAD. 

If you're just getting started with KeyShot, be sure to join us in our new weekly Onboarding Seminar!

Starting April 2, 2026, these seminars are designed to be flexible and built around your questions.

Join to:

• Get your onboarding questions answered
• Learn tips and best practices from our training team
• Start off on the right foot as a KeyShot user

Drop in whenever it works for you. No pressure—just support when you need it. When you register, you have the option to include your questions so our experts can come prepared.

We’re thrilled to bring you the newest version of KeyShot Studio, providing the usability and speed updates you’ve requested! Get the full rundown below. 

The fine print in case you’re wondering: AI Shots is using several custom-trained AI models that have been fine-tuned to work with the CAD data in your scene. AI Shots in 2026.1 is using a highly customized version of the Qwen AI model as compared to the Flux Schnell model used in KeyShot 2025. AI Shots still runs locally on your machine with no significant changes to the hardware requirements. 

Easier Keyframe Animations 

Away with the workarounds: A new “per keyframe” toggle makes keyframes show up right in the curve editor. This makes it possible for you to tweak easing curves while still actively adding, moving and deleting keyframes. This also allows you to add pauses more easily. 

Animation support (3x faster!) + CAD Metadata in Scripting 

Last year, we introduced CAD metadata support where extra information stored within CAD files is imported, alongside the geometric shapes and materials, and displayed inside of KeyShot Studio. In 2026, this metadata is now also exposed to scripting.  

The new script function lux.sceneNode.getMetadata() makes it possible to write scripts that read, understand and act upon CAD metadata. This allows you to develop your own highly advanced plugins for KeyShot Studio that perform specific tasks (i.e. applying a material, moving an object, rendering a thumbnail, etc.) based on annotations provided by the CAD engineer. 

Are you rendering animations? You can now render animations in headless mode with the newly added renderAnimation() Python function. Instead of starting up the render engine for each individual frame, KeyShot Studio in Headless mode now starts up once and then renders the entire animation, like it would when running with the user interface. This provides a 3x faster render output (on average) and makes KeyShot Studio even more powerful when used as a headless render engine. 

New Integrations: IFC, PBR material info, + updated Solidworks, Solid Edge, Catia and NX 

In addition to the dozens of integrations already available, now KeyShot Studio supports: 

• Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file import 
• PBR material information import from USD files  
• Updated support for importing the latest versions of SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Catia and NX 

GPU Performance Improvements 

Enjoy an even faster GPU mode, which improves material evaluation and significantly speeds up rendering of scenes with complex materials, including faster performance of marquee selections in scenes with many parts. 

Requested Usability Updates: Ground Planes, Marquee Deselect and your new user avatar  

You asked, we answered. KeyShot Studio 2026 features the following usability updates:  

• New ground planes now only get added to the active model set instead of all model sets.  
• Added a user avatar and navigation section to the top-right of the ribbon. This allows easy access to your KeyShot account, KeyShot Luminaries, the support landing page, KeyShot manual, and more.  
• Made it possible to marquee deselect by holding the left mouse button and dragging while holding control and shift on Windows (command and shift on MacOS). 

With the many changes facing the design industry today, we thought it would be helpful to share the innovative 3D rendering experts we pay attention to for trends and guidance. Everyone in the list below is helpful in his own way, whether by sharing 3D jobs, honest AI tips, major process upgrades or steps to make your renders look as excellent as theirs.   

The inside scoop on 3D design jobs: Mike Tanzillo   

If you’re looking for a 3D design role or just want to keep track of what’s out there, be sure to follow longtime expert Mike Tanzillo. His two decades of experience includes working on Disney animated films and leading the Adobe Substance 3D team. Mike's Substack, The 3D Artist, dives into industry trends, and he regularly posts hefty roundups of 3D job postings for big-name companies like Waymo and Roblox.  

