Need A Special 3D Model? Request It!

Posted on June 18, 2013 by viktorija

Designers and studios on 3D model marketplaces are not only talented creators, but also good salespeople. The ones, who understand how a trading system works. Nevertheless, 3D model trading sometimes leads 3D designers to the endless headache of questioning themselves: what do the buyers really need? CGTrader.com has found the answer to this Hamlet-style question. Therefore, we are opening the dashboard for custom modeling. Now if you know what you want, but cannot find it – simply request for it!

There are a lot of distinct types of buyers: enthusiastic, uncertain, strict, independent, employed, lost in variety, and those, who wish to be convinced or bribed by high quality or low price, or a combination of both. Most of them know exactly what they want, others at least have an abstract idea on what they are looking for.

We have been contacted by the buyers dozens of times, requesting for custom modeling. Could we design and animate a giraffe? Would it be possible to get a particular car model designed? No? What about a yellow unique sofa? Can you design a 3D printable ring for my wife? Again, no?

From this moment you will hear no more no’s. We give you our word. Now any (we mean it), even your craziest ideas will be heard. We are sure you will receive a very high quality service, because CGTrader community consists of professional and talented 3D artists, who are able to visualise your mind.

Moreover, you do not have to search for them one by one: all of them are at one place. All you have to do is to sign in at CGTrader.com and Request A Model. Describe what exactly you need, indicate a price, use tags, and each designer, who has put the same tags on their 3D models will receive your request. Afterwards the designers will contact you directly. Could it be any easier?

This new option is highly beneficial for both sides. Sellers are given the opportunity to monetize their talent and increase sales, while buyers get 3D models that they certainly need at the particular time. We call it successful trading, based on win-win principle.

Try it out and share your experience with us!

3D Design For Good: Let’s Donate For Robohand Project

Posted on June 10, 2013 by viktorija

Lots of the people believe that any progress finally results in regression. It is pointless to argue with the convinced ones. Personally I appreciate any technology that can improve a life of a human not by helping to warm up yesterday’s dinner in the microwave or washing dishes instead. But the technology that can completely transform one’s life.

3D printing is the exact sphere to seek for the real changes. Joris Peels, a former worker at 3D printing giant shapeways.com, has noticed that a dozen of people still think that 3D printing is something that was invented last week and will be relevant in a few years. But let’s be brave and face the fact that it is already valid. This booming technology has recently proven it’s importance. When used consciously it performs Jesus-style miracles: helps the deaf to hear and disabled people to walk, helps to grow and regenerate tissues and organs, serves with 3D printed dental implants and much much more.

Richard Van As has found a way to solve a problem of finger and hand prosthesis

So, meet Richard Van As – the person behind the “Robohand” project. It has nothing to do with such movies as “Robocop” and “Terminator” or sci-fi elements as you may associate. Ricard Van As and his virtual colleague Ivan Owens both decided to change the order of nature and gave an absolutely truthful meaning to a phrase – “Lend me a hand”. They are actually lending hands.

Two people, separated by 10,000 km and working together managed to change a life of 4 people already

The story comes from real life and has nothing to do with fairy tales. Richard has lost a few of his fingers, while working as a carpenter and was trying to find any possible solution to this situation. Let’s admit – prosthesis is expensive as hell. So he realised that to replace lost fingers with the prosthetic ones would cost around $10,000 per finger. Then Richard got in touch with Ivan Owens, a Seattle-based theatrical prop desiger, who specialized in hands: both collaborated to create a design for working fingers that could be inexpensively built. And after numerous experiments, they came to the idea of using 3D printer. Two of them were donated by MakerBot industries. As a result, free Robohand model appeared on Thingiverse to be downloaded by anyone, who needs it.

So, Richard has found a way to grab the world with both hands again. He shared his story on the internet and.. boom! He started receiving emails from desperate parents, who raise children being in a high need of hand. A hand to play with a ball, ride a bike, fly a kite or do any other thing we forget to receive pleasure from. Here comes 5 year old Liam, who simply makes you smile.

5-year-old Liam a very first kid with a Robohand

Liam suffers from a birth defect called Amniotic Band Syndrome. This syndrome affects 1 in 1,200 births. Illness is the condition that caused Liam to be born without fingers on his right hand. Acctually, finger amputations are the most common amputation in the US, accounting for over 90% of all amputations, according to various reports.

So what’s about Liam? With a help of Richard and his magic Robohand Liam now draws, plays basketball and enjoys his childhood. Moreover, there are two more children, who finally deserved a right to be careless kids.

