This was my first SWW ever, and I was extremely impressed with the presentations, the strong community of users, and how well organized the event was.  It was great to speak to so many users, and meet other SolidWorks and Dassault Systèmes employees.  From my perspective, there were four hot topics that came out of the show, which I share in this quick video.

Thanks to the SolidWorks team for their input in this video.  Jeremy Luchini designed the Hot Rod electric car model in SolidWorks, which you can see here on 3dvia.com.

If you want to see more videos from SWW 2010, go here to the SolidWorks YouTube page.

For more information of the benefits of 3DVIA Composer for SolidWorks users, check out the 3dmojo blog or these Cliff’s Clips I created for SolidWorks users:

• 3DVIA People:  Interview with John Hirschtick
• The Best Way to Share Your CAD Designs
• Putting 3DVIA Products to Good Use

I’m already looking forward to SolidWorks World 2011!

Parth (XQH_XXX) is one of the most well-known users on 3DVIA as a leader in the community both in modeling and in exemplifying the 3DVIA spirit of friendliness and helpfulness. Rarely does a day go by that doesn’t include an exciting new model from Parth along with a slew of comments filled with suggestions!

Parth is also the leader of the 3DPLM Initiatives that help 3DVIA Shape evolve as a free 3D modeling tool and help the 3DVIA community thrive and grow. You’ll often see the 3DPLM tags that show Parth and his group are busy again.

Parth has well over 200 models here on 3DVIA and that has led to some remarkable results in the Top 10 posts as well. He has had 27 models in 21(!) separate Top 10 posts, which makes him #3 on the all-time list out of 254 recipients. This includes having two of his models in the same Top 10 six times. You can see his excellent models in the following posts: 022 (double) – 033 – 034 – 035 – 038 – 039 (double) – 040 (double) – 041 (double) – 042 – 043 (double) – 044 – 045 – 046 (double) – 047 – 049 – 050 – 052 – 053 – 055 – 056 & – 058!

Parth is King of the Honorable Mentions list as #1 out of 170 all-time recipients after having models in 11 Honorable Mention groups – including two times with two models out of five. Check out the following Top 10 Honorable Mention sections to see Parth’s models: 021 – 022 – 033 (double) – 037 (double)  – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 053. Parth’s model Punisher Battleship (shown below) is one of the few 3DVIA Shape models to be among the winners in a 3DVIA Challenge as well, when he won second place in the Spacecraft Battleship Challenge.

Fortunately, Parth is also able to put more than a few words together to help us understand who he is, how he got there and what keeps him going.

It’s all yours Parth…

At the outset, I would like to convey thanks to 3DVIA for approaching me to be their Featured Artist. It’s a great honor for me to share something more than just models.

Hello every one. I am Partha Pratim Das, in short Parth, 25 years old. I am from INDIA and was born and brought up in Kolkata in the state of West Bengal. The city served as the capital of India during British Rule until 1911. Kolkata is noted for its revolutionary history, ranging from the Indian struggle for independence to the leftist and trade union movements. The city is referred to as the “Cultural Capital of India”, “The City of Processions” and the “City of Joy”.

I completed my schooling in Kolkata. Upon transfer of my father to Mumbai I also moved there for higher education. Mumbai, The Business Capital of India, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and a group of seven islands in the Arabian Sea. It is the country’s principal financial and communications centre. India’s largest Stock Exchange which ranks as the third largest in the world is situated in Mumbai. Descriptions of Mumbai can not be completed without the mention of Bollywood, the biggest Indian film industry which churns out hundreds of Hindi block-busters every year. The city is referred to as “The city which never sleeps” and the “City of Dreams”.

I completed my Mechanical Engineering degree with first class – distinction from Mumbai University in 2007. Since I have an interest in animation, I have undergone training on software like CATIA and Pro-E which helped me to get a job in 3DPLM Software Solutions, my present company, which is a joint venture of Geometric and Dassault Systemes. I’m presently working as a Technical support / Mnt. engineer supporting world wide customers on DMU (Digital Mock Up). It’s a challenging job to me as it involves regular interaction with customers from different parts of the world.

I am the only son of my parents who have encouraged me and guided me in every second of my life. Their affection and blessings help me to overcome the hurdles of life. My father is working in The Reserve Bank of India, which is the central bank of India and my mother is a housewife, who always takes care of my likes and dislikes. I am proud of my parents.

My first and foremost hobby is making sketches. I started drawing at the age of six. Initially, I liked to draw nature; thereafter I started making human figures. I made drawings for my college magazines. My college friends used to call me as “Rahool” and I use this name for signature :). I am interested in literature and participated in recitation, drama during my school days. Photography is my passion. I stay with my parents and am still a bachelor.

Q1: How did you first become interested in 3D modeling?
During my college days, I was an active member of Cultural Committee. I took part in interior decoration. It helped me a lot to become popular, getting introduced to many people and thus being favored by teachers and friends :). It was during my second year in college that my teacher introduced me to AutoCAD. It’s the first 2D modeling software I learned. I used Autocad to make plans for stage preparations. I had two subjects, namely engineering drawing and machine drawing, which helped me to understand the basic knowledge of how to prepare 3D models.

I always intended to be in the field of animation which kept me interested towards learning 3D modeling software. Once I finished my college days, my dad asked me to learn 3D modeling software. I checked some demo presentations and tutorials and found it is amazing. So I decided and learned CATIA and Pro-E from a training institute. This interest towards learning new 3D modeling software has never stopped and keeps me encouraged even today.

Q2: What types of 3D modeling do you do?
Before I answer to this question, 3D modeling according to me can be divided into different categories as follows:
- Theme-based Modeling
- Story-based Modeling
- Sports & Music-based Modeling
- Engineering-based Modeling
- Abstract-based Modeling
- Humor-based Modeling
- Character (anime, human, alien etc)-based Modeling
I like every kind of modeling because every category has its own charm and while viewing each kind you need to think from a creator’s point of view. But I mostly do theme, story-based, humor, sports and musical modeling.

Q3: Do you have plans before creating 3D models? Where do you go (web sites, museums, race tracks, anywhere) for help, tips and inspiration?
I often make a plan, but in reality it ends up with something else. As the model progresses I change it according to the character to give more attractive shape than what I thought earlier.

Google is always a great friend to help me. Many ideas have popped up into my mind while searching in Google. Also my friends around me give good tips, ideas and send many colorful and attractive emails with interesting stories which help in triggering new ideas of creation.

Q4: What is the primary purpose of your 3D modeling?
I do modeling for passion, developing imagination, fun and above all creativity. While modeling, I like to explore various possibilities that the software offers and I try to push it as per the need. One of the amazing things that I discovered with 3DVIA Player is the “sparkling effect”. To fully understand this you have to open the model and click the button to play 3D. The model will start sparkling like a real jewel as the Player rotates it. Some of these models are Diwali Sparkling Lantern, Let the Music Play V6 – Hi-Fi Surround Speaker, My Love V3 – Golden Bangles, and My Love V3.1 – Ring.

Q5: Does 3D modeling play a role in the work you do?

Yes, it does play a peripheral role. In my daily activity, I need to generate different 3D models which are basically used for simulation. I analyze them which helps with the design concept.

Q6: Which part of 3D modeling do you find most rewarding?
There is nothing more satisfying or rewarding than viewing your own imagination in the reality of 3D. It’s well said that “3D is a Life-like Experience”. It’s really great to have responses from other modelers discussing various aspects of the subject. Remember “A good model is incomplete without a good observer.”

Q7: Does story telling play a role in your 3D modeling?
Yes it certainly does. The story is the soul of any model and without which it is not complete. Every model has some interesting story. People share stories to describe the model. But there is another interesting aspect of a story about what inspires people to make a model. Sometimes what inspires you can also inspire others too. Reading a story along with viewing a model adds a great feeling of realism. More importantly, every story has some important message hidden with it.