• Mike’s Substack 
• Mike on LinkedIn  

The OG 3D expert: Will Gibbons

Not only is Will Gibbons a bonafide KeyShot expert, but he has also mastered other modeling and rendering software like SOLIDWORKS and Blender, and he’s been focused on teaching KeyShot Masterclass courses for several years. We recommend following him on your preferred platform and signing up for his email updates, which often include sweet discounts on his classes. He also offers plenty of free instructional content on YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Find Will:

• YouTube 
• Instagram 
• LinkedIn 
• Website 

An update to our Digital Asset Management audience. 

KeyShot Dock is now KeyShot DAM, and this change isn’t just about renaming a business unit – it’s about a stronger focus on delivering clear and streamlined value to our customers. Learn how here:

 

Why the change?

The renaming to KeyShot DAM is a step toward better understanding and alignment with what we deliver to our customers: a powerful Digital Asset Management solution built for the enterprise market. Our continued commitment is to make it easier for companies to manage, organize and deliver digital assets efficiently to the market.

 

The direction for our DAM solution

KeyShot DAM continues to be the enterprise solution for manufacturing companies, and as part of the KeyShot family, we’re evolving our DAM solution to reflect how 3D visualization is transforming the way businesses operate. From accelerating product development to improving collaboration across teams and enhancing marketing strategies, 3D is no longer optional - it's essential for companies that want to stay ahead. With the implementation of 3D capabilities in the DAM platform, we’re helping organizations streamline workflows, reduce time-to-market, and create immersive customer experiences that drive engagement and growth.

 

3D-powered features

With features that bring 3D assets to life and leveraged by AI tools, we help enterprises manage and deliver immersive assets. Here are some of our customers' favorite KeyShot DAM capabilities:

 

Generate interactive 360° spins with just a few steps

With our 360° spin Generator feature, you can create interactive 360° spins directly in KeyShot DAM without third-party tools. Simply drag and drop individual frames of the product into the platform, follow a few steps, and the spin is generated, enabling zoom, rotation, and multiple angle views. Transforming 2D images to immersive product visuals for your online stores has never been easier.

Upload, preview, interact with CAD models and scene files

As a marketer, have you ever received files from the design team such as CAD models or scene files, but couldn’t open them? Don’t worry, KeyShot DAM has you covered. Manually upload and preview 3D files including KeyShot Studio Scenes, and preview, interact with and comment on the files without the need for other applications. 

Convert your 3D scene files

KeyShot DAM introduces built-in scene file conversion, allows you to upload selected CAD and scene files and convert them directly into .glb within the platform. This feature eliminates the need for external tools or manual reformatting, speeding up workflows and reducing errors - all while allowing teams to repurpose 3D assets across platforms more efficiently, improving omnichannel compatibility and product delivery.

You’re always improving your craft, and we’re always improving KeyShot Studio so that it better supports your design workflow. Upgrade to the latest version to access the new Custom Pivot tool, OpenPBR, Cryptomatte, depth of field lock, up to 85% faster displacements, up to 50% faster AMD performance, and more! 

Speed up your workflow with the latest updates -- here's a step-by-step guide

1. Grouping hotkeys + custom pivot

Create your own pivot points (including axes) from scratch without relying on the CAD application and author. 

By clicking on "Custom Pivot" from within the Move tool, you can manually move the pivot point for the select part(s) around. If you want to select a precise pivot, simply use one of the available modes to automatically find the center of the most appropriate shape.  

• In Corner mode, you're instructed to click on three planes. The pivot will then be placed at the intersection point of the planes, i.e. the corner where the clicked surfaces meet. You can also click "Done" after clicking two planes. This will place the pivot along the exact edge of the clicked surfaces.  
• In Cylinder mode, you’ll click on two points along the curvature of a cylinder. This places the pivot on the exact center axis of the cylinder. A third click on either end of the cylinder will then move the pivot to the center of the respective cap. This is extremely useful when a part slides along a rod or to find the correct axis for pushing a round button in or out.  
• In Sphere mode, click twice to find the center of a spherical shape. This is great when moving the elements of a ball joint, for example. 

2. Open PBR Support

Transfer files from Rhino through the importer or plugin, from Blender through the plugin and from GLTF/GLB files through the importer into Studio while maintaining the original material parameters. 

