3D printing competition by CGTrader

I received an email from CGTrader letting me know about a cool contest that you all might be interested in.

Dalia writes:

I am writing from CGTrader – we run a 3D model marketplace for artists and designers.

Since you have the attention of 3D designers, I wanted to let you know about a competition that could be of interest to them. We have just launched a 3D printing competition for 3D printable models – with some pretty cool prizes, including two 3D printers by Ultimaker, 3D printing of the winning model by 3D Print UK, gift cards from Sculpteo, Filaco, Stash, as well as an opportunity to sell designs in the world’s largest 3D printing store iMakr in London.

In order to participate, the designers just need to create 3D printable models in .STL format and upload them for sale or download to CGTrader. Further information on the competition is available here: http://www.cgtrader.com/challenges-and-competitions/3d-printing-competition-2013.

So go check it out, the winner just might be you!

MYoB: project 7 lil pilot sculpted

Well I had thought that with a little bit of experience under my belt that sculpting would go quicker and that I would be doing the sculpting and the retopology of the lil pilot as one project.

Yeah… that didn’t happen. The sculpting took me far longer than I anticipated and felt like a whole project in and of itself. Which is ok, I am of course still learning about sculpting, so it does still end up being a whole big thing when I do it.

I am a little bummed that I didn’t get the retopology done by the 12th (which was the exercise deadline), but I think I did pretty good anyhow. I am still going to do the retopology, I just won’t watch that part of Jonathan’s tutorial until I finish mine.

Overall I am pretty happy with the way this little guy is turning out. The hands and boots could use a lot more work, but I think I will tackle that in retopology. Everything else feels good so far. But there is still that whole retopology thing to do and I may decide that I am an idiot for putting all those wrinkles in the clothes.

Anyhow, I have had a lot of fun on this guy and it has been a great learning experience and I have worked through the various stages.

Nope it didn’t get done today….

When I got up this morning, I discussed with hubby the tasks I was going to work on today. I just got off the phone with him a few minutes ago after the following conversation.

hubby: “So did you get BAM #41 all proofed?

me: “Um nope.” (Sorry guys I swear I will get on it asap )

hubby: ”Well are your flower beds all cleaned out and pretty?

me: “Um …. nope.”

hubby: “Did you get Sasha’s nails done?” (Sasha is one of our dogs and her nails are horribly long and desperately need done.)

me: “Nope.”

hubby: “Well at least you got the laundry finished, right?”

me: “Yeah …. nope.”

hubby: “So what have you BEEN doing all morning”

me: “Ummmm….. modeling…”

Seriously I meant to do all those things, but I sat down to have a cup of coffee and get myself all organized. And before I knew it, I had blender open and I was working on my little pilot exercise. The sculpting is going really well and I just wanted to work on it a minute while drinking my coffee.

Fast forward several cups of coffee later, little pilot is coming along quite nicely, chores not so much.

Each time I got up to get a new cup of coffee, I told myself Ok it is time to get busy and then I sat right back down with my coffee and continued to sculpt away.

Now I really really need to go get some things done and be a productive little house wife.

Hmmm…. those gloves just need a little more work, it won’t take a minute I swear…….

MYoB: project 6_Pilot

I am so tickled with myself. Last week Jonathan announced a new modeling exercise (Modeling The Airplane Pilot Character) for us to all work on. So since it was time to start a new project, I decided to play along.

I finished blocking out this little guy and I am so pleased with myself. I am fully aware that this might not seem like a big deal for anyone but me. But up until I took Jonathan’s Master Modeling Workshop, I never did the blocking in stage of modeling. I went full detail from the start and always ended up with really heavy dense models that were difficult to work with. So I have been trying really hard lately to block in first.

And this is my first successful solo attempt at doing so!!!

Whoot me!!!

The best part is that not only do I now have a base model to sculpt on and add further detail, but my blocked in model actually looks like the little pilot dude. Whooooo!!!!

So I am claiming this as MYoB project #6. I will probably claim sculpting and retopo as 7 and 8. Although depending how it goes maybe just as 7. We will see.

Okay then, I’m off to have some sculpting fun.

bye now….

MYoB: project #5… retopology of Flower Fairykin

I realize that technically sculpting and retopology of the same model should be considered all one project, but I am not highly proficient in either technique as of yet, so I broke it into two projects.

The sculpting stage took only a day or so, but the retopology stage took forever!!!. Okay it didn’t really take forever, it just seemed like it. I actually ended up starting over at one point because it just wasn’t working out. Which was irking me to no end.

I finally got the retopo to a stage where I was at least moderately happy. There are still several areas that are not optimal, but that is something to concentrate on more for next time. And if I don’t call it good now, I will be fussing endlessly with this thing til the end of time and I have other projects I want to work on. So I am calling it done. (umm for now )

I do believe that this is only the 2nd or 3rd retopo I have done, so I am happy that I at least finished it.

Next project is going to be me attempting the new modeling exercise that Jonathan announced at Blender Cookie today. He has challenged us to model the little pilot that goes with the little plane training series he released a short while ago.

The deadline for render submissions is Sunday, May 12, which gives me a week to see how well I can pull this off. Best part is that this is the same design that will be used in an upcoming Citizen course on the same subject.

So I get to muddle through and give it my best shot then watch Jonathan show me how I should have done it.

Well off to get started… well right after I change out the laundry.