People may ignore the message if you directly approach it, but they will listen carefully if you
present it as a story. I have also made some models with stories (Great Love Story of Bottle, T-Rex In Town (shown above), Love is Life, May I Know the Time Please?) and each one of them gives an important message to everyone. “To make a beautiful model you need an equally beautiful subject to choose and knowledge of the subject for perfection”.

Q8: What additional software do you use to create your 3D models/images?
CATIA V5

Q9: How much 3D modeling time do you have in a week?
There is no fixed time for modeling. Whenever I get free time I start modeling. I spend most of my weekend time planning the next week’s models that I am going to make for which I gather the required textures (images). Better planning means a great finish. Once I finish my planning I jump into modeling to see my imagination in reality.
Some of my models took 4-5 days to complete but normally I involve myself less in big subjects because of time constraints. I spend more time on the finishing touches, which according to me is the most important part of any modeling.

Q10: What are your tips for staying focused on a large project?
Patience is the most essential key to success. A large project means lots of detailing will be included and without patience it’s very difficult to go along with it. But I would also suggest not pushing your limit to the extreme. It will make things worse. Small breaks always work as miracles.

I usually prefer listening to music during my break. It refreshes my mind. Sometimes I stop working on a project just to think of a better solution. Taking a break never means you have stopped working, it actually means you are working harder for a better result. A little inspiration, encouragement or appreciation helps a lot. Sometimes these are all you need to work hard and stay focused. Take pleasure in what you are doing. If you can enjoy your work it’s very easy for you to stay focused.

Q11: Do you do 3D modeling at home on personal projects?
With my previous job I used to do 3D modeling on personal projects at my home, but now I don’t.

Q12: Do you have any thoughts on how 3D modeling can help young people as they learn about the world?
I think there is no better language than 3D to make things easier and more understandable for young people. For example: kids are given small cube, cylindrical box or sphere-shaped toys to play with so that they can feel it, touch it and realize the actual shape. It also helps a lot to remember things if we can project the image of whatever we say in front of us in 3D. I believe 3D is a doorway which helps people to imagine or develop new concepts. Remember “everything has been developed from someone’s imagination”.

Q13: Do you have any thoughts on the value of 3D modeling to help us all learn about the world?
The 3DVIA community gives us a great opportunity to upload and share our models and views. We represent different parts of the world having different cultures, activities, music, festivals and monuments. Through 3D models we can share all of these with each-other and help each other to know more about the different parts of the world. For example: I came to know about the “Orange festival” through 3D models and also wished “Diwali” from India.

The more you share the more you learn. I was quite impressed by the way perecat1 (from Spain) described my model Fantasy Exotic Guitar (shown above) or mgbaron (from USA) explained See What You Mean. I could have never imagined or seen the way they perceived my models. By sharing ideas it helps a lot to increase own knowledge and to know a different perspective. “An idea can be helpful to create many ideas”.

Q14: Do you think 3D modeling is different in different parts of the world? How?
I don’t think 3D modeling can be different for different parts of the world, but I would say 3D modeling varies from person to person irrespective of the person’s own identity. This is because of the person’s individual likes, talents, choice of subjects, working exposures and many others. But finally we all understand the language of 3D. That is why we all are same.

Q15: Just for fun, what is your favorite game?  movie?  comic book?
Favorite games: Need For Speed racing, DOOM 3, Halo, Tomb Raider, Half Life 2, Hitman
Favorite movies: Final Fantasy, Ants, 9, Terminator2, Transformers, Next, Batman Forever, Lord of the Rings
Favorite Comic Book: Tintin, Spiderman, Hulk

Q16: What are your favorite hobbies other than 3D modeling?
I have many hobbies that I try to explore all the time. I love to make drawings. I started drawing in my childhood and even today it’s my favorite hobby. I would like to share few of my sketches. As I grow and meet different people, I come to know about many interesting things about others. Every one has different ways of thinking and different likes. As a result my interests in different hobbies grow as well. I also love photography and my interest lies in scenes of nature. In my school days I used to write stories for magazine and had won many prizes. I love music and watching animation movies.

Thanks from My Heart
This Featured Artist article can’t end without thanking those who have encouraged and helped me all the time:
- I thank my parents who acknowledged my interest and introduced me to the world of 3D.
- Thanks to Gaurav Joshi and Shuvradweep Gupta who helped me to learn 3D modeling software.
- Thanks to Amit Sagrolikar, Mithun Kulkarni and Prabhu Hiremath who encourage me all the time to make models.
- Thanks to my friends Rajan Pawar, Pranav Khurjekar, Rakesh Singh, Arpit Pattewar, Samrat Patil who give me new tips, ideas and suggestions for improvement.
- Thanks to Vaishali Hable, who is a great friend and helps me overcoming difficult times.
- Thanks to my community friends Michael Petersen (smike) Shannon Sands (sandman14), Jack Red, Tomy Smith (tomy), Sady, Bruce Lehmann (Omind) and Abu who encourage and appreciate my efforts all the time.
- Finally, a special Thanks to Don (dswavely) for being a great community manager, putting in all the effort to help the community grow, making comments, suggestions and helping with every problem.

Thanks for staying with me patiently till the end. I am awaiting your comments.

Wow! That is a complete profile of you, your inspirations and your results. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll be working on next!

Quick links to previous Featured Artists:

Abdullah Shaikh (abu_roadking / trigram_QWQ - 14 Sizzling Snacks – Tommy Smith (tomy) – Michael White (toymaker) – Shannon Sands (sandman14) – Alfred Schallert (alfredix) – Corey Papadopoli – Mark Biasotti (mbiasotti) – Michael Petersen (smike) – Matthew Negrier (Balgin) – Benoit Caselli (Benoit-Caselli) – Matthew Viets – Rob Rodriguez – Blake Metzler – Peter Anderson – Bryan Silva

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, January 23rd through Friday, January 29th are highlighted here. Everything is as mad as a hatter this week! Scorpio is the hardest challenge yet for the 3DVIA Top 10 Team, but with a combination of whimsy, imagination and hardcore hardware, by the end of the day Scorpio is tamed and we’re all relaxed and back to enjoying the flowers as we relax by the fireplace or watch the telly.

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 051 – 052 – 053 – 054 (not done yet) – 055 – 056 – 057

The Top 10:

Scorpio, by Parth (XQH_XXX), was meticulously planned, modeled and textured over a period of five days using 3DVIA Shape. This spy robot hacker will strike fear into the most confident IT group! [Parth is from India]

When you need a little whimsy to brighten your day, visit the Ibride website and prepare to smile! Ibride by Daniele (Novalgina) beautifully captures just one of their delightfully fun furniture pieces. This ostrich wall console (look for “Diva” on the web site) was uploaded in 3DS Format.

Alpine B110, by Thibaut Brand and Cyril Prongue working together under the user name sebwouaib, is an elegant and sensitive update of the timeless Apine A110, which achieved it’s place in history during the 1970’s. Using CATIA V5, they have created a highly desirable successor to the original. Great job!

Mad Hatter’s Hat by Daniele (Novalgina) is one of my favorite 3DVIA models. It brings a sense of fantastical joy and exuberance with each texture and form. It should also remind us that just because it doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Daniele uploaded this head topper in 3DS Format.

Bertrand (Bertrand1) uses his model title, Sukhoi 37-inspired, to let us know where his imagination started and the result is a exceptionally sculptural aerodynamic form. Bertrand modeled using CATIA V5.

Fire!!! by Abu (abu_roadking) is a confluence of literature (Ayn Rand’s quote), time-appropriate graphic images, and a wide range of models to bring a worthwhile thought to life; all using 3DVIA Shape. [Abu is from India]

The Unimog is ubiquitous in many parts of the world. When you need to get stuff done get yourself a Unimog. The Unimog U1300 2to MilGL is one of Alfred’s (alfredix) favorites and he has done an excellent job making it real with tons (at least two) of details.  Alfred models using Pro/E and then translates them using the STEP format for uploading to 3DVIA. [Alfred is from Germany]

Giant Flower by Daniele (Novalgina) is absolutely gorgeous! Not only is the blossom itself stunning, he has included two other stages of bud development and really well done stems and leaves. One of the best flowers on 3DVIA! Daniele uploaded it in 3DS Format.