3. Cryptomatte Support

Cryptomatte is a solution that makes selecting the different parts in a rendering trivial by leveraging the fact that renderings are made based off of 3D scenes that already contain the information of where the different parts are. It is an open standard, essentially extra information, that can be enabled as a Render Pass in KeyShot Studio 2025.3 and later. The Cryptomatte information is then exported along the rendered image as an EXR file and can be imported into post-production software that supports Cryptomatte. 

4. Material graph updates

Dock, zoom & panning now available

The material graph window is now dockable, making it possible to slot it into the rest of the KeyShot Studio UI. Functionality has also been added to make working with the graph itself easier: zooming in and out now targets the mouse cursor location, panning is unlocked, a visual grid can be shown to help align nodes and snapping is available to easily organize graphs. 

5. Automated CAD metadata

KeyShot Studio 2025.3 now transfers metadata from your CAD application to KeyShot Studio. This works with the plugin for PTC Creo and the importers for PTC Creo, Solidworks, Solid Edge, Catia and Siemens NX. 

The metadata is loaded, filtered and displayed in KeyShot Studio. Filters control which fields are shown and can be stored and loaded to and from a file. That makes it possible for a group of users to use the same exact filter. 

6. Depth of Field lock

No more manual re-focusing as you're working on your scene.

With the new "Keep Focus" toggle in the Depth of Field section of the Camera settings, cameras automatically re-focus when moved. This allows you to set the correct focus distance once and then tweak the camera position without further issues.  

7. Faster displacements

With KeyShot Studio 2025.3, refreshing displacements has become significantly faster. The exact speed up is very dependent on the original surface geometry, displacement settings and texture. In some cases, we have measured a change from 10 to 1.5 seconds, which is an improvement of 85%. The visual outcome is unaffected and identical. 

8. Up to 50% faster AMD performance

Upgrade to 2025.3 for an instant speed boost.

9. AI Shots Workflows

AI Shots in KeyShot Studio 2025.3 stores all generated AI images permanently, until specifically deleted by the user. This works like a typical digital photo camera or your phone's photo library. It is possible to multi-select AI Shots and bulk delete them.  

It is now possible to compare the AI-generated images, and their 3D rendered source directly by clicking on a toggle on each AI Shot.  

 There is also a new share button in the top-right corner of each AI Shot that allows you to set an AI-generated image as a backplate with a single click. Users can even drag and drop AI Shots into their 3D view to add new backplates even quicker. 

10. Light position lock axis

Earlier this year, we introduced the new Light Layers tool. In the latest version of Studio, you can use the Light Layers tool to mask lights in a way that emphasizes elements within the scene, and you can use the new light position and shift lock axis while enhancing your scene. 

11. UI updates and improvements

Rhino Importer Instancing 

Rhino scenes now transfer faster into KeyShot Studio via the plugin. Some scenes that were previously too large to load into KeyShot Studio will now work, since instancing reduces the memory footprint of scenes. There is also no difference in this regard between using the plugin or importer for Rhino, making the overall user experience simpler. 

Tri-Planar Shaders  

It is now possible to connect both images and procedural textures to the Tri-planar node. The Projection X/Y/Z slots have been maintained for compatibility with older versions of KeyShot Studio and new Texture X/Y/Z slots have been added that can be used to project procedural textures onto surfaces.  

This makes it possible to directly connect a procedural texture like the Marble node to the Tri-planar node without having to create any images in external programs. This also means that the parameters of the marble, its color, scale and so on, can simply be always tweaked within the material graph, as they are not baked into the image texture. 

This summer, we partnered with Pantone and Yanko Design for this inspiring challenge that encouraged designers to explore the new Pantone Dualities color palette, with 175 Pastels and Shadows that come together to create dreamy contrasts.

The creativity of the submissions was truly next level, and we're thrilled to share with you the winners!

First place: Sam Weise @pressec.design

Second place: James Wolf

Third place: Sidhant Patnaik

Honorable mention: @paradigm.ooo

Honorable mention - Liam de la Bedoyere @bored_eye_design

AI is now available in KeyShot Studio! AI Shots gives you three new ways to amplify your creativity — whether you’re exploring styles, building scenes, or dreaming up what’s next. Everything runs locally and fits right into your existing workflow, with you in full control.