Happy Dylan, demonstrating Robohand, made specially for him

This story is not a just-made-innovation or the unique idea of yesterday’s dream. Most of the people have already heard about the “Robohand” project. And there are a bunch of children, who are waiting for a robohand to be made. You can meet them at Robohand’s blog . We do want to remind that Richard Van As is doing this absolutely for free. It is natural that he is lacking of funds to get all the necessary material to keep producing robohands. Richard is an important figure of 3D design community and he is really making a world a better place to live.

Waldo and his mother just after getting a Robohand

Here at CGTrader.com we decided not only to support a project on our own and promote the free 3D printable model of Robohand on CGTrader, but also to encourage everyone to keep donating.

Do it at Indiegogo.com Robohand Campaign now!

It does not matter that a project has already reached a line of $10,000. It does not matter how much you donate: even $1 is essential. There are still 45 hours to go. Wake up and become a part of this project.

To make a long story short, I do recommend to watch this video. Please note that it is extremely emotional, so if you are highly sensitive, think twice.

CGTrader.com Expands To Antartica

Posted on June 4, 2013 by viktorija

Europe is definitely not enough. U.S.A. is more, but still not enough. India – makes it better. But…Sometimes even the world is not enough. CGTrader.com is a great example of that. After being working with PayPal payment system closely, CGTrader.com decided to integrate one more international payment gateway – Skrill (previously Moneybookers). And this opens up the markets from China to Ivory Coast.

Since now 3D designers from 102 more countries are eligible to join and trade their 3D models all around the globe. If there are such ones in Antartica – guys, you are more than welcome! This step is extremely important for the company, because it makes our vision of developing a global marketplace come true. Moreover, it helps to find and attract the undiscovered talents virtually from any corner of the world.

By the way, do you know any 3D designer in Antartica?

10 Tips For Modeling For 3D Printing

Posted on May 29, 2013 by victoria

3D modeling brings you out of space. It loosens your hands and releases your fantasy. You can sculpt, combine, model, shape, form any most ridiculous object that contravenes physics and is far beyond the reality. Since CGTrader.com is holding 3D Printing Competition, there are a few things each 3D designer must definitely know about.

When you design a print-ready model, a process of modeling changes a bit. While modeling 3D printable objects, you must always be aware of the reality. At least, a little. In order to answer all your questions and save your time, we offer to look through these guidelines to make sure that your modeling is going to the right and bright side. Special thanks to our 3D printing competition’s sponsor 3DPrintUK for simple, but amazing visuals!

1. Forget Surfaces

Keep in mind that the walls of your 3D model must be thick enough. If you want a model to be 3D printed, a wall must be not less than 0,5 mm, 1mm would be your absolute guarantee. So, as 3DPrintUK reccomends, draw in solid bodies, because they are easier than surfaces.
If you are not fully convinced, watch this video:

2. Shut Your Model’s Face

Open faces do matter. To make it simple, an open face is where a model is missing a face from the surface of the part. In other words, an object must be so called waterproof. If there are any open faces left after your modeling, close them. If not, it will not be possible to 3D print it.

3. Separate Edges

Be aware that your 3D model must not contain any shared edges. Better replace it with a 0,1mm gap between two bodies or just overlap if parts have to be joined together. Otherwise, it results in a crash of 3D printed object. Damn.

4. Correct Normals

All surfaces of a designing model must have their normals pointing into the right direction. Happens that your 3D model contains inverted normals, so most of 3D printers cannot determine the inside or outside of your mesh.

5. Hollow Your Models

3DPrintUK advices to hollow out large volume objects. Hollowing saves you money, because filling model’s inside with expensive material is pointless. Take a look at huge price differences! Only by hollowing a model, this designer has managed to save 80% of the amount!

6. If You Can, Scale It Down

Another way to reduce 3D printing price is to scale your model down. Think twice if you do not want to make it smaller. If you cut the size in half, you will reduce a printing price by eight times. Worth to consider.

7. Stay Within The Limits

3D printers have a particular volume which you cannot build larger than. If your model is larger than the build volume, either break it down into smaller individual components, or cut join lines through the model. Model reasonably.

8. Always Leave A Gap

While designing moving parts of a 3D model, always keep in mind to leave a gap between them. It must be at least 0,5mm in order not to stick and provide an unobstructed movement.

