Proposal to generate custom 3D models with a click

Hey fellow artists,

I have found it frustrating that 3D models available on different websites like cgtrader.com are usually not available in the blender format. My typical workflow to bring in a pre-built 3D model is to buy a model, download the FBX version, import it in Blender. If I'm lucky, the textures are all mapped. But more often than not, material conversion gets messed up and textures are missing. So spend an hour fixing them all up. 

This process gets more annoying when I have to do this for simple objects like wall arts. 

Given Blender's powerful python API,  we should have a simple web interface that generates 3D models (in native blender format) for simple objects like wall arts when we submit a photo. In one click, we get a complete 3D model without any hassle.  In fact, with new geometry nodes, this can be extended it to even objects like plants.

I'm wondering what your experience has been with regard to accessing pre-built 3D models in your projects, and whether my proposal sounds helpful to you. 

Appreciate your feedback!  

  • Robots Ate My Art replied

    Hi!

    I have opened some objects from other formats and I know de pain... some times it is the texture, sometimes the mesh come in small triangles... I did have more luck with the .obj format.

    The idea is good, I'm just curious with who will program it...

  • mishraka replied

    Hey @senhorempada 

    I'm planning to put one together as a simple web interface with Blender Python API based backend. Artists can instantly get the 3D asset in blender format directly by providing the specific information. This will take both time and money. But I'm not sure if this issue is prevalent.   

  • Richard Driver(richard777) replied

    This is a great idea! Using different file format converters or third-party software is so annoying and time-consuming

  • williamb replied

    Why not try to collaborate with makehuman. With all the artists and Python experts using Blender some pretty amazing models could be made.

  • mishraka replied

    Definitely agree with your sentiment about the promise of Blender artists and developers collaborating to produce even better tools and solutions. 

    I wasn't familiar with makehuman. So I just checked the website. It looks great! I would love to explore any collaboration opportunity. 

    As per my understanding, parameterizing an articulated model is far more complex than rigid bodies that I am proposing to modularize. My focus is on the models that are geometrically simple but are usually customized in terms of materials assigned to them or slight geometrical tweaking.

     

  • Jonathan Lampel replied

    My focus is on the models that are geometrically simple but are usually customized in terms of materials assigned to them or slight geometrical tweaking.

    Go for it! The Blender Market has some cool tools in that same vein, and they typically do quite well if it's for something enough people would find useful. Here are some great examples:

    Introducing Home Builder for Blender - YouTube

    https://blendermarket.com/products/bookify

    https://blendermarket.com/products/spider-web-generator

    https://blendermarket.com/products/nebula-generator

    https://blendermarket.com/products/plating-generator 


    Here's also a great video on how to make models that adapt to what you need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYKjku8EDEI

  • mishraka replied

    Thanks @jlampel These are great references! It's awesome to see great people who have been working to hard to create these parametric models for the kinds of objects I have in mind. 

    I have a feeling that Blender with great python API will soon bring computer vision and 3D graphics together.