The four-seater Concept 20 by Calin (l502k1s) looks like a real luxury ride at a reasonable size. Beautiful work that Calin uploaded in 3DS Format. [Calin is from Romania]

Ringo Chambre Amenager is an amazingly clean and well-detailed first model by RINGO-SAMA using 3DVIA Shape. It’s a small apartment, which keeps everything right at your fingertips! [RINGO-SAMA is from Tunisia]

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!

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

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.

[Graphics still in-progress] 

This is a new program I am starting here that attempts to bring our Community members together with our Developer Community.   We have alot of artists constantly expressing their creativity on 3DVIA.com and we also have just as many developers working in Virtools and MP who are always creating fun and entertaining Scene’s.

This week we are looking for the ubiquous Exploding Barrel.  A staple in over 120 games, this innocent looking barrel of highly flammable liquids has helped many a  mild mannered gamer take on the toughest and meanest bad guys around. I found this great website detailing some of the history and purpose behind the exploding barrel. 

Your task, if you choose to accept it is to create your very own version of the exploding barrel.  We will use it to make public smart objects, adding explosion effects for use in Scenes !!

 Special note: Thank you Krauth for integrating ToyMakers asteroid model into his Asteroids tribute game “The Rocket”!  Follow the link in the forum topic to play the game!

Toymakers Asteroid:
http://www.3dvia.com/toymaker/models/7C411D724456687A

Forum Topic:
http://www.3dvia.com/forums/topic/the-rocket

Don’t forget to leave some comments for Krauth :)

Requirements Summary:

Maximum of 1200 triangle count
1 512 x 512 pixel texture in jpg format
No restrictions of age or number of entries
Use tag “3DVIACTA3″

Guildlines:

Duration- This Call to Action will run from Thursday January 28, 2010 to Wednesday Febuary 3, 2010.

Task- Create an exploding barrel model for use in games.  The models should be no larger that 1200 triangles, with one 512 x 512 pixel texture in jpg format.

Tag- You must Tag the model with “3DVIACTA3″.  You should also Tag the model with “Exploding Barrel” to help anyone in finding excellent barrel models.

Restrictions- There are no restrictions for this mini-Challenge.  Enjoy!

Take 30 minutes on Thursday, February 4 to learn new skills with 3DVIA Virtools and have the chance to WIN a $100 Apple® Gift Card*

Building Games Driven by Artists & Small Teams
Thursday, February 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EDT

While programmers are an obvious piece of the game development puzzle, this presentation demonstrates why industry professionals must recognize that artists (including game designers) could become THE most important piece. After all, games are a form of art.

Join us to explore the tools available for empowering artists to take the lead on numerous projects, especially those for the Wii or new IP creations. We will also examine game development team size to understand how smaller teams can achieve more interesting results than their larger counterparts.

*One participant from each webinar will receive one $100 Apple Gift Card. The winner’s name will be drawn and announced at the end of the webinar. Apple Gift Cards will be mailed directly to winning participants. To qualify as a potential winner, participants must be present for the duration of the webinar. Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion.

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, January 16th through Friday, January 22nd are highlighted here. Fortunately we have plenty of help, from friendly to fierce, to help us discover who’s putting mushrooms in the coffee. Our crew of intrepid investigators has quite a range of rides to choose from too. A rickshaw will get us through the tight spots and the panzer will take care of the really tricky bits. The mystery will soon be solved! Meanwhile, I’ll be off at the race track turning hot laps. Good job crew!

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 051 – 052 – 053 – 054 (not done yet) – 055 – 056

The Top 10:

Schtroumpf (the original name – or Smurf to others) seems to exemplify the spirit we try to foster here at 3DVIA.com – “The Smurfs’ community generally takes the form of a cooperative, sharing and kind environment based on the principle that each Smurf has something he or she is good at, and thus contributes it to Smurf society as he or she can.” supercigale has treated us to our very own Schtroumph to remind us all to be friendly and helpful! Schtroumph was uploaded in 3DS Format.

Street Concept 2 by Calin (l5o2k1s) is such a sweet little ride! I want at least three in different bright colors to go blasting around in! Calin uploaded this desirable hunk in 3DS Format. [Calin is from Romania]

It is so hard to model natural objects in a believable way, but Giant Mushroom by Daniele (Novalgina) is a wonderfully successful example! It’s both descriptive and beautiful at the same time. Daniele uploaded it in 3DS Format.

As always, Spaehpanzer 2 A1 Luchs by Alfred (Alfredix) has fabulous detail both inside and out! Just look underneath and let your jaw drop. Alfred models in Pro/E and then uploads the results using the STEP Format. [Alfred is from Germany]

Coffee Day Express Machine by anookr is a beauty and takes the texture tools from 3DVIA Shape to a whole new level. [anookr is from India]

Ducati 900SBK is meticulously modeled by disouj and shows just part of how he uses CATIA V5 to help his racing team gain each small advantage that they can. Check out his web site for even more great examples.

Somehow Roboghe by Rocco (Boghe) looks friendly and kind at the same time you know that “he” can mushify any part of you that he wants to. Rocco uploaded him in 3DS Format.

abhishek did a wonderful job using just about every tool in the 3DVIA Shape arsenal to create LNP Autorickshaw. In the incredibly tight and busy places where it lives, it looks like you would at least have a chance of getting where you want to go – and in some style too! [abhishek is from India]

Stan makes me smile and laugh! Thanks supercigale for uploading him in 3DS Format for our enjoyment.

Anders (Nypan) keeps adding bits and pieces and has been working hard to create Komplett Ram using SolidWorks 2010. I hope he keeps on adding to it! [Anders is from Sweden]

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!

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

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.

For more detail on functions used in this video, see the following 3DVIA Shape video tutorials:

• Tip #4: How to revolve geometry
• Tip #7: How to use existing elements to draw
• Tip #31: How to add and adjust textures

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, January 9th through Friday, January 15th are highlighted here. You can take your choice of buildings tall or small to fly over as you seek out the bad guy with the rifle and then foil his dastardly plan using a series of complicated mechanisms and even manage to control a small fire along the way with the judicious use of a gigantic control valve. When you’re all done preventing yet another disaster, you can plop your red buns into a speedy get-away car, so no one will ever be able to guess your true identity.

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 051 – 052 – 053 – 054 (not done yet) – 055

The Top 10:

This beefy guy, called Cartoon by Dude (Veedo), is gonna’ save the day no matter what. You can tell just by the set of his jaw and the glint in his eyes. Great job! Dude used an OBJ Generator to create the final model.

Re-use of an existing structure and the addition of some exciting new space make AT-1040 Wien, Teresianumgasse 15 by Ing_Peter_Rada a place that I would love to explore in more detail. Check out all the glass work. Peter uploaded this beauty in 3DS Format.

Krzysztof (maxof2p) created his well-crafted WA-2000 (a semi-automatic bullpup sniper rifle from Walthers) using Blender. [Krzysztof is from Poland]

Valve was modeled by ravio090276 using SolidWorks 2010 and is a great example of how a well-chosen section view can make a hidden actuation clear and easy to understand.

Reserva Arboreto – Caramelo Arquitetos – Celi by caramelo looks like a soothing and beautiful place to live or vacation. It was modeled using Google SketchUp. [(c)Caramelo Arquitetos Associados Ltda., which is in Brazil]

Candeline is the latest new character introduced by Parth (XQH_XXX) using 3DVIA Shape. It stands out for the simplicity and elegance of both concept the and the modeling. [Parth is from India]

010-00021 by ravio090276 was created using SolidWorks 2010. The attention to detail is outstanding.