9. Keep It Stable

In the 3D printing’s slang there is a so-called ‘thin arm syndrome’. You must not leave thin arms with unsupported weight at the end. Especially after scaling a model down, be sure that the arms are strong enough to hold it. Moreover, shapeways.com reminds that your 3D model will always stand on its’ feet, while a real one may keel over. So, consider the size of a character and the shape of contact area. It must not be significantly smaller. Or keep in mind that you always can add an artificial base for stability of a model. This is an example, how the size of contact area properly matches the dimensions of the object:

10. Model Characters Accurately

While modeling a 3D printable character, you must be careful about the details more than ever. Even the smallest part does matter. Make the arms and legs of your model strong enough. Just imagine Shrek, standing on two tiny legs. Do not forget that any surface details must be supported on at least one side of the another surface. Thinness of it should not be less than 0,4mm. Fingers are vulnareble part of a body. So, they are likely to break the first ones. Try to keep them together.

Put your character on two feet better than on one. If you want it to raise a leg, put it on a stone. Furthermore, avoid precisely small details. If you are not sure if you can print it out, better remove it. Do not experiment a lot in character’s shape also, keep body parts going across or along X,Y or Z axes.

Yes, it is a lot to remember. But you can always follow these guideliness in order to design a proper 3D print-ready model. Do not think that these are the rules to restrict your creativity. We need it. That is why originality matters that much in our competition. So, once again check out your 3D printable model and upload it now!

Best 3D Models of April

Posted on May 28, 2013 by victoria

The past month was full of new experiences and challenges for all of us. While April was shocking with cardinal temperatural changes, popularity of “make offer” feature at CGTrader‘s marketplace has overcome any boundaries of the our greatest expectations. In the middle of May 3D Printing Competition has been launched and we cannot wait the winners to take the prizes – two breath-taking 3D printers by Ultimaker. So, until we count the last days for the summer and model slippers to be 3D printed, we represent a bit different top of The Best 3D Models of April.

Why is it different? It happens that some 3D designers complain all around the forums that they run out of ideas or that everything what could be 3D designed – already is. I would not agree to this. Sometimes it is even enough to look around. So, for this top list only highly distinct and extremely catching 3D models have been selected. It was done in order to reflect the broad variety of possible forms and content in 3D. Obviously, they do strongly vary in terms of particular technique, chosen topic, representation, level of realism and rationalism and the fact that some 3D models require more imagination and accuracy than others.

Here it comes, still fresh and inspiring top of the Best 3D Models of April.

Neurotracer Operating Table

I know that objectivity is a treasure, but this 3D model makes me subjective as hell. To be honest, I fell in love with this one. Firstly, it has an amazing description. It actually has nothing to do with increasing sales, but it tells a sci-fi story behind the 3D model scene. It brings us to 2100s to the Earth inhabited by Japanese robots and androids. One of them is ready for the neurotracer operation to get the secondary nerve system to make instant learning possible. Okay, okay. Enough of fantasies. 3D designer Exnihilum has a delicate taste in choosing what to model. Moreover, it seems he is never out of ideas. If you lack them, I offer to look through his gallery.

Woman Shoes

There are definitely way too many 3D cars’ models being exposed. Women love high-heeled shoes and there is nothing men can do about it. These ones are highly photorealistic and precise. What else is necessary to sell them? CGTrader’s universal 3D artist lightstudio faces no trouble designing both cars and feminine shoes. Studio’s 3D models collection mostly includes casual everyday things. The artists designs everything that can be seen around. And, I guess, no one ever could argue that there is too little stuff surrounding us.

Man of Steel Costume

If ordinary life provides no inspiration for you, you must find your super hero. If the one you need still did not reach our Universe, invent it. Be creative. This rendering is inspired by 2013 movie ‘Man of Steel’. Blue and red stands for the Superman. This 3D model depicts strict features of man’s face and that tiny curl makes it somehow attractive. This is game-ready 3D model possessing clear and realistic textures. Still fresh CGTrader’s designer siepiau seems to be crazy designing costumes of the super heroes. There more than enough of them. So, there is a long way ahead to move forward.

Emmy Award

If you can, keep it simple. You do not have to be a big fan of Emmy Awards ceremony to like this 3D model. Moreover, you do not even have to watch it if you want to design it. On one hand, it is just a golden sculpture, but on the other hand it may be a clue for inspiration for your future rendering. Think about it. This 3D object is accurate, clear, precise and photorealistic. This rendering is identical to the original award, all of this is one entire piece of geometry. Careful attention to the details makes this rendering suitable for close-ups and print work. 3D design studio 3DModelHouse has only this model in their collection. We do expect that other ones will be no worse.

