#ThrowbackThursday Illustrates Just How Far 3D Has Come
New Featured Model
And more!
Inspector Picks
Our 3D Model Inspectors see a lot of models every day, so it takes strong artistry and high quality for something to really stand out for them. When they see something that really excites them, the Inspectors are eager to share it, so we’re highlighting their favorites on our social channels with the Inspector Pick of the Week!
Find out from the experts what it takes to give your model that “something special,” and get a peek at some of the best work being submitted to the TurboSquid catalog. Here’s a look at some our past picks, and you can keep up by following our Tumblr, or connecting with us on Facebook.
New CheckMate Price Levels
Many of the artists on TurboSquid that create simple, yet beautiful, models have been deterred from submitting their work to be CheckMate certified due to the pricing that just doesn’t seem to work for their work. To remedy this, we are announcing a new pricing structure created specifically for models that meet this criteria.
Just in time for Spring, we’ve updated our list of suggested Checkmate Pro Models to Make.
13 Years, 13,000+ Models!
On April 1st, TurboSquid celebrated its 13th birthday, and we wouldn’t be where we are without you, our talented artists. The TurboSquid catalog now has over 13,000 certified models, which push the boundaries of 3D modeling in quality and usability.
We can’t wait to see what the next 13 years brings us, and we know you’ve been working hard. So have a slice of cake, on us!
Our latest featured model springs into action, thanks to TurboSquid artist thePROmax. We talked to thePROmax about his obsession with big cats, and why he believes the CheckMate standard is good for both customers and artists alike.We’re looking for the next CheckMate Pro model worthy of home page placement. Think one of your creations has what it takes to be the next Featured Model? Click here for details.
TurboSquid artist Popa_3D has developed a tool to help you prep your 3ds Max file for Checkmate. This amazing three-fold tool was built with artists who model for CheckMate in mind: a rendering tool that allows for easy turntable creation; a tool that preps wireframes and renders that pass inspection; and a fixing tool to remove Ngons, as well as numerous other “fixes,” to make sure your model is inspector-ready.
Thursday just became our favorite day of the week! If you’re subscribed to one of our socialchannels, be sure to tune in for #ThrowbackThursday, a side-by-side look at just how far 3D modeling has come in the last decade.
It’s an eye-opening experience for all of us to see some of our catalog’s earliest models (even the ones that were great at the time), and how they stack up against today’s model. Both artistically and technologically, the 3D industry has jumped light-years ahead in just a little over a decade.
In this week’s Meet the Squids, we talk to Kate Voisin, our marketing team’s graphic designer. Kate is a Louisiana native, growing up just outside of New Orleans, the city she has called home for almost a decade. Read on to find out about the many hats she gets to wear at the office, and why she suspects that TurboSquid may, in fact, be a cult (but in a good way).
What does a day at TurboSquid typically look like for you?
My days at TS vary. On the marketing side, I write newsletters, handle our socialmedia accounts, and help to make sure our site shows up in search correctly.
On the design side, I make infographics and ads, help to pretty up the website, and Photoshop Nic Cage’s face onto our manager’s pictures sometimes.
Basically, it’s my job to make sure TurboSquid is always reachable, approachable, and visually appealing.
What’s your favorite thing about working at TurboSquid?
Can I have three things?
1. I get to make fun, engaging content for a fun, engaging company, that’s seen by lots of people– it’s kind of what every graphic designer wants to do.
2. I have total access to the massive 3D model catalog, so getting to use the models in my design work is a real luxury. I could seriously spend hours perusing the catalog. (And sometimes I do! For work.)
3. My third favorite thing about TurboSquid is every single thing about TurboSquid. I know this is a total cheater answer, like asking for infinite wishes on your third wish, but whatever. I’ve worked in New Orleans for a long time, and the TS office is easily the most positive, employee-friendly workplace I’ve ever encountered. When I started, I was pretty sure I’d joined a cult, because about 5 people told me within the first week that it was the best job they’d ever had… and if it IS a cult, I’m completely happy to drink the kool-aid / eat the cereal / wear the tentacles. I love it here. (more…)
Our artists put a lot of hard work into making the amazing models that you love, and they love seeing where their masterpieces end up. Artists are especially excited to know the details behind projects that may be featuring one of their 3D masterpieces.
Share how you’ve used 3D models purchased on TurboSquid by clicking here!
13 Years, 13K CheckMate Models & Nearly 300K 3D Models!
On April 1st, TurboSquid celebrated its 13th birthday! As of this month, our catalog contains over 286,000 models, and climbing daily. Looking back at 2012, we thought being our best year so far, our future looks more exciting than ever, and we have our customers, employees, and talented artists to thank for helping us to build the world’s largest 3D library.
Featured Model
This month we are featuring a fantastic feline 3D model created talented modeler, thePROmax. This Siberian tiger, just one of many which provides lush details and full animation, and is the full embodiment of what the artist cites as his biggest source of inspiration, big cats.
Get to know thePROmax, other creative influences, and why he feels the CheckMate Standard has raised the bar for artists and customers when it comes to 3D content.
Ever wish you could easily share the models you’ve loaded into your TurboSquid shopping cart with others? Well, now you can! Share models saved to your cart with managers or clients to review before buying, or share with your purchasing agent to make meeting your deadline that much easier.