Street Concept 1 by Calin (l5o2k1s) gets my blood moving with both new themes and old worked together in a way that makes me want to drive! It was uploaded using the 3DS Format. [Calin is from Romania]

Frech_base_8 by dstrautman is a beautifully-detailed home, which looks like it would be a joy to live in. It was uploaded in 3DS Format.

When Ensamble_final by Alvaro (alvarocad) goes to work, you better stand back and be ready for some racket. It is fully detailed and was built using CATIA V5. [Alvaro is from Spain]

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!

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

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.

[Graphics still in-progress] 

This is a new program I am starting here that attempts to bring our Community members together with our Developer Community.   We have alot of artists constantly expressing their creativity on 3DVIA.com and we also have just as many developers working in Virtools and MP who are always creating fun and entertaining Scene’s.

We continue bulding on our Asteroids Call to Action, started by Krauth’s retro game on our forums.   This week we will try our hand at creating the hero ship of Asteroids.  It is described as a single pilot, single engine, triangle shaped space fighter, with 1 weapon mount or port.  Read more about Asteroids and it’s history here.

Requirements Summary:

Maximum of 3000 triangle count
1 512 x 512 pixel texture in jpg format
No restrictions of age or number of entries
Use tag “3DVIACTA2″

Guildlines:

Duration- This Call to Action will run from Thursday January 21, 2010 to Wednesday January 27, 2010.

Task- Create an asteroid model for use in games.  The models should be no larger that 3000 triangles, with one 512 x 512 pixel texture in jpg format.

Tag- You must Tag the model with “3DVIACTA2″.  You should also Tag the model with “Asteroid Ship” to help anyone in finding excellent ship models.

Restrictions- There are no restrictions for this mini-Challenge.  Enjoy!

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, January 02 through Friday, January 08, 2010 are highlighted here. This will start the continuation of the Top 10 posts again on a weekly schedule, usually on Thursdays. The weeks that I missed will be honored in a Top 20 – 054 and it will go live as soon as I get it done.

The 2009 Top 10 recap post that I promised is also in the works and will appear out of nowhere to surprise everyone (even me).

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 051 – 052 – 053 – 054 (not done yet)

The Top 10:

Thanks Parth, for helping us get off to a great start in the New Year with Welcome 2010!!!!.  XQH_XXX used 3DVIA Shape. [Parth is from India]

Good advice can come from many places, including the model Finely tuned Relationship!!! by abu_roadking. Abu used 3DVIA Shape to help illustrate his allegorical story. [Abu is from India]

Topmod-test by dvmorris is a wonderfully complex geometrical ball that is just plain great fun to explore. Dave used a STL BINARY Generator [Dave is from the US]

This Plate of Boiled Eggs by trigram_VMX makes me hungry every time I see it! I love Deviled Eggs, so this model, created with 3DVIA Shape, just has to be a winner. [trigram_VMX is from India]

This beautifully designed and modeled building, Gould First File, was uploaded in 3DS format by Mike_D, but was modeled by David Gould. Have fun exploring the interior and picking out your seat for the presentation!

Base was uploaded by solidworks2009prem, although the actual model is a standard SolidWorks model. solidworks2009prem was kind and honest enough to tell me once he saw it here – Thanks!! It shows how even industrial products can look sculptural. Good design can be practical AND sculptural. SolidWorks 2010 was used to do the modeling. [solidworks2009prem is from China]

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!

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

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.

Challenge extended 1 week, due to community requests!

Welcome back everyone to the 3DVIA Challenge!  During the break, we talked about challenge ideas on the forums, and one idea stood up among the rest.  Make a 3DVIA Challenge in Don’s flavor. TRUCKS!  And not just any trucks, Don likes to go very fast, so this challenge is all about Drag Racing Behemoths!

To get you all into the mood, I found this little gem on YouTube.

For this challenge, we want to see your Racing Big Rigs! Build the fastest most aerodynamic Big Rig! This challenge is open to all age groups, you build the ship, we’ll make you famous!

Come on and test your mettle against the best of our community for the chance at fame and fortune. Winners will recieve all the acclaim of being own of our Challenge Champions, a special page we create with your winning entry, and a space on our newsletter, letting everyone know who the Champion is.

Are you the next Champion?

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

REMEMBER THESE KEY DATES:

UPLOAD YOUR MODELS:

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 through Sunday, Febuary 7, 2010

VOTE:

Monday Febuary 8, 2010 through Wednesday Febuary 10, 2010

WINNER ANNOUNCED:
Wednesday Febuary 10, 2010

3DVIA USERS – HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHALLENGE:

A summary of the terms and conditions is included here.

1. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1a. You must be a registered user of 3DVIA.com
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here.

1b. No Age Restriction.

1c. DS 3DVIA employees involved in the organization of this contest (including their family members) and members of any agencies involved in the organization of this contest (including their families) are not eligible.

2. PARTICIPATION

2a. You must upload one “Big Rig” model by Sunday Febuary 7, 2010.
Starting on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 through Sunday, Febuary 7, 2010, upload your best “Big Rig” to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

2b. You must tag your 3D model with “3DVIAChallenge17″.
Tag your model with the keyword “3DVIAChallenge17″ – you must use this exact tag to enter (the tag is not case-sensitive). When you add this tag to your model, you will see a pop-up reminder that you must have read and agreed to the 3DVIA website Terms of Use.

2c. Models created using the 3DVIA Shape software which constitute derivative works reproducing existing models created by third parties under the Creative Commons license are eligible for this contest.
More information about Creative Commons can be found at http://creativecommons.org/ and, with respect to the existing licenses, at http://creativecommons.org/about/license.

2d. Models created using the 3DVIA PrintScreen software or any other software that copies existing 3D models, as well as creations containing any third party proprietary elements are not eligible for this contest.

3. LICENSE TO USE THE MODELS

3a. By uploading your model to enter the contest you are granting DS and DS Subsidiaries certain rights regarding how your model may be used to help promote 3DVIA in the marketplace.

4. WINNERS

4a. A jury made up of six 3DVIA representatives will judge each model from 1-10 (10 being the best score) based on the models artistic merit, technical merit and accuracy.

Artistic Design - Eye catching design, the coolness of the model.
Technical Accuracy – Mechanical or realistic accuracy and detail
Modeling Efficiency – Polygonal construction, modeling skill.

If more than one model receives the same score, each model with the same score will be designated as a Winner and will receive the same prize.

4b. The winner will be announced on the 3DVIA.com web site on Wednesday Febuary 10, 2009.

4c. Decisions of the 3DVIA representatives are final.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

Thank you all who participated in our first Call to Action! Our next one is already up!

This is a new program I am starting here that attempts to bring our Community members together with our Developer Community.   We have a lot of artists constantly expressing their creativity on 3DVIA.com and we also have just as many developers working in Virtools and MP who are always creating fun and entertaining Scenes.

I will bring together requests from our Developers as a weekly mini challenge to our Community.  The purpose is to tap all the creativity on our site and start generating game ready assets for our developer community to use in their projects and games.

[I'm still working on a cool graphic, bear with me :)]
[As technology catches up to me, there will later be rewards for this mini challenge, but we are starting for fun]

Our first Call to Action is to create Asteroids in support of Krauth’s retro game.  He posted a beta version of the game in the forums, and while simple, it is very fun to play.  He has recently updated the game and is looking for feedback and art support!

Requirements Summary:

Maximum of 1200 triangle count
1 512 x 512 pixel texture in jpg format
No restrictions of age or number of entries
Use tag “3DVIACTA1″

Guidelines:

Duration- This Call to Action will run from Wednesday January 13, 2010 to Wednesday January 20, 2010.

Task- Create an asteroid model for use in games.  The models should be no larger that 1200 triangles, with one 256 x256 or 512 x 512 pixel texture in jpg format.

Tag- You must Tag the model with “3DVIACTA1″.  You should also Tag the model with “Asteroid” to help anyone in finding excellent asteroid models.

Restrictions- There are no restrictions for this mini-Challenge.  Enjoy!