Zombie Models Collection

Really. I have heard that some people love everything zombie-related. I am definitely not that kind of person. Unexpectedly, I found this impressive collection of zombie models. There is no irony about it. I liked the way these 9 animated zombies are represented. In one case, all of them are the same, because, let’s admit, they have no faces. But actually each of them embodies a particular personality. It is being reflected through their possession or posture. 3D artist codethislab chooses an object and carefully works on it. It does not matter if it is American football player or a bunch of scary zombies. In addition to this, this author is a perfect example of the designer, who does not stick himself to one or another particular topic.

Bugatti Veyron 2009

Since you have started your career as a 3D designer, you have been dreaming to model cars. Nothing else, but cars. So, what to do if there are hundreds of other 3D designed car models? No, do not give your idea. Just work on it more. If all the existing car models already are in tridimensional format, create a concept car model. Then you will have no boundaries in form, exterior, powers or anything else like that. This Bugatti Veyron 2009 rendering is on the top, because: you need to find here at least one 3D car model (a majority of readers are men) and this model is pretty good. I am not big fan of cars, but I would definitely drive it for a while. New CGTrader’s designer’s cr4zydesign 3D models collection reveals him to be pretty much into luxurious cars. Go on!

Yoko Littner

I am pretty sure that this rendering can become a nice source of inspiration for some of the 3D designers. This 3D woman is a professional cosplay model from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann that is crazy Japanese mecha anime series. No doubts, this baby-face model, holding a gun in her hands is attractive and intriguing. If one day you decide that you finally face a lack of inspiring ideas, try your skills plunging into the endless world of anime characters. Japanese culture is like a treasure chest for that. 3D studio TriArt still has a small collection of 3D models, but I guess it is definitely trapped in this field of feminine characters.

36M Mills Bomb

Guns have always been an inspiring topic. Of course, it interests men more than women, but. I found this rendering extremely simple, attractive and precise. It’s fragrant visual representation even mitigates the fact that it is nothing else, but a dangerous gun. I call it art, when the artist manages to bribe you with his work, no matter what he tries to picture. Mills bomb is a popular name for series of prominent British hand grenades. 3D designer pes is passionate about guns’ modeling. His collection at CGTrader is like a paradise for those, who look for quality game-ready models.

Medieval Town

When I was a kid, I was maniacally playing a game “The Sims”. Nothing mattered back then: eating, sleeping, school or friends. I remember there was always a lack of new things, while building a house. I wish I could have bought a model, let’s say of a house at countryside. Design studio SkyStudio has modeled the whole medieval town from a fantasy section. It possesses a dozen of houses with simple rooms inside, a small church, some really rural identifiers as a bunch of woods for fire place or any of farming tools. Imagine, how many ancient and modern villages and towns are still not designed..?

Helmet

Every 3D model of this type witness one of these propositions for me: a) The author plays too much computer games about space invaders; b) The author has incredible fantasy. Or it can always be both. This rendering embodies a good idea, reflects the knowledge of form and perspective. Despite the fact that object belongs to the out of space topic, it is really realistic. And looks like a modern gasmask. 3D artist Norbert_2105 has not revealed his direction in 3D art, but soon, I hope.

These are just few examples that anything can be modeled and there are lots of things left to model. Just do not torture yourself asking: so, dude, what’s now? These words and pictures are expected to open your mind and hearts for all the positive vibrations and sundries that are around you. This is the best way to invite inspiration to your creative work. This is how we find it, also.

Make It Real: 3D Printing Competition

Posted on May 14, 2013 by victoria

3D printing is not a fiction anymore. It’s everywhere now. 3D printed edible food is a reality: pasta is being served in Google office already. Some people have changed melted plastic into cookie dough-filled syringe, use the same software and 3D print nothing else, but cookies. “Nike” has already printed cleat for the shoes. 3D printed acoustic guitar plays no worse than a usual one. A couple of journalists brought 3D printed gun on a plane without any security inspection.

So we decided to wait no longer. At this very moment CGTrader is opening up the 3D printing competition!

If you ever had a dream to make your favourite 3D character real, it is about to come true. So, are you ready to 3D print it? CGTrader is looking for new talents and calls all designers to step into this exciting technology. Acquire fresh modeling skills and enhance your creativity!

