What are the four context modes?

One binary exposes four tool-count profiles: --minimal (25 tools), --lite (74), default (134), and --full (179). Smaller modes fit context-constrained AI clients while covering the core texturing workflow.

How much does MCP Pro for Painter cost?

MCP Pro for Painter costs $15 as a one-time purchase, including all 179 tools, lifetime updates, unlimited projects, unlimited machines, and Discord support. There is no subscription.

AI control for Adobe Substance 3D Painter

Texture in Painter
with AI superpowers

MCP Pro for Painter is an MCP server with 179 tools that connects AI assistants like Claude and Cursor directly to Adobe Substance 3D Painter over its scripting bridge. Let AI build layer stacks, apply smart materials, bake mesh maps, manage channels and UDIM tiles, and export game-ready textures for Unreal, Unity, and Godot — all from a single conversation. $15 one-time purchase, works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Get on itch.io How it works

$15 one-time purchase · Lifetime updates

AI Assistant <--MCP/stdio--> Python Server <--HTTP--> Substance 3D Painter

The Python MCP server talks to Painter over its built-in --enable-remote-scripting HTTP bridge. No plugin to install inside Painter, no file polling — just your AI client and a single command.

See It in Action

Real prompts you can give your AI assistant — and it just works.

Auto-Texture a Whole Asset

"Open my project, apply a worn-metal smart material to every weapon texture set, then add edge wear with a curvature mask."

AI opens the project, walks each texture set, applies shelf smart materials, and stacks fill layers with generator masks — every change wrapped for a clean Ctrl+Z.

Uses: open_project apply_smart_material add_fill_layer add_mask

Batch Export for Unreal

"Set every texture set to 2K and export all of them for Unreal Engine into ./export."

AI sets resolution across all sets and runs the Unreal preset for each one, with async export and status polling so nothing blocks.

Uses: export_for_unreal batch_export_all_sets set_texture_set_resolution

Bake Mesh Maps

"Bake all mesh maps for this project, then tell me which texture sets still need baking."

AI triggers baking (AO, curvature, normal, position, and more), polls baking status, and reports per-set coverage from the live project.

Uses: bake_all_mesh_maps bake_ambient_occlusion list_baked_mesh_maps

Audit a Project

"Audit the project: check layer naming against our convention, flag oversized texture sets, and list unused resources."

AI runs the validation suite — naming checks, texture budget, unused-resource detection — and returns a structured report you can act on.

Uses: validate_naming audit_project find_unused_resources

Drive the Layer Stack

"Add a fill layer set to Multiply at 60% opacity, group it with the dirt layers, and add a grunge filter."

AI inserts layers, sets blend modes and opacity, organizes groups, and applies layer effects — the full layer-stack workflow in plain language.

Uses: list_layers add_fill_layer set_blending_mode add_layer_effect

Self-Test Against Your Build

"Run the self-tests against my Painter and tell me if anything is unsupported on this build."

The introspection module fingerprints your Painter version, probes the live API, runs a read-only smoke battery, and reports anything the build doesn't support — before it bites you mid-project.

Uses: get_painter_environment run_smoke_tests snapshot_project dump_painter_api

How It Works

Connect your AI assistant to Painter in under 5 minutes.

Install the Server

Install the Python MCP server with pip. There is nothing to copy inside Painter — the server talks to Painter's built-in scripting bridge. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Connect Your AI Client

Run painter-mcp-setup configure to auto-detect Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any MCP client and wire the server in. Pick a mode (--minimal / --lite / --full) to fit your context budget.

Launch Painter & Build

Start Adobe Substance 3D Painter with --enable-remote-scripting. Your AI assistant now has real-time access to 179 tools — building layers, baking, applying materials, and exporting textures.

179

Tools

Modules

Context modes

∞

Clean Ctrl+Z
on all mutations

179 Tools, 33 Modules

Everything you need to let AI build, bake, validate, and export your Substance Painter project.

Layer Stack

25 tools

add_fill_layer add_paint_layer add_group
delete_layer rename_layer move_layer
set_opacity set_blending_mode set_visibility
add_layer_effect filters & generators
add_anchor_point reference anchors
clone_layer_stack layer instances

Masks

10 tools

add_black_mask add_white_mask
add_mask_generator AO / curvature / position
set_geometry_mask per-mesh-part masking
enable_geometry_mask_uv_tiles UDIM masking

Materials

15 tools

apply_smart_material shelf materials
create_smart_material_from_layers
apply_material_with_variations
set_layer_color list_resources
set_source texture / procedural sources

Channels & Properties

13 tools

add_channel remove_channel
set_channel_visibility
add_content_curves levels & filters
get/set generic property bridge

Baking & Mesh Maps

11 tools

bake_all_mesh_maps one-shot baking
bake_ambient_occlusion bake_curvature
get_baking_status list_baked_mesh_maps
import_mesh_map external map injection