See how I easily created a walk through of my kitchen remodel using 3DVIA Scenes:

Currently this is a Secret Beta project, but we are opening it up for testing.  The final release will happen very soon.  Try it out (you do not have to be a 3D expert to use it), and let us know what you think:

www.3dvia.com/scenes

3DVIA Scenes is the next step in offering our customers the tools to create 3D lifelike experiences on the web.

This is Part Two of my Home Remodeling videos.  In the first video, I created the redesign of the kitchen in 3D using 3DVIA Shape.  See that video here.  Together, with 3DVIA Shape and 3DVIA Scenes you can easily create and share 3D environments on the web.

Another video that may be useful is my Building 3D Models from Pictures video.  I used 3DVIA Shape to quickly add lights and a table to this design.

So much happened for 3DVIA this past year that a simple blog post might not do it justice.  Rather than mentioning all the great things that were accomplished this year, I created this video of many of our achievements.  Enjoy!

If you are interested in any of the products or services mentioned in the video, here is a quick list:

• You can find over 14,000 free 3d models and almost 5,000 premium stock 3D models through the search located on 3DVIA.com
• Looking for 3DVIA Mobile?  Click here to learn more
• Need to express your ideas in 3D?  Check out 3DVIA Shape, 3DVIA Virtools or 3DVIA Composer
• Adventurous beta tester?  Check out our latest online 3D creation – 3DVIA Scenes
• You can always meet with 3DVIA at any one of our upcoming events
• Or just follow 3DVIA on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or Flickr

Cheers!

The 3DVIA Team is very excited to introduce the latest 3DVIA product, now in private beta, 3DVIA Scenes! The 3DVIA Scenes application is an innovative new product that allows anyone to communicate and design in 3D through an online immersive experience. We’re excited about the many applications that our users will develop with this technology. I’ll go into greater details on the benefits and features of the product but the following video delivers a much more powerful description and I hope it will get your creative juices flowing.

Now that you have had the chance to watch the 3DVIA Scenes trailer, here are some of the powerful ways we envision our users utilizing this new innovative service. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for instructions on how to be invited to the private-beta, if you would rather jump right in and try it yourself.

• Interior Designers - Showcase your designs for your clients to experience in real-time.
• Commercial Real-Estate Marketing - Create 3D walk-throughs of your properties around the world, to customers around the world.
• 3D Artists - Create galleries and beautiful renders of your 3D art.
• Game Developers - Use 3DVIA Scenes as a level generator, creating environments in minutes to explore with your team.
• Home Improvement - Visualize your renovation project and communicate your proposed designs (Stay tuned for a special Cliff’s Clip on this one).
• Consumers - Create immersive works of art, interactive e-cards and just express your creativity in a whole new way.
• Anything! What story will you tell with 3DVIA Scenes?

Now that you know what can be accomplished with 3DVIA Scenes, here are some of the key features of the product.

• Invite friends, co-workers, clients or anyone to share and experience your 3D creation online in an intuitive and interactive interface.
• Drag, drop, rotate, and scale 3D models in your space.
• No programming or modeling skills required.
• Layout game level designs for a first person shooter with ease.
• Create “Virtual Tours” with a few clicks.
• Geo-locate your scenes.
• Chat in realtime within a scene.

3DVIA Scenes is now in Private Beta! Be a part of an exclusive group to help design the latest 3DVIA product!

Click here for more information and sign up today!

You can also contact us on our Facebook fan page or through Twitter.

Click here to post “I want 3DVIA Scenes” to our 3DVIA Facebook page

Click here to send out a I want 3DVIA Scenes twitter invite.

3DVIA Shape 3.2 is now ready for download!

In continuing our quest to produce the easiest 3D modeling tool in the world, we’ve added a great new Polygon tool. This feature was a top requested enhancement from our ever expanding user base. Now you can create a multiple sided polygon in as little as two clicks ranging from 3 to 24 sides.

Check out the newly added video below (Tip #35) to help inspire you with your new creations.

You can also find the full set of 35 3DVIA Tips and Tricks by clicking here.

Try 3DVIA Shape Free Today

As always, we look forward to your comments and feedback on 3DVIA and 3DVIA Shape!

Add Reflections To Christmas Ornaments Using Photoshop 3D

The holiday season is time of reflection and with a few simple steps, you can reflect your favorite picture in 3D Christmas ornaments for your Season Greetings cards and images.

Materials Needed:

• Adobe Photoshop CS3 or CS4 Extended
• 3DVIA for Adobe® Photoshop® plug-in

Step 1: Open a background image

Start by opening a photograph in Photoshop as the background for our holiday card.  I am using a stock photo, but you can use image.

Step 2: Import a 3D Christma ornament

With the image in place, add a 3D tree ornament.  

Windows Users If you are using Photoshop on a Windows machine, an easy way to search for 3D models is to use the 3DVIA for Adobe® Photoshop® plug-in. You can download it free from
http://www.3dvia.com/software/3dvia-labs/photoshop-3d-plugin.

With the plug-in installed, use the Photoshop command File->Import->Search 3DVIA and login to 3DVIA with your free user account.  Search for “ornament” and then scroll down the model list until you see the red ornament. Click the Import button.

Mac Users If you are working on a Mac, you can open a 3D file with the File->Open command and import the ornament.dae file provided.  You can find additional 3D models for Photoshop at 3dvia.com.  Be sure to download the DAE versions on the files.

Step 3: Place the ornament in the photograph

After the ornament opens in Photoshop, drag the ornament from its own window into the image window with the tree branches.

Step 4: Reposition the ornament under a branch

Move the ornament into a nice position under one of the branches using the 3D Pan, 3D Rotate and 3D Slide tools.

Step 5: Create the reflection

Open the 3D panel if you have not done so yet.  Window->3D.    In the 3D Materials window, click on the material of the red ball portion of the ornament.  You can turn the material on and off by clicking on the eye on the left to determine which material you want to change.   In this case, the material name is named GraphicMaterial_1.  Now, add the reflection image by clicking on the icon just to the right of Environment in the materials portion
of the panel.  Load a texture for the fake reflection.   I used a stock  image of two cute kids.

Play around with the settings forGlossiness, Shininess and Reflectivity until you have your ornament looking just right.   I have the settings at Glossiness = 80%, Shininess = 60%, and Reflectivity = 20.

Step 6: Center the reflection

Now to center the kids’ image on the ornament, use the 3D Orbit Tool (N) to rotate the picture around on the ornament.   Once the image is centered, go back to the 3D Rotate Tool (K)

Step 7: Add another ornament

Add another ornament to the scene by repeating steps 2 through 6.  For my example, I used the green oval shaped ornament found in the 3DVIA search. I drew two lines from the second ornament to one of the branches to make sure the ornament was not hanging out in space.

.

Step 8: Personalize

Personalize your image with a special message, and you are ready for the holidays!

Download the Source Files

This video walks you through how simple it is to build a 3D space.  I am currently remodeling my kitchen within 3DVIA Shape which allows me to make critical decisions on cabinets, flooring, counter tops, colors.  It’s very simple to do.

Be sure you make the right decisions before you make a single purchase – visualize it in 3D.

See the following 3DVIA Shape Tutorials for more detail on how to build this:

#7 – How to use Existing Elements to Draw

#31 – How to Adjust Textures

#32 – How to manipulate similar textures

This is only part one….there’s more to this story, which I will show you next week…There’s a better way to truly visualize the new kitchen.

Here is my kitchen remodel design that I created in 3DVIA Shape for this video.

We are constantly working on the site, and a week doesn’t go by when we don’t fix, upgrade or add something to the website and our tools.   But sometimes we do things that you, our members, have been wanting for a while, or we add something thats so spectacular, we can’t wait to share it!   So this will be the first of many posts enumerating some of the great new things on 3DVIA.com.

This first post will be a combination recap and new additions, here we go!

New Tools!