Could you try to guess what is the grand prize?

Check out the grand prize and get to know more about rules!

Using Words To Sell 3D Models

Posted on May 9, 2013 by victoria

Imagine that 3D model marketplace is like a huge supermarket with hundreds of showcases…

I doubt if you would be attracted to buy any goods that are scattered all around. Let’s say you have walked around the marketplace three times already and you are not able to find, where the milk is. The fact that there is no indicated price in the same shelf, would definitely confuse a you. The same is at the online marketplaces. All you have to do is to make the trading pleasant by providing attractive and buyable products. Simple logic.

So what is golden formula for your product description?

When Reality Fades Away: Surrealism Invades 3D Art

Posted on May 3, 2013 by victoria

Watches. Heat. Melting. Awry forms. Devastated settings. Torsos of the dreams. It coalesces. Then it detaches. Surreal visual art reminds us of something. Actually, it awakens the most latent parts of ourselves.

Surrealism is like a potion, made in the 1920s for the first time. But it still flourishes and inspires contemporary artists. Surrealism is being used as kind of therapeutics, enabling the artists to analyse the depth of human nature by mixing the most distinct feelings and experiences together.

“Surrealist manifesto” was written in 1924. There surrealism was defined as “philosophy, based on the belief in superior reality of certain forms of previously neglected associations, in the omnipotence of dream, in the disinterested play of thought”. Salvador Dali is considered to be the Duke of surrealism. People, who do not know about surrealism, definitely know about Dali. When he was formally expelled from the Surrealist group, the artist only replied “I myself am surrealism”. S. Dali’s early work “The Persistence of Memory”, a painting set in some kind of existential desert, depicts melting pocket watches and stands as one of the best surreal painting examples ever made.

Surrealism surprises and will never be played out. It invaded the whole art of 3D and reality just fades away. Surrealism stimulates to write one’s dreams down every morning, to free the mind and indulge into a process of automatic creativity. 3D artists impart their inner state of mind into each artwork. Some of them seek for the meditation and others share their dark sides of the moons.

Self-examination, alienation, loneliness, madness, sadness, euphoria, mania, suspicion of a gone dream and all the possible human feelings create a particular and peculiar atmosphere of every work of a 3D designer. Tree-dimensional art makes surrealism to thrive: while providing precise level of photorealism, it includes the most unreal objects, forms and design decisions. I am wondering, if Salvador Dali had such tools, how would his most prominent painting look like?

Grab your inspiration for the mind-blowing masterpiece, while exploring this gallery of surreal 3D artwork.

Caravan Dali by Aram Vardazaryan.

Just imagine what would happen if S.Dali would live nowadays…

Augmented Reality: Enhancing Our Perception

Posted on May 2, 2013 by viktorija

The colonisation of virtual world has already gained momentum. A variety of people these days move into their remote and small chambers of social networks and dive into the ocean of information with no shores. Unfortunately, absolute majority of them still have to face reality every day. Then iPhone helps. iPad helps. iPod helps too. PSP handheld device helps. Definitely.

“The real world is way too boring for many people. By making a real world a playground for the virtual world, we can make the real world much more interesting.” to “New York Times” says Daniel Sanchez-Crespo, who is the project leader at “Novarama”, a game developer based in Barcelona.

So, have you ever dreamed of an invisible friend? Be honest. In order to improve a life on the Earth, “Novarama” has developed a game “Invizimals”. It allows a player to choose the reality populated with invisible creatures that can interact with each other. Doesn’t that sound awesome?

How could you augment your reality?

Best 3D Models of March

Posted on April 26, 2013 by victoria

Finally, the sky turned blue. And we keep moving forward. New Year-made promises are step by step being fulfilled within our team. The long-awaited new CGTrader’s system has been launched in the beginning of April. CGTrader left the amazon model and went eBay. Our 3D object library is rapidly expanding: March has brought a tremendous amount of fresh and creative 3D models. Jeez, I am sure now, 3D allows you to design anything. Any-thing.

Extraordinary interior details, conceptual car models, anatomical layers, architectural solutions, simple, but genius household items, ancient reliefs, mind-blowing sculptures, dream followed cartoon characters, heady aircrafts, photorealistic portraits, whirling planets, UNESCO architectural heritage…Indeed, the world moves into 3D reality and God is no longer responsible for it. Our top of the Best 3D Models of March concentrates on different shapes, distinct techniques, innovation, thoroughness and meticulous work of 3D artists. Get inspired!

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