Which 3d models sell best. Unique model or not? Main mistakes when preparing Previews

Selling 3D models is an excellent part-time job, and with the right approach it can become your main income.

Today we will look at principles that will help you realize your ideas and earn more money.

Unique model or not?

This topic has two sides to the coin. On the one hand, if the model is posted exclusively on this resource, it will immediately increase the rating on the site and the model may appear one of the first. On the other hand, our audience reach is decreasing. For example, we place a model on Turbosquid (the largest and most famous site for selling models). We have an audience of 130 thousand potential buyers per month. However, if we place the same model on three resources - Turbosquid, The 3D Studio, and Creative Crash, this will double our audience. Between rating and audience reach, it is better to choose the latter (at least at the first stage). When you have a continuous flow of sales, you can already afford uniqueness.

A good habit is to track your sales over several months. If statistics show that 70% of sales come from the Turbosquid resource, then we can already talk about exclusivity. Turbosquid also has a SquidGuild mode, when you are given more opportunities, namely, they reduce your percentage of sales and the site’s assistance in promoting the model. Once you make $10,000 in sales, you can get a SquidGuild. $10,000, Karl!

Find your niche

Narrow specialization is great! Find your niche and become an expert there. Choose a topic that is close in spirit. Firstly, this makes it easier for potential buyers to find your models; secondly, the models will become better each time; and finally, attention will be focused and integral. If in the buyer’s mind you already occupy the place of a certain specialist in some field, then there is a high probability that the next time he needs a model of your theme, he will not wade and search among the sea of content, but will immediately turn to you.

On the other hand, if you are just starting out in model sales, then it is better to use diversification at an early stage. In order to understand your specialization, you need to try different directions. When you have a clear idea of what works best, you will be able to find your buyer.

Presentation

A quality model is great, but take the time to render with different sides and in different lighting! This will help present the model in a favorable light. The first impression is the most important, so you need to make an effort to present yourself well. Rendering from different sides, focusing on details will help show how carefully you approach not only the implementation, but also the presentation of the 3D model.
And, of course, convert models to different formats; Don't forget about the universal .obj format.

Off-site sales

When you put a model up for sale, share this news on VK, Instagram, Facebook, Artstation, DeviantArt and any similar social networks. Almost every model sales site has an affiliate program, which means additional privileges if the model appears on other resources. In addition, you expand your audience and attract your own potential clients. Even if there are no potential buyers in your feed, word of mouth may work or a buyer may accidentally see your work through hashtags.

Quality

Even hundreds of models will not provide you with sales if they are of terrible quality. Although at first I really want to fill out my profile with quantity in order to quickly cover the market and get my first profit. But this path is wrong. Potential Buyers Most often they use 3D models for professional needs, so they are quite demanding people. It is better to spend enough time to implement a decent model and it will be justified. You gain a reputation as a quality modeler and this increases your chances of securing a stream of sales.

The time is coming for all of us when large amounts of information data begin to show. In order to rethink and subsequently learn the secrets of professionals, it is necessary to spend a lot of time and work. As a result, a not very long path was found that leads to high-quality 3D graphics.

This exclusive information will give you access to secrets that will show you and your fantastic skills in action.

We often ask ourselves which models sell the best. So, let's say that the value of 100 is the market average. Then - the higher the index, the more chances to sell great amount 3D models in this category. For example, a character/person (170) or science/medicine (124) ranks above the average in the market, while electronics (81) or industry (76) ranks below the average.

We also face the question: how to evaluate a 3D model in each category? If we compare the list price with the sales price in each category, we will see categories with overpriced and underpriced items.

When the approximate list price is lower than the approximate selling price (for example, residential items), the category is undervalued - meaning you can increase the price of your high-end models. On the contrary, when the category is overpriced (for example, ships), you are better off offering inexpensive models.

And finally, how to maximize sales of 3D content?

1. At least 100 models must be sold. According to the data, designers with 100-150 models sell 1.7 times more often than designers with 1-50 models - even after adjusting for the number of models. Maybe, large quantity models indicates the quality of the work, but if you can offer more than 100 models for sale, you have a good chance of success.

By the way, one of the platforms where you can sell your 3D models and earn a little money from your work is the figgol.com platform; you can also sell models for 3D printers or CNC on figgol.com.

2. Also focus on high price and high quality 3D models. As you know, buyers prefer high-quality 3D models and are more willing to pay for them. By selling your models in the range of $100–$200, you will have a maximum sales level that is 2 times higher than that of models priced below $100.

3. It makes sense to add at least 5-9 preview images. Models with 5-9 preview images sell three times more often than models with 0-4 images. Models with 35-39 preview images help achieve a tenfold increase in sales compared to models shown with 0-4 images.

4. Offer free 3D models for evaluation. Buyers love a test drive before purchasing. Designers with free models in their portfolio sell 60% more. So, by giving away one or two models for free, you really increase your sales.