Make this 360° globe-trotting turntable in AI Shots

7 simple steps to create your global turntable

KeyShot Studio Assistant Product Manager Saskia Failla dreamed up this globe-trotting scene with AI Shots. Be sure to update to 2025.2 in order to access the new AI tools in Studio.

1. Import the model, center it and set it to the ground.

2. Adjust the camera so that the pivot point is in the middle of the screen. The first view is from the side, in this case 0 degrees.

3. Save the camera.

4. Start AI Shots: click on "Start AI Engine" and select Restyle mode. (Available in Studio 2025.2)

5. Change the number of generated images to 2-3, depending on the prompt, for some more results to choose from.

6. Repeat steps 1-5, changing the camera rotation (Azimuth value in Camera Settings by 5 degrees)

7. Repeat as desired, and put it all together in your preferred video editing program when done.

Ready to dive into KeyShot Studio AI? 

Get the full rundown and helpful prompting tips here.

Have you tried the new AI tools in KeyShot Studio yet? Now available in Studio 2025.2, AI Shots gives you three new ways to amplify your creativity — whether you’re exploring styles, building scenes, or dreaming up what’s next. Everything runs locally and fits right into your existing workflow, with you in full control.

Prompting tips for AI Shots in KeyShot Studio 

Be specific  

Like with any AI tool, the more specific your prompt, the better your results. Whether you’re using Restyle, Imagine or Background modes, KeyShot Global Training Specialist Don Tuttle recommends focusing your prompts on mood, material, lighting and setting: 

• Use real-world material names, e.g. matte black resin 
• Describe lighting quality, e.g. soft daylight, studio spotlight 
• Include emotional tone, e.g. luxurious, playful, clinical 
• Keep prompts simple and specific: 3-4 elements max 

AI Shots Prompts and Examples

Take the examples below: KeyShot Senior Product Designer Dries Vervoort prompted Background Mode in AI Shots with the following instructions, to show the bonus option for the PANTONE Dualities Rendering Challenge.  

Sophisticated abstract backdrop with stable ground plane fully supporting any placed products, constructed entirely from precision-engineered mechanical lattice structures, neutral color palette of brushed aluminum, matte black engineering plastics, and polished white polymer with subtle metallic accents, interconnected hexagonal and cubic cellular framework forming the complete background architecture with machined precision and smooth surfaces, refined studio lighting with soft shadows highlighting mechanical lattice geometry, premium industrial aesthetic, professional product photography setup, engineered plastic and metal finish surfaces, ultra-clean composition with breathing room for product placement.  

Sophisticated abstract backdrop with stable ground plane fully supporting any placed products, featuring flowing liquid metal landscape with fluid metallic terrain, neutral color palette of mercury silver, chromium, and polished steel with mirror-like reflections, interconnected fluid formations and seamless metallic valleys with organic metal flow, refined studio lighting with soft shadows highlighting liquid metal topography, premium futuristic aesthetic, professional product photography setup, liquid metal finish surfaces, ultra-clean composition with breathing room for product placement. 

If you’re struggling to write a thorough-enough prompt, you can ask CoPilot or any other AI tool  — like this KeyShot-specific one created by Don — to write a prompt that needs to be understood by an AI image generator. You can even throw in an image if that has the texture or appearance you like and request the tool to describe it so that an AI image generator will understand it. (Thanks to Oscar Rottink for sharing this tip with the KeyShot Luminaries community!) 

In Background Mode, instruct the AI to fully support the placed object

As you’ll notice in the examples above, Dries made sure to include clear instructions regarding object or product placement. He included these instructions twice, at the beginning and the end of each prompt.  

If you’re still struggling to get Background Mode to position your object correctly, KeyShot Product Manager Jan Simon advises using Restyle Mode instead and applying the image as a backplate. This way, only the background of the restyled image will show.

 

Ready to dive into AI Shots?