Fast Model Search – We’ve integrated Cool Iris into our 3D Model Search.  Now you can browse through our giant 3D Library at speeds unheard off!

Support Forums – In case you missed it, 3DVIA now proudly hosts the 3DVIA Support Forums. Ask questions, get answers.  This section has seen many improvements since launch but coming soon is FILE ATTACHMENTS!  I can’t wait!  We’ve also added the latest 5 posts to the bottom of the Blog Page, so you can head directly over there after you read this post.

- Social Networking -  We’ve added popular social network portals to our site, so you can enjoy and talk about 3DVIA anywhere! Join the 3DVIA community portals in Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr on our Homepage, Blog and Newsletter!

-3DVIA Store – The 3DVIA Store has been launched, with many ready to use quality models at really low prices! If you haven’t been by, check out some cars!

New Updates!

- Model Upload Limit Increased -  Cheer and rejoice!  The upload limit on models has been increased from 11 MB to 25 MB!!   This is fantastic news for all of us.  As our skills improve, so do our ambitions, and this increased limit will let us build models twice as complex as before!

- User Profile Updates – We’ve exposed the Description field in your profile so people can now know a little bit more about you when they check out your profile.  We’ve also added a forward and back arrow to your Models section on your My 3DVIA page so it’s easier to see more than just those 4 models.

The next few weeks promise to bring more exciting updates as we close out the year with a BANG! If you’d like to share your feedback on the site or what you think is needed next, please stop by the forums and post!

I wanted to create a large number of new Photoshop brushes but finding the right image and having to cut, crop, and crunch the pictures became painful and boring.  Thinking a bit outside the box led me to a whole new dimension in brush making.  Why not use 3D models to quickly create Photoshop brushes ?!?!

Materials Needed:

• Adobe Photoshop CS3 or CS4 Extended
• 3DVIA for Adobe® Photoshop® plug-in

Step 1: Search for your (3D) brush image

An easy way to search for 3D models is to use the 3DVIA for Adobe® Photoshop® plug-in. You can download it free from http://www.3dvia.com/software/3dvia-labs/photoshop-3d-plugin. With the plug-in installed, use the Photoshop command File->Import->Search 3DVIA and login to 3DVIA with your free user account.

Step 2: Import 3D model

Let’s create some brushes using a plant. After the 3DVIA dialog appears, type ‘plant’ in the Model Search box and click Search. Once a list of 3D models appears, find the model named Fern and click on Import. In a few seconds, the plant should appear in Photoshop as a new image.

Step 3: Create the brush

To create the brush in Photoshop, use the menu Edit->Define Brush (or Define Brush Preset.. in CS3). Name your new brush. When you bring up the preset brushes window using Windows->Brushes or F5, you will see your new custom fern brush.

Step 4: Use your new brush

Now let’s use our new brush. Create a new image and use the gradient fill on the background layer. Create a new layer (Layer->New->Layer) so we can paint with our new brush. 

To give a bit more interest to the fern brush, let’s change a few of the brush properties. Open the brushes panel if you do not have it open Window->Brushes or F5. First off, set the foreground to a forest green and background color to black. In the Brush panel, click on Shape Dynamics and play with the sliders. I uses Size Jitter = 10%, Minimum Diameter = 1%, Angle Jitter = 10%, Roundness Jitter = 0%. Also click on Color Dynamics and try some different settings. I set the Foreground/Background Jitter to 100% and all other 0%.

With the Paintbrush tool selected, begin to click in you image and begin
painting.

Step 5: Create another brush by rotating the plant

To create another brush with a different look, make the fern image active and use the 3D tools to rotate the plant on the screen. In Photoshop CS3, you must first use the command Layer->3D layers-> Transform 3D Model. Once again, create a new brush as you did before in Step 3.

Step 6: Create a few more brushes

Continue creating new brushes with the Fern model or import any other model available on 3dvia.com. Once you have a few custom brushes, play with the Shape Dynamics, Color Dynamics, Scattering, or any of the other settings to create additional unique brushes.

Step 7: Add some creative touches

Add some text and a bit of scratches with a filter and you’re done.

Creating a custom brush with a 3D model is real easy with access to enough 3D models.

Download the PSD

]]> http://www.3dvia.com/blog/photoshop-3d-brushes/feed/ 7 http://www.3dvia.com/blog/3dvias-fast-3d-site-wins-mitx-award/ http://www.3dvia.com/blog/3dvias-fast-3d-site-wins-mitx-award/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:34:02 +0000 Emmy http://www.3dvia.com/blog/?p=12458

3DVIA’s Fast 3D site has won the 2009 MITX (Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange) award for the Best Use of Video. We are very honored to have competed in the MITX Awards, the largest and most prestigious awards competition in the U.S. for interactive and Web innovations, and must thank Genuine Interactive, our creative agency responsible for the creation of Fast 3D, as well as all the 3DVIA people who helped bring it to life.

Fast 3D was launched at this year’s Game Developer Conference in March to promote the release of 3DVIA Virtools 5, the latest version of our engine for rapid prototyping and development in industrial and gaming applications. The site successfully generated interest in 3DVIA Virtools 5, as well as many of our other products.

Check out the Fast 3D site here!

Screenshot of Fast 3D.

Yay! We won! 3DVIA ( those of us who were in the office at the time of this photo ;) celebrates victory.
Top (left to right): Cliff Medling, Greg Smith, Marc DiGregorio, Kathleen Padden, Dan Ubilla, Emmy Jonassen, JJ Grimaud, Juan del Rio Bottom (left to right): Rodd Halstead, Lynne Wilson, David Laubner, Matt Baron

Photo opp at the MITX Awards with Genuine Interactive.
Mike Maione (GI), Emmy Jonassen, Christian Connolly (GI), David Laubner, Chris Pape (GI)

In this video I turn Jewels the Cat into…da-da-da-da…Rocket Cat.  You will have to see how easy this was to do using the 3DVIA for Adobe Photoshop Plugin.

I used two nice models on 3DVIA in the video:  The Rocket, and Goggles for the Cat.

Battleships being one of my favorites and because of the rule changes till we can allow voting again I decided to do something diffrent. With soo many great ships I decided to choose 1 over all winner and 2 others to stand with him in our new armada. Our over all winner is Marian with his Sarmizegetusa Regia, and standing on his left and right shoulders are XQH_XXX’s Punisher Battleship and Kiml’s Explorer Ship. Marian’s ship shows a a magnificent grasp of ship design and construction. XQH’s ship is a 3DVIA Shape masterpiece, suprising many of the judges. Kiml’s ship has a fantastic silhouete and really evokes stories of fantastic voyages across the stars. Congratulations everyone!

Time permitting I’m going to create more of these shots, including all the fantastic ship entries into one large poster. I created this using the 3DVIA for Photoshop Plug-in. I’ll make available for all here. :) Thank you all for participating!

Our next challenge will have a prize but the one you expect! :) And will be open to everyone. Woot!

In case you missed them, here is the Challenge Champion and his Captains!

Our next Challenge will begin next week, and I’ve been going through the suggestions on the Challenge Forum Thread so if you have any late additions be sure to include them soon! Start practicing for next week, because next time, you could be our Champion!

-Juan

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, October 31st through Friday, November 6th are highlighted here. Instead of the usual snappy repartee about how excellent all the models are this week (although they are, of course, in your face fabulous) I must mention that I will be out of the office for the next four weeks :( and will not be doing Top 10 posts (or any other posts) during those weeks.

You will also notice an abrupt cessation of my incredibly witty remarks about your models :(. I am as sorry as you are (if you are at all sorry and not actually planning a huge party) because it is so much fun (and hard work too).

So, PLEASE be nice to each other, support each other and kick only the people who deserve it (but kick kindly of course). See you all in a little while!

In case your attention span is extremely limited, you can watch the following video in 31 seconds and see all of the included models before you forget what you were trying to remember to do. :)

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 051 – 052

The Top 10:

I am very impressed with Macaquekillerbot (Textured Version) which was created by lof1 using 3DVIA Shape. The level of detail is phenomenal and I really like the concept of pivoting the skull on two spheres to control its actions. If I ever see this thing, I’m running – fast!