To see this new function in action, simply load a few select models into your Cart, then select “Email Cart” within the “Cart Options” on the right of the page, then load one or more email addresses to share your findings. It’s that easy!
Featured Model
This month’s featured model of a Sci-Fi Fighter is out of this world, thanks to TS artist GrafxBox. Hailing from the picturesque Spanish coast, Grafxbox talks to us about what inspires him, from earthly nature to science fiction.
“CheckMate models are simply easier to work with” – that’s the message we get over and over from customers that use them! Look for the badge and choose a CheckMate model the next time you shop at TurboSquid.
Our product pages now display the date that your model was CheckMate Certified, keeping all your model’s information as fresh and up-to-date as possible. What does that mean for you? Better search position, and peace of mind for your customers that they’re getting the best and most recent cutting-edge models.
New Pro Price Option
We’re adding another tier of pricing for Pro models. Now you have the option to price your Certified Pro model at $49, $79 or $99. Simply enter the price as $49, $79, or $99 within the Publisher and Submit.
Webinar On-Demand
Did you miss our recent webinar on ”Preparing Your Model for CheckMate Pro”?
Don’t worry, we recorded it so you can watch (or rewatch) it anytime. Brush up on the requirements and see what the CheckMate Advisory Board had to say on the future of the 3D industry standard.
A New How-To Video
Our latest video tutorial offers
artists tips to make a wireframe thumbnail in Maya.
This tutorial is not only helpful for artists who are prepping their models for CheckMate; it’s also a great guide for all artists who want to have the best previews possible. Thorough and accurate previews are extremely important for potential customers to make informed decisions. The more previews you have, the more you maximize your sales.
Making Models
This just in, an updated list
of suggested Checkmate Pro Models to Make.
What We’re Working On
You may or may not have noticed a few of the changes made recently to TurboSquid. We’ve been busy fixing issues as well as moving the needle on some big projects. Here’s a breakdown of what we’ve been working on.
Translations: In December, we announced the movement toward translating all of TurboSquid into 10 languages. What started with a few select site pages has expanded to include Full Preview and the Navigation Bar. This feature is still only available for artists and, as always, we welcome your feedback.
Seeing Double: For those artists that have experienced products being published multiple times, we’ve taken care of that. Within the publisher, we have disabled the “publish” button from displaying after an item has been submitted. This should eliminate the ability to create multiple products by clicking the publish button more than once for an already submitted asset.
Time Saving Tools: We are working on time-saving tools that will help to speed up your support requests. This isn’t out just yet, but we hope to make it available soon. As always, we are committed to working on ways to improve your TurboSquid experience.
Our Squids are always working on something exciting, so be sure to check our forums for updates on other projects and site issues.
This month’s featured model of a Sci-Fi Fighter is out of this world, thanks to TS artist GrafxBox. Hailing from the picturesque Spanish coast, Grafxbox talks to us about what inspires him, from earthly nature to science fiction.
Think your CheckMate Pro model has what it takes to be the next Featured Model on our home page? Click here for details.
Do You Like OpenCollada?
Pro Tip From Our 3D Experts
TurboSquid Support Supervisor, Chris Johns, shares a tip to maximize your model’s compatibility with multiple applications and ultimately attract more buyers.
According to Chris, “The OpenCollada (*.dae) file type is one of the most reliable exchange formats available. When providing conversions for our customers, we typically will go with the OpenCollada (*.dae) file. Most applications can use OpenCollada (*.dae) files without any additional plugins.”
“A tip for a good export is to look for any errors when exporting and resolve them. This will help ensure that everything is transferred with the exchange format. Visit this site for the 3ds Max and Maya installers.”
Introducing the new TurboSquid Tumblr! Connect with us for Inspector Picks, more 3D news, and a heavy dose of trivia. Check us out at turbosquidinc.tumblr.com. If there’s a model you’d like to show us from your own Tumblr, tag it with “TS Artists”!
Are you sick and tired of waiting for feedback on
your Checkmate Pro submissions? Well, wait no
longer. We’re now giving artists a script that provides immediate feedback related on how your model might fair when run through our CheckMate certification process.
Click here for more about the
Pro Automated Filter for 3ds
Max files.
Register now for the webinar scheduled to take place on
Thursday, January 31st.
Choose between two times – 10:00am CST or 6:00om CST. Space is limited.
Making Models
New year, new list! Check out
the latest list of suggested
Checkmate Pro Models to Make.
Looking back at 2012, we can’t help but be optimistic about the future of the 3D industry. Artists continue to raise the bar when it comes to the quality and diversity of their models. Our staff has not only grown in size, but also smashed customer service industry standards while releasing some killer new site features.
We’ve set our sites high for 2013. Our plans to continue to improve the overall experience for ALL TurboSquid members is at the top of our list.
In case you’ve missed it, the search result pages on TurboSquid recently got a lot more interactive. The recent release of the ”Quick Preview” function which allows visitors the quickly view multiple images of a single product without leaving the search results page.
This month’s featured model proves that beauty rides above controversy. Just when we thought competitive cycling couldn’t get more ugly, we were excited to find a model that was as beautifully rendered as this one.
DMK76′s interview touches on his evolution from school ground sketcher to 3D artist, as well as his kind words for what TurboSquid’s marketplace has done for his career.
Think your CheckMate Pro model has what it takes to be the next Featured Model on our home page? Click here for details.
