3DVIA®

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, January 17th through Friday, January 23rd are highlighted here. This is the 12th post with the purpose of bringing models to your attention that we all may have missed during the week.

Easy links to the previous Top 10 lists: 001 – 002 – 003 – 004 – 005 – 006 – 007 – 008 – 009 – 010 – 011

Just so everyone knows, the order that the Top 10 are displayed is based on color, type of model and how I’m feeling, not any particular ranking. I just rearrange them until I like the way it looks. It’s as simple as that!

Be sure to check out the models that received Honorable Mentions too!

Our users live all over the world, so I include in my comments where each modeler is from. It’s great that language and distance are not barriers when we’re all sharing in 3D! (Modelers may choose not to share where they are from, so some countries of origin will remain a mystery.)

The Top 10:

I really like models that teach me things. I had no idea who or what a Dalek was until richgb123 uploaded this really cool model. So, after exploring its bizarre bits and pieces, I did a little research and learned about the many iterations of The Daleks. Dalek is now even honored as a word in the “Definitive Record of the English Language” – the Oxford English Dictionary! Oh yeah, it’s a fun model too. “Exterminate!”

ring 1 by mvcomputers is a model you can get lost in. Just open it up and zoom into the outer mesh and then spin the model. The geometric relationships are great fun! Pick one thread and try to follow it round and round. Makes me dizzy in a great way. mvcomputers used 3ds Max to create this beauty. [ mvcomputers is from the US ]

Fishsweet by Mahasidd is one of my favorites! It makes me smile every time I see it. It’s colorful, attractive and nicely modeled. Thanks Mahasidd! [ Mahasidd is from Pakistan ]

smike used Google SketchUp to create his model of one species of Mosquito. ”One of the smallest but most hated animals in the world. I am one of those persons which is constantly attacked by these creatures, so I DON’T like them at all.”

The many species of mosquitoes all over the world are responsible for many crippling and deadly diseases. I, too, am one of those people that attract mosquitoes, so I sympathize with smike!

(PS I spent more than a year and a half doing bio-engineering work related to mosquitoes and getting bitten many thousands of times in the lab and in the field by many different species, so I DO know for a fact that some people are more attractive to mosquitoes than others.) [ smike is from Denmark ]

luagoncalves has added an amazing amount of detail to his Condominio Pegasus – Joinville model, which he built using 3DVIA Shape. Check out the bathroom in particular for a great example of his attention to the little things. It gets a little tricky maneuvering in the smaller spaces, but it’s worth the effort. Great job! [ luagoncalves is from Brazil ]

MacchinaBiadisivizzatrice was modeled by eplay using CATIA V5. It’s a great example of working out a real world design and using the virtual world to communicate and then refine the engineering. 3D allows the creator and other team members to visualize results and make changes before costly decisions are made. [ eplay is from Italy ]

This quite realistic (OK, it is hollow and doesn’t have eyes, but you sure know what it is) Frog was created by Matku using an OBJ generator. [ Matku is from India ]

Luton Townhall 19th century (UK) has been constructed and refined by banger to recreate a now non-existent building by using reference materials and 3DVIA Shape. Not only is the model itself interesting, but the model comments include some of the building’s history and links to more information. This is a great example of 3D modeling helping us learn more. [ banger is from the UK ]

Dagger of Doom demonstrates how important the creative process is. I really appreciate that jon11888 included the sketch work that he did to develop his design. It also helps us understand his work flow, which is why I included the 3DVIA Shape wire frame of the finished model. We can all learn from checking out how each modeler handles the tricky parts of their model, by using the wire frame mode. The textures are also quite well done, giving the impression of many exotic materials.

luagoncalves used 3DVIA Shape and lots of imagination to create Half Pipe and Loop. The concept is creative and the results are great, right down to the exuberant graphics! [ luagoncalves is from Brazil ]

Due to the continuous challenge of narrowing the number of great models uploaded each week down to just 10, I’ve included five Honorable Mentions to spotlight even more modelers!

Honorable Mentions:

This Avro Vulcan was created by Lord_Flash using a VRML generator [ Lord_Flash is from the UK ]

drudip used Blender to model Camelblender [ drudip is from India ]

SolidWorks 2009 was used by dieter1 to model 0047729A [ dieter1 is from the US ]

TAVGER also used SolidWorks 2009 to create Flat Embodiment [ TAVGER is from Israel ]

Fortres is very nicely modeled by apolodor using 3DVIA Shape

Here’s a brief recap of what I look for when I select the “Top 10″ and “Honorable Mentions”:

Variety – One of the most important factors. I try to show models created using lots of different software products and showing lots of different ways of using 3D. I include brief comments on why I chose each model.

Creativity, unusual subject matter and humor – These are big factors. We should all be having fun and feel free to model our passions!

Models must be uploaded by the original modeler – Many times I find models that I think will add to the community and will upload them with credit given to the modeler. These and other models that I can’t be reasonably sure who modeled them (for example – commercial models) are a welcome addition to the 3DVIA community, but the goal of the “Top 10″ is to encourage individual modelers and reward their special creativity.

Models entered in the 3DVIA Challenge contests will not be considered – They’re already getting plenty of attention and I want to spotlight models we may have missed.

There is no reward given – Other than the satisfaction of being noticed, spotlighted and being brought to the attention of more modelers. In my personal experience, the pleasure of having my work appreciated is the ultimate reward anyway.

Your comments are always welcomed and encouraged! Your responses will help the modelers and the 3DVIA community as a whole. Feel free to bring other models to my attention and let me know why they attracted you.

One final note of caution: these are my choices (dswavely) and my choices alone. So, aim the tomatoes appropriately.