You know I’m going to love this Ferrari 599 GTB, carefully crafted by Oscar using Blender, and I do! I know he’s still working on it, but I just couldn’t wait to show it off. He also painted it Ferrari Fly Yellow, which is my favorite color for a Ferrari after red. :) Great job Oscar! [Oscar/mynameisoscarjo is from Sweden]

Take some time to enjoy 24-Cell constructed by Scott (mtgtopdeck). It’s worth taking it for a spin and finding each new and surprising view as you move it around.

Bulby Fights LUXO by Parth uses 3DVIA Shape and its great remix tools to pull in most of the elements that he needed from his own models. That left him able to concentrate on getting the humorous story that he is telling just right. Everyone will know when the KO punch comes – they’ll be avoiding shards of flying glass! [Parth/XQH_XXX is from India]

Meshup Cylinder is a fantastic piece of sculpture by 01337 using Photoshop and an OBJ Generator. Great colors and shading and an involving form both inside and out!

Shrek is going to need all the help he can get in May the Force Be With Shrek!! by Abu. Using 3DVIA Shape, Abu has created what looks like a fantasy mash-up of fairy tales, movies and user models. I hope he tells us in a future model whether Shrek made it or not!  [Abu/abu_roadking is from India]

Antichron by Scott (mtgtopdeck) shows the amazing artistic and totally logical connections of sculpture and mathematics. Go here for a quick description of the more esoteric reasons why this is true.

Mahendra’s Coxept model shows where incredible exuberance and creative energy can take you! Of course not everyone will like every part of this concept, but when you’re exploring, anywhere is a good place to go. Great job Mahendra! CATIA V5 is his tool of choice. [Mahendra/mahendra48 is from Indonesia]

John used a VRML Generator to create his Oil and Gas Noavatarz corrected model. Please view the model carefully and zoom in to get a much better appreciation of the huge amount of work John did to create an accurate model like this. Without models like this and patience like John’s, most of the things that we take for granted wouldn’t even exist. [John/johnc is from the UK]

This amazing Sphera Simplified was imagined and modeled by epcinnova and then uploaded here in 3DS format. The imagination and engineering stretch to create concepts like this are fantastic to see! [epcinnova is from Spain]

Honorable Mentions:

Great textures make Camera by Abu a useful little model that can be used in lots of places without loading up on polygons. 3DVIA Shape is Abu’s modeling tool in this case (he also uses CATIA and other more sophisticated software). [Abu/abu_roadking is from India]

This simple and very elegant Candle by Parth was modeled using 3DVIA Shape. [Parth/XQH_XXX is from India]

perecat1 has turned his imagination to the skies in one of his latest models – Airplane. I sure do enjoy looking at it, but don’t think I’d be too eager to take a ride. perecat1 uses 3DVIA Shape. [perecat1 is from Spain]

This little Duck Train by fnj_123, makes me smile and quack every time I see it! Who knew that modeling in 3DVIA Shape could end up being so much fun? :) [fnj_123 is from India]

I appreciate all the detail in both the wheel and the tire tread that makes Truck Wheel by Marian such a great-looking and useful model. He created it using Google SketchUp. [Marian is from Romania]

Just so everyone knows, the order that the Top 10 and Honorable Mentions 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!

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.

Be sure to see how the 3DVIA plugin could help you in this video.

For simple instructions on how to install and use the 3DVIA plugin, see this short video.

Have any ideas for more great uses for 3D within Photoshop, let us know.

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, October 24th through Friday, October 30th are highlighted here. Yikes! 52 Top 10’s filled with your models! 520 models ranked as the best of the week and another 250 included as Honorable Mentions (- 001 and -002 didn’t have Honorable Mentions). That’s dang close to 800 models that have received special recognition!

Thanks to all of you for checking the Top 10 each week and for making it a worthy goal to be included. Everyone has been incredibly gracious as I bumble along trying to pick the most-deserving models.

Thank you also for being so positive, helpful and for making 3DVIA a real community of folks helping each other have fun and learn more about 3D modeling!

Next week I’ll write a celebratory post with some facts and figures (and, of course, some visual examples) of how the year stacked up. Feel free to send me any comments that you’d like to have included in the post by Tuesday, November 17 and I’ll do my best to squeeze them in.

In case your attention span is extremely limited, you can watch the following video in 33 seconds and see all of the included models before you forget what you were trying to remember to do. :)

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050 – 051

The Top 10:

The model concept and the details that make it work are excellent. I especially like the fire and smoke signals in Hmm!!, conceived and modeled by Jesse using CATIA V5. I sure hope the answer helps the frown become a smile! [Jesse/mastic is from Spain]

B.C. Rich Tracii Guns (Gunslinger) Model was modeled by Shannon using Google SketchUp and his usual meticulous attention to  details. You can find other Gunslinger models at the B.C. Rich Guitars web site.  [Shannon/sandman14 is from the US]

You better wear these in the right place! Rampone Salewa Cinghiato (crampons) are beautifully modeled by Gregorio using SolidWorks 2009. Just make sure you take them off before you go bowling or golfing!

If we have the right mind-set, we can all learn from the story told in the Destroying and Rebuilding model created by Abu using 3DVIA Shape. It is another example of his great ability to bring a meaningful story to life using 3D. [Abu/abu_roadking is from India]

Oscar created this incredible model of the Koenigsegg CCX several months ago using Blender, but it was too big to upload to 3DVIA. Juan and I volunteered to see if we could get it down to size using our variety of apps and supposed experience. Oscar was EXTREMELY patient and we finally got it back to him over 3 months later! Of course, Juan and I did have a few other things to do, like all of us.

You have to go explore this model in detail. I consider it one of the best on the site – right up there with Benoit Caselli’s great concept car. To be fair to Benoit, he also had to work hard to remove the right details in order to get his file down to size. Don’t take my word for it. Visit both and be amazed! [Oscar/mynameisoscarjo is from Sweden]

P I X A R by Parth is a humorous model that is deceivingly complex. Using 3DVIA Shape, Parth has created accurate serif lettering and most of the mechanical bits and bits that make up a LUXO lamp. Parth explains in the model description his love of animation and the obvious connection to P I X A R Animation Studios. [Parth/XQH_XXX is from India]

This is a beautifully done model of an underwater exploratory vehicle. Seabotix LBV150 by Gregorio appears to have an open bay just waiting for different payloads to perform a variety of tasks. It was created using SolidWorks 2009.

T Van by Calin is a true concept for the future. Its form and volumes make us stop and think about what a car could look like and how we might use them differently. Calin uploaded his vision using the 3DS format. [Calin/l5o2k1s is from Romania]

Go! Go! Go! by Jesse is a great story. His spunky monkeys have stolen the Dassault Systemes logo and are off to have some mischievous fun! Jesse used CATIA V5. [Jesse/mastic is still from Spain]

As the S&B Filters web page says: 2009 Scoop REV 4 by DC82 is all about “AIR IN. POWER OUT.” DS82 created this complexly surfaced model  using SolidWorks 2009. (I used the brand new 3DVIA for Adobe Photoshop plugin to easily create the inset section view, while still in Photoshop, to help explain the innards.

Honorable Mentions:

This well-detailed kitchen is called Cuisine and was designed by totor009 using SolidWorks 2009.

trigram_VMP put transparency and great textures to work to create Abstract Planet using 3DVIA Shape. There are at least six planets within the parent planet.  [trigram_VMP is from India]

Meca Spyder was created by Gruguir using Lightwave3D. I really like the combination of the organic and metallic looks! Is it alive or is it a machine?

