3DVIA®

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, March 7th through Friday, March 13th are highlighted here. This is the 19th 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 – 012 – 013 – 014 – 015 – 016 – 017 – 018

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:

Zarakon by hgehrke is a great example of how a limited color palette can work for you to let the user concentrate on the room volumes and how they flow together. Then adding enough realistic detail to tell the rest of the story really works well in this home model. Hgehrke used Google SketchUp very skillfully to present the concept. [hgehrke is from Denmark]

Interceptor Mobile Defense Unit On Oshkosh Trailer is another fabulously detailed model by alfredix. His continually increasing arsenal of modular units are well thought out and thoroughly detailed. [alfredix is from Germany]

This gorgeous blossom was created by DPV1 using 3DVIA Shape and is a welcome reminder of spring for those of us in the northern hemisphere. It is a beautiful example of how 3D modeling can also bring natural pleasure into our day. [DPV1 is from India]

Visage by killpatate is an excellent example of modeling one of the most difficult subjects to attempt. Human heads draw out emotions and opinions like nothing else.

The Taj Mahal is very well presented by drq123 in his model created using 3DVIA Shape. We can appreciate the symmetry and beauty of one of the world’s most outstanding and enduring monuments.

Williams BMW FW26 2004 by jesterv2 came just in time to stoke the F1 frenzy of the just-starting 2009 series. This 2004 Williams shows the artistry of the aerodynamic devices that were required to perform well in previous seasons, but have now been banned, which led to some very interesting results in the first race of the season in Australia. His McLaren MP4-21 2006 model is equally brilliant. Thanks for such excellent models capturing the incredible forms of earlier race cars. [jvesterv is from the Netherlands]

Seashell by toymaker also reminds us of nature’s beauty. Toymaker stopped to appreciate the elegance of the form and amazing colors of a simple seashell and then modeled it beautifully using Google SketchUp. Every time I see it his model, I am reminded of a sunset walk along the beach in Naples, Florida, where untold numbers of shells like this made it seem like a fantasy world. [toymaker is from the US]

Interior Room by vaibhavmmm uses the classic beauty and ability to communicate of simple, yet subtle, black and white images. Great job! [vaibhavmmm is from India]

Sikorsky S-76a Ambulance Helicopter demonstrates smike’s ongoing mastery of textures using Google SketchUp. The textures add a stunning realism that take his models to new levels. Fabulous! [smike is from Denmark]

Dream Timber House was imagined and created by trigram_QWQ using 3DVIA Shape. It is a complete fantasy lifestyle in one model! Take some time to check out all the nooks and crannies and see how much detail there is in this one model. [trigram_QWQ is from India]

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

Honorable Mentions:

Boeing Chinook CH-47-D Argentine Commercial Transport by smike is another one of his amazing Chinook models. When smike sets out to model something, you can be sure that all the variants will be covered and that they’ll get better as he goes. Once again, the interior detail is fantastic! [smike is from Denmark]

U need a thing to put flowers? by Juwak is a beautiful model of a vase that he designed and created using CATIA V5. [Juwak is from Poland]

Avion by jeanudert is great fun and a colorful toy model created using an IGES generator. [jeanudert is from France]

Combat Buggy by emag was brought to life using SketchUp. [emag is from the US]

Mordrupvej by hgehrke has amazing interior details in a very straight-forward structure. [hgehrke is from Denmark]

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. (PLEASE NOTE: In order to make it easier to explore, all photos are linked directly to the model’s page.)

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