As a result, with the help of simple but effective tips, you can climb to new level excellence and making money.

In this material you will learn how you can make money by selling figurines of computer game heroes or other characters. This niche has not yet been occupied and has good potential. Computer games and 3D technology attracts many, since 3D printing today is more accessible than ever.

So, first, let's select the characters you want to sell (remember about copyrights).

Photo: character figurine based on Dota; 3D printing for kingdom3d.ru

1. Create 3D model favorite character, in several ways:

- if the character is famous, find the model in special libraries with 3D models, of which there are already a great many on the Internet. To do this, you need to type “character name” + 3d model in the google/yandex search

— order a 3D model from a 3D artist. These can be found on special forums and websites, for example, render.ru or mrdren.com

- do it yourself. There are many programs for 3D modeling. As a rule, each software has its own resources with training materials. A basic list of 3D modeling programs can be found, and tips on modeling for 3D printing can be found.

2. Prepare the model for 3D printing

In order for a 3D printer to accept files, they need to be prepared for it in a special way, otherwise they will turn out crooked, break or crumble. Tips for preparing a model for 3D printing can be found.

3. Select material

Ideal for colored models :

— advantages: detail and color, ;

— flaws: the figurine will be fragile and susceptible to moisture (do not wipe the dust with a wet rag, do not throw it and everything is ok).

For single-color models, white is suitable :

— advantages: detail (higher than gypsum), strength and moisture resistance. In addition, you can paint the figurine yourself (creative!). Painting Instructions;

— flaws: you can say that there are none, but unlike plaster, it does not allow you to print color models and costs .

4. Automatically check for errors, find out price, print

You can upload the model in .STL format to our website, it will automatically check it for errors, and our modelers will give you feedback and tips for improvement when they see it in the admin panel. After downloading, the service will automatically calculate the cost (you must first select the material - see point 3.).

If you are satisfied with the price, and the quality of the model allows you to send it for printing, then the same service() will produce it for you on industrial-class printers (not to be confused with home desktop printers - you cannot get this quality with them...)

Photo: figurine of a character based on Game of Thrones; author of the 3D model

5. Earn money by selling your 3D model

6. Start your business selling game figures

There are many sites on the Internet that sell similar figures; they specialize in different games. Their owners made them themselves or ordered 3D models of the heroes and sell them online on their websites (an example of a website is kingdom3d.ru). Everyone has different preferences in games and character images, so you still have time to find your niche.

Production. So, you already have the models, you need to choose a manufacturer. As a contractor for the production of figurines, you need to choose a reliable 3D printing service (for example,). It is better to order test samples of your figures from several of them - and choose the one that will promptly provide you with a quality product for a reasonable price.

Delivery of goods. It would be reasonable to agree with the manufacturer (3D printing service) on reliable packaging and delivery of goods to your customers directly from their office. This arrangement will be your advantage when it comes to delivery times for the figures.

Prepare files for uploading to 3DExport

Archives must contain only 3D files. For each file there is a separate archive. Archive textures separately;
Give your archives clear names by indicating the file format in the name. Right: ford_mustang_gt_obj.rar, ford_mustang_gt_max.rar, ford_mustang_gt_3dsj.rar, ford_mustang_gt_fbx.rar etc. Wrong: items_435345.rar, mymodel.rar, 1.rar etc.
The archive does not have to be large. Try to optimize your scene to reduce the file size or split the archives into several parts. Try to keep your archive no larger 500 MB;
RAR compresses files better than ZIP, so archiving in RAR will speed up the uploading of files to the site;
We recommend adding as many formats as possible. Formats are required .3ds, .obj And .fbx. The more formats you add, the more likely it is that your model will be found and bought.

Prepare a description of your model

The description should not be long and clear;
Be sure to indicate which renderer is used in the scene or what plugins are needed to work correctly with the model/scene;
Add an animation video (from YouTube) showing your model from all sides. This will help increase sales of the model;
Carefully prepare keywords/tags/tags for your models (no more 20 ). Add only relevant keywords. The most accurately selected keywords will help the buyer quickly find the desired model and increase your income;
When adding, be attentive to such fields as: Are textures used or not, Animation, Biped, Materials, etc. For example, if your model does not contain textures, and you indicated that it does, then in case of purchase we will be forced to return the money to the buyer and delete such a model;
The Price field deserves a separate article, but we would like to advise you not to set the price below $10 per model. Cheap models are usually of low quality and do not represent much value, so such models are not sold.

Prepare a Preview for your model

The number of renders must be minimum 5 of which 3 are render models and 2 are screenshots of the mesh;
Render size: minimal 640x480px and maximum 2000x2000px. We recommend adding renders with sizes ranging from 1000px in width;
The preview should be clear and clear. The number of sales directly depends on how beautifully you render your model;
Below are the main mistakes that sellers make when preparing previews.