Nikolal put his imagination to work and designed the Cyberplane for the future. He  uploaded it using the 3DS format. [Nikolal/zenox is from Serbia & Montenegro]

Grr… introduces us to two menacing characters created by Jesse using CATIA V5. Here’s hoping that they’re our friends too! [As far as I know Jesse/mastic hasn't gone anywhere, so you'll still find him in Spain]

Just so everyone knows, the order that the Top 10 and Honorable Mentions 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!

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 – some 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.

I’ve always had a fascination with these space faring juggernaughts. Nothing fills you with more dread that comming around an asteroid after finishing off those pesky scouts than coming face to face with a battleship.  I speak from experience!  From X-wing vs Tie-fighter all the way to Descent: Freespace and Taychion the Fringe and of course as I commanded my armada in the Homeworld series.

For this challenge, we want to see your Battleships! Build the core of your armada, with its sleek lines, heavy railguns and beam cannons. This challenge is open to all age groups, you build the ship, we’ll make you famous!

Come on and test your mettle against the best of our community for the chance at fame and fortune. Winners will recieve all the acclaim of being own of our Challenge Champions, a special page we create with your winning entry, and a space on our newsletter, letting everyone know who the Champion is.

Are you the next Champion?

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

REMEMBER THESE KEY DATES:

UPLOAD YOUR MODELS:

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 through Sunday, November 29, 2009

VOTE:

Monday November 30, 2009 through Wednesday December 2, 2009

WINNER ANNOUNCED:
Wednesday December 2, 2009

3DVIA USERS – HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHALLENGE:

A summary of the terms and conditions is included here.

1. CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1a. You must be a registered user of 3DVIA.com
3DVIA accounts are free, sign up here.

1b. No Age Restriction.

1c. DS 3DVIA employees involved in the organization of this contest (including their family members) and members of any agencies involved in the organization of this contest (including their families) are not eligible.

2. PARTICIPATION

2a. You must upload one “Battleship” model by Sunday November 29, 2009.
Starting on Thursday, November 11, 2009 through Sunday November 29, 2009, upload your best “Battleship” to 3DVIA. Only new to 3DVIA and original work will be considered, 1 submission per user, NO team entries.

2b. You must tag your 3D model with “3DVIAChallenge16″.
Tag your model with the keyword “3DVIAChallenge16″ – you must use this exact tag to enter (the tag is not case-sensitive). When you add this tag to your model, you will see a pop-up reminder that you must have read and agreed to the 3DVIA website Terms of Use.

2c. Models created using the 3DVIA Shape software which constitute derivative works reproducing existing models created by third parties under the Creative Commons license are eligible for this contest.
More information about Creative Commons can be found at http://creativecommons.org/ and, with respect to the existing licenses, at http://creativecommons.org/about/license.

2d. Models created using the 3DVIA PrintScreen software or any other software that copies existing 3D models, as well as creations containing any third party proprietary elements are not eligible for this contest.

3. LICENSE TO USE THE MODELS

3a. By uploading your model to enter the contest you are granting DS and DS Subsidiaries certain rights regarding how your model may be used to help promote 3DVIA in the marketplace.

4. WINNERS

4a. A jury made up of six 3DVIA representatives will judge each model from 1-10 (10 being the best score) based on the models artistic merit, technical merit and accuracy.

Artistic Design - Eye catching design, the coolness of the model.
Technical Accuracy – Mechanical or realistic accuracy and detail
Modeling Efficiency – Polygonal construction, modeling skill.

If more than one model receives the same score, each model with the same score will be designated as a Winner and will receive the same prize.

4b. The winner will be announced on the 3DVIA.com web site on Wednesday December 2, 2009.

4c. Decisions of the 3DVIA representatives are final.

View the Current Models Entered in this Challenge

3DVIA is proud to announce 3DVIA for Adobe® Photoshop®, our plugin for importing 3D models directly into Adobe Photoshop compositions.

With just one click, and without ever leaving the Photoshop window, search through the 3DVIA.com model library to select a model and bring it directly into your Photoshop composition. Once there, the model appears as its own layer and can be scaled, positioned and lit as desired.

To learn more about 3DVIA for Adobe Photoshop, click here.

Download and Install this FREE Plugin

CS3 Extended (Windows)
CS4 Extended (Windows)
CS4 Extended (Windows 64-bit)

*Mac version coming soon.

To see our plugin in action, check out Cliff’s latest videos below.

The best models uploaded to 3DVIA.com during the week of Saturday, October 17th through Friday, October 23rd are highlighted here. Your band now has both a scary guitar, a snare drum and a really cool set of towers to play in, but will the Abstract Propeller and the Flummox Roller Coaster keep the repo men distracted long enough for you to move the Camaro and Sunbeam somewhere safe. You better hope that the Army truck is finished being lined-up on the jig so you’ve got some back up on the way…otherwise you may end up making friends with the smiley guy in the hearse.

In case your attention span is extremely limited, you can watch the following video in 33 seconds and see all of the included models before you forget what you were trying to remember to do. :)

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 – 019 – 020 – 021 – 022 – 023 – 024 – 025 – 026 – 027 – 028 – 029 – 030 – 031 – 032 – 033 – 034 – 035 – 036 – 037 – 038 – 039 – 040 – 041 – 042 – 043 – 044 – 045 – 046 – 047 – 048 – 049 – 050

The Top 10:

Scary stuff must have been on Shannon’s mind when he modeled ESP KH-2 Mummy using Google SketchUp. What is the sound made by all of us screaming virtually? [sandman14 is from the US]

Mind-boggling detail is Alfred’s specialty. His entire range of models makes you wish that you had the keys so that you could go off and make some real noise! MAN 5to milGL is no exception. Check out all of the tools and the engine and running gear. Phew! alfredix uses Pro/E for his modeling and then translates everything into STEP format for uploading to 3DVIA. [Alfred is from Germany]

No matter which way you look at it Abstract Propeller by epcinnova is gorgeous. The interplay of form, space and color make it a treat to explore! He uploaded in the 3DS format. [epcinnova is from Spain]

Outillage Assemblage De Support Habbilage is quite an impressive assembly jig modeled by by sgiosgio using CATIA V5. It would be exciting (and probably very loud) to see it in action!

2010 Camaro by tnewton76 isn’t completely done yet, but it strikes all the right chords in my motor brain. SolidWorks 2010Beta3 is his modeling tool.

VH by monsieurjeanclaudedus looks like a trio of observer decks connected in a novel way. It’s very sculptural and open! He uploaded it in 3DS format.

Marian keeps getting better and better with his designs and with using Google SketchUp. Sunbeam has excellent proportions and beautiful surfacing. Let’s go! Now, please! [Marian is from Romania]

Check out all of the detail in this Snare Stand model by Puss_in_boots, which he modeled using CATIA V5. It’s impressive – you could almost build one for yourself.

Halloween just got a lot scarier when toymaker uploaded  Hearse 2009, which he modeled using Google SketchUp. Just like the excellent modeler that he is, he also gave full credit to Dr_Love for his horse model and Jotham for his skeleton model. [toymaker is from the US]

I think ntwiesen has a little more work to do before anyone loses their lunch on this Flummox Roller Coaster , but it looks like it will be worth the wait! ntwiesen used CATIA V5. [ntwiesen is from the US]

Honorable Mentions:

I don’t think anyone can zoom in and start exploring Guerra by odst without laughing and having some fun! This once again proves that using 3DVIA Shape can let your inner craziness out!

Pelicano by epcinnova illustrates the power of transparency to illustrate sub-systems within a much more complex environment. He uploaded it in 3DS format. [epcinnova is from Spain]

There is plenty of detail in Maison St. Ismier: Proposition 1 by yultreuse , from the furniture to topography, all done using 3DVIA Shape.

Apple by trigram_VMX is a simple subject which the textures really bring to life. 3DVIA Shape was his creative tool of choice.  [trigram_VMX is from India]

I’m ready to visit perecat1 at his Vacation Home that he constructed with his imagination and 3DVIA Shape. [perecat1 is from Spain]

Just so everyone knows, the order that the Top 10 and Honorable Mentions 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!

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.