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Well being i am starting my own miniature company and i am fully using 3D sculpted and printed miniatures, i will say, you may really want to consider going through a high detail printing company, maxmini3d are an awesom 3D printing company as far as i can tell really offer the best deal with also casting a resin master for you at extremly low costs!.

I would then say hook up with a casting company and get the guys casted, that is if you want to start a range or so. I have tried out shapeways for masters, but i rather go with 3D printing companies that are fully built for miniature companies instead.

For selling miniatures through just 3D prints on shapeways, can be done, but to get the good detail of the orignial 3D sculpt you would have to print in ultra fine which is very brittle and fragile and not at all suitable for any form of wargaming.

So thats just some advice from me, but defo good luck which ever path you choose, great sculpting as well btw if i ever need a few sculptors i will defo remember your shapeways account !.

best of luck man! - Shawn.

Thanks for the awesome advice Shawn! I didn't even know about those companies!

Hello Gwarsh! Spreading disease and heresy all over the place now!

This Shapeways resource is remarkable, almost too much for the brain to accommodate... Have you sculpted before in clays/putties? you clearly have some experience going there to concoct a mini like this with software.

 gwarsh41 wrote:
Thanks for the awesome advice Shawn! I didn't even know about those companies!

No prob man!,Neither did i, i just spent a ton of time on google searching forums and the TMP forum also offered a ton of info when asked defo a good source to learn how to begin getting things started up !.

if you have any more questions please dont hesitate to pm me !.

best of luck - Shawn!.

Curious if you guys are self taught on the 3d modeling programs or what? I actually have a hobby-level 3d printer I'm about to assemble and was wanting to try and draw some stuff up. Also were you able to get a trial version of 3ds or sculptris?

I actually work as an estimator/detailer (guy who gives detailed drawings of structural steel connections not cleans inside of cars) and use autocad 07 (2d) and have a lot of exp with that, so I feel like I could make a transition to 3ds or something without too much pain! I took a class on autocad 3d, and that is god awful. It was mainly to familiarize myself with the mechanics of 3d drafting.

appreciate all the info from everyone willing, feel free to pm me about it if you want as well.

I'm really wanting to make some super deformed creatures and print them out! not to mention some terrain!

skyfi wrote:
Curious if you guys are self taught on the 3d modeling programs or what? I actually have a hobby-level 3d printer I'm about to assemble and was wanting to try and draw some stuff up. Also were you able to get a trial version of 3ds or sculptris?

I actually work as an estimator/detailer (guy who gives detailed drawings of structural steel connections not cleans inside of cars) and use autocad 07 (2d) and have a lot of exp with that, so I feel like I could make a transition to 3ds or something without too much pain! I took a class on autocad 3d, and that is god awful. It was mainly to familiarize myself with the mechanics of 3d drafting.

appreciate all the info from everyone willing, feel free to pm me about it if you want as well.

I'm really wanting to make some super deformed creatures and print them out! not to mention some terrain!

Try switching to Solidworks.
It's a better CAD program than Autocad, and furthermore, is what GW uses to make their CG sculpts.
Personally, I am taught through college, but improved through self-teaching.

Alternatively, if you need anything doing that you can't (unfortunately I'm not any good at fleshy things yet :(, but buildings / terrain / etc I'm alright with) we could work something out.

 Ovion wrote:

skyfi wrote:
Curious if you guys are self taught on the 3d modeling programs or what? I actually have a hobby-level 3d printer I'm about to assemble and was wanting to try and draw some stuff up. Also were you able to get a trial version of 3ds or sculptris?

I actually work as an estimator/detailer (guy who gives detailed drawings of structural steel connections not cleans inside of cars) and use autocad 07 (2d) and have a lot of exp with that, so I feel like I could make a transition to 3ds or something without too much pain! I took a class on autocad 3d, and that is god awful. It was mainly to familiarize myself with the mechanics of 3d drafting.

appreciate all the info from everyone willing, feel free to pm me about it if you want as well.

I'm really wanting to make some super deformed creatures and print them out! not to mention some terrain!

Try switching to Solidworks.
It's a better CAD program than Autocad, and furthermore, is what GW uses to make their CG sculpts.
Personally, I am taught through college, but improved through self-teaching.

Alternatively, if you need anything doing that you can't (unfortunately I'm not any good at fleshy things yet :(, but buildings / terrain / etc I'm alright with) we could work something out.

Solidworks pretty cool? Saw plenty of people messing with it and 3ds in my cad classes in their spare time.

I have been out of classes for a couple of years due to increased workload, and wish i could get back, but unfortunately will have to continue with self-teaching.

Keep up the good work bud, you're definitely onto something!

I've been lurking around the internet researching rapid prototyping services, and I came to the same conclusion that people who have dabbled with it have; resolution is key, and finding someone who can provide the next level past Shapeways wasn't easy. What Shapeways does is amazing, don't get me wrong, but on the scale we're talking about, I couldn't get past the 'grain' left by the process they use. It seems like maxmini3d had the same issue and choose to fill the void. That's great news.

I have a good base of skills and a knack for resin casting, but I want to evolve towards 3D modeling and rapid prototyping to take my efforts to the next level. Looks like it's one step closer...

Auto desk inventor is a really awesome program for this application as well. The seat licenses are WAY more affordable to boot.


If you are looking for some processes help with your venture please do not hesitate to contact me.

Awesome job. You may be able to use a blending compound to smooth the surface out if you really wanted to.

Kick ass! This just blew up my mind-parts, and reassembled them molecule by molecule.

I also highly approve of the Herald crapping a Nurgling. I have a Daemon Prince who is doing the same thing (but with much larger quantities), though his tunic most graciously covers up the unknowable source of such powers.

Just out of curiosity, what was the total for all the services to get this model done?

 Ovion wrote:
Good job - and the texture really just makes it look more like flesh
...You can also reduce further by looking into companies other than Shapeways, which are pretty damn expensive at the end of the day.

Who else would you recommend in lieu of Shapeways?

 grizgrin wrote:

 Ovion wrote:
Good job - and the texture really just makes it look more like flesh
...You can also reduce further by looking into companies other than Shapeways, which are pretty damn expensive at the end of the day.

Who else would you recommend in lieu of Shapeways?

I believe MaxMini3D is the one I was thinking of in particular.
Plus shipping often stings you.
But you really need to look around - if you can find a local service that's suitable, it'll likely be cheaper or more suitable than Shapeways.

Sweet. I love the pose. It's spot on.

Crypto wrote:This Shapeways resource is remarkable, almost too much for the brain to accommodate... Have you sculpted before in clays/putties? you clearly have some experience going there to concoct a mini like this with software.

I have only had plastic and steel printed thus far.

SoloFalcon1138 wrote:Just out of curiosity, what was the total for all the services to get this model done?

I think with shipping this guy turned out to be almost $30. It was worth it to make this mini real.

skyfi wrote:Curious if you guys are self taught on the 3d modeling programs or what? I actually have a hobby-level 3d printer I'm about to assemble and was wanting to try and draw some stuff up. Also were you able to get a trial version of 3ds or sculptris?

I went to school for 3D and ended up teaching 3D for a bit. Due to being a teacher I was able to get a sweet deal on 3DsMax for a few years, come to think of it, it is probably expiring soon. Sculptris is a free program.

I have a 3d printer and I make my own tank designs.
I'd love to know how they print models with overhang so damned well

Great model, mate

He was lonely so he decided to
gak himself a friend
Toilet humour at it's best.

Necromancy at it's best!

 Kelly502 wrote:
Necromancy at it's best!

Te be fair, seeing this in the index again is good for everyone's mood.

I was just talking with my gaming group last night, that if I actually fielded Chaos models it would be so that I could create the most horrifically innaporpriate models possible.

The product description is just full of win.

About this Product
A rare event in nature finally immortalized in the form of a tiny sculpture! This beautiful act of life, a daemon giving birth, is finally visible to the public!

The public can always use more nurgling birthings!

Awesome stuff...