Engine Export

16 tools

export_for_unreal export_for_godot
export_for_unity_urp export_for_unity_hdrp
export_for_pbr_metalrough / specgloss
export_textures_async + status polling
create_custom_export_preset

Texture Sets & UV

10 tools

list_texture_sets get_set_info
set_texture_set_resolution
select_texture_set
get_uv_tiles UDIM & UV-set switching

Project & Search

14 tools

open_project create_project save_project
get_project_info get_project_metadata
find_layers_by_type project-wide search
find_layers_by_blending_mode

Color, Shader & Display

15 tools

set_color_profile ACES / sRGB / linear
switch_shader set_environment
set_display_settings exposure, tonemap
set_renderer set_msaa

Symmetry & Selection

7 tools

set_symmetry_enabled set_symmetry_axis
set_symmetry_plane_offset
get_selection selection state

Validation / QA

6 tools

validate_naming naming conventions
validate_budget texture budget checks
find_unused_resources
audit_project full project audit

Batch & Workflow

12 tools

batch_apply_smart_material
batch_export_all_sets
batch_set_resolution
save_workflow record & replay

Events

5 tools

subscribe_event editor events
poll_events event-aware AI loops
wait_for_event

History

4 tools

undo redo clear_undo
get_undo_stack
all mutations wrapped for clean Ctrl+Z

Introspection SELF-TEST

10 tools

get_painter_environment version fingerprint
dump_painter_api probe_api_path
snapshot_project + diff_project_snapshots
run_smoke_tests verify_undo_works

Utility & Connection

6 tools

ping connection check
execute_python execute_js escape hatch
take_viewport_screenshot best-effort

Four Modes, One Binary

Right-size the tool count to your AI client's context budget — no separate installs.

--minimal

25 tools

Core essentials for local LLMs and tight tool-count clients.

--lite

74 tools

Production set for ~100-tool clients (Windsurf, JetBrains Junie, Gemini CLI).

default

134 tools

Balanced everyday set for most workflows.

--full

179 tools

Everything, including introspection & self-test (Claude Code, Cursor).

Why Pro?

Built for real texturing pipelines, not just a handful of demo calls.

179 Tools, 33 Modules

Full coverage of the texturing pipeline — layers, masks, materials, channels, baking, mesh maps, UV/UDIM, color management, symmetry, export, validation, batch, and more.

Four Context Modes

One binary, four tool-count profiles (25 / 74 / 134 / 179). Match your AI client's limits without juggling separate installs.

Clean Ctrl+Z

Every layer mutation is wrapped in a scoped modification, so anything the AI does collapses into a single, clean Ctrl+Z step in Painter.

Engine Export Presets

One-call export for Unreal, Unity (URP & HDRP), Godot, and PBR metal-rough / spec-gloss — plus custom preset creation and async export with status polling.

Smart Materials

Apply shelf smart materials, build new smart materials from existing layers, and apply materials with per-set variations across an asset.

Baking & Mesh Maps

Trigger mesh-map baking (AO, curvature, normal, position, thickness), poll baking status, list baked maps per set, and inject external mesh maps.

Version-Resilient

Each Painter API call uses defensive try/fallback chains for release-to-release variations, and reports an explicit UnsupportedError instead of crashing silently.

Self-Test Built In

The introspection module lets the AI fingerprint your build, probe the live API, snapshot/diff project state, and run a smoke battery — so version mismatches surface early.

Companion CLI

painter-cli drives Painter directly from the terminal (no MCP needed) — ideal for tool-count-limited clients and one-off scripted operations.

Validation & QA

Naming-convention checks, texture-budget audits, unused-resource detection, and a full project audit — keep large projects clean and ship-ready.

UDIM & UV Aware

UDIM tile management, UV-set switching, and per-mesh-part geometry masks for complex multi-tile assets.

Cross-Platform

Windows, macOS, and Linux. One-time $15 purchase, lifetime updates, unlimited projects, unlimited machines.

Comparison

How MCP Pro for Painter compares to rolling your own.

Feature	MCP Pro for Painter	Free MCP scripts	Raw Python API
Total tools	179	A handful	None
Modules	33	Few	n/a
Context modes	4 (25 / 74 / 134 / 179)	No	n/a
Undo-safe mutations	Yes	Varies	Manual
Engine export presets	Unreal / Unity / Godot / PBR	No	Manual
Smart materials	Yes	No	Manual
Mesh-map baking	Yes	Varies	Manual
Validation / audit	Yes	No	No
Batch operations	Yes	No	Manual
Self-test / introspection	Yes	No	No
Companion CLI	painter-cli	No	n/a
Version-resilient fallbacks	Yes	No	No
Price	$15 once	Free / DIY	Free / DIY

"Free MCP scripts" and "Raw Python API" describe the typical DIY alternatives — small open-source MCP wrappers and writing Painter Python scripts by hand. Feature coverage of those varies by project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about MCP Pro for Painter.

What is MCP Pro for Painter?

MCP Pro for Painter is a premium MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that connects AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and Cline directly to Adobe Substance 3D Painter. It provides 179 tools across 33 modules for layer stacks, masks, smart materials, channels, baking and mesh maps, UV/UDIM, color management, symmetry, export presets, validation, batch operations, and self-test introspection.

How does it connect to Painter?

The Python MCP server talks to Painter over its built-in scripting bridge. You launch Adobe Substance 3D Painter with --enable-remote-scripting and the server communicates with it over local HTTP. There is no plugin to install inside Painter.

How do I connect Claude to Substance Painter?

Install the server with pip install mcp-pro-for-painter, run painter-mcp-setup configure to wire it into Claude Desktop or Claude Code, then launch Painter with --enable-remote-scripting. Claude will have access to all 179 tools.

Which AI assistants work with it?

Any MCP-compatible client works, including Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code with Cline, Windsurf, JetBrains Junie, and Gemini CLI. For clients with tight tool-count limits, use --lite or --minimal mode, or the companion painter-cli.

What are the four modes?

One binary exposes four tool-count profiles: --minimal (25), --lite (74), default (134), and --full (179). Smaller modes keep the tool list within the limits of context-constrained clients while still covering the core workflow.

Can AI export textures for game engines?

Yes. There are one-call export presets for Unreal Engine, Unity (URP and HDRP), Godot, and generic PBR metal-rough / spec-gloss, plus custom preset creation and async export with status polling. AI can set per-set resolution and batch-export every texture set in one prompt.

What Painter version is required?

Adobe Substance 3D Painter 11.0 or later (verified on 12.0.3, Python API 0.3.5) and Python 3.10+. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Remote scripting must be enabled at launch.

Is it safe? Can I undo what the AI does?

Yes. Every layer mutation is wrapped in a scoped modification, so anything the AI changes collapses into a single, clean Ctrl+Z step in Painter. For extra safety you can run with execute-arbitrary disabled, which removes the raw code-execution tools.

Is there a free or trial version?

MCP Pro for Painter is a one-time $15 purchase. The full feature list, install guide, and example configs are on this site and in the download's docs so you can see exactly how it works; the server itself is included in the paid download.

Is there a subscription?

No. It is a one-time $15 purchase with lifetime updates, unlimited projects, unlimited machines, and Discord support. No recurring fees, no seat limits.

Quick Setup Guide

Up and running in under 5 minutes.

1. Install the Server

Install the Python MCP server (or pip install -e . from the downloaded package):

pip install mcp-pro-for-painter

2. Configure Your AI Client

Auto-detect and wire the server into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or any MCP client:

painter-mcp-setup configure

3. Launch Painter with Remote Scripting

Start Adobe Substance 3D Painter with the scripting bridge enabled:

"Adobe Substance 3D Painter.exe" --enable-remote-scripting

4. (Manual config) Add the MCP Server

If your client isn't auto-detected, add the server to its MCP config (e.g. .mcp.json for Claude Code):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "painter-mcp": {
      "command": "painter-mcp",
      "args": ["--mode", "full"]
    }
  }
}

Simple, One-Time Pricing

Pay once, use forever. Lifetime updates included.

$15

One-time payment

✓ All 179 tools across 33 modules
✓ Four context modes + companion CLI
✓ Lifetime updates
✓ Unlimited projects
✓ Unlimited machines
✓ Discord support channel

Buy on itch.io Questions? Join our Discord

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AI control for Aseprite — same quality, for pixel art →

Texture in Painterwith AI superpowers

See It in Action

Auto-Texture a Whole Asset

Batch Export for Unreal

Bake Mesh Maps

Audit a Project

Drive the Layer Stack

Self-Test Against Your Build

How It Works

Install the Server

Connect Your AI Client

Launch Painter & Build

179 Tools, 33 Modules

Layer Stack

Masks

Materials

Channels & Properties

Baking & Mesh Maps

Engine Export

Texture Sets & UV

Project & Search

Color, Shader & Display

Symmetry & Selection

Validation / QA

Batch & Workflow

Events

History

Introspection SELF-TEST

Utility & Connection

Four Modes, One Binary

Why Pro?

179 Tools, 33 Modules

Four Context Modes

Clean Ctrl+Z

Engine Export Presets

Smart Materials

Baking & Mesh Maps

Version-Resilient

Self-Test Built In

Companion CLI

Validation & QA

UDIM & UV Aware

Cross-Platform

Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MCP Pro for Painter?

How does it connect to Painter?

How do I connect Claude to Substance Painter?

Which AI assistants work with it?

What are the four modes?

Can AI export textures for game engines?

What Painter version is required?

Is it safe? Can I undo what the AI does?

Is there a free or trial version?

Is there a subscription?

Quick Setup Guide

1. Install the Server

2. Configure Your AI Client

3. Launch Painter with Remote Scripting

4. (Manual config) Add the MCP Server

Simple, One-Time Pricing

Texture in Painter
with AI superpowers