Dec 16, 2008
Resources: Free 3D Model Sites
As wonderful as Vue is, it’s not a modeling application. Sure, you can try to create models using Boolean operations on primitives, but this is just as clunky in Vue as it ever was in Bryce. Vue is a dedicated landscape generation tool, and using it to create models of, say, starships or rocking chairs is slightly masochistic, in my opinion. So, if you use Vue but don’t know your way around a true 3D modeling app such as 3DS Max, Maya, or Cinema 4D, you need to rely on others to create your 3D models for you. And this can rapidly run to some serious dollars. Most of the time, to get a really good, highly-detailed model, you’re going to need to pay for it. But as with stock photography, you can find some good quality models for free if you know where to look. Here are 25 websites with good, useful models available for download, for free. Make sure you take note of the usage terms on these models. Some are unrestricted, some are not. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality on these sites. Enjoy!
3DM3.com reminds me of the CG Society’s website, in that it’s a community site with a forum, articles, and a gallery, but on a much smaller scale. Unlike CG Talk, however, this site offers over 300 free models for download, and they seem to be of higher-than-usual quality for free models. One downside is that the site does not mention what file type a particular model is, so you won’t know until you’ve downloaded it. Some models are in 3ds format, which Vue can read natively. If the file type is MAX, however, you’ll need to find a way to convert it before using it in Vue.
This is a commercial site offering 60 or so models for free. It’s a small collection, but if you’re looking for an Italian dagger or Christmas tree ornaments, your search is over.
Turbo Squid is a huge, well-known marketplace for selling and buying 3D models, and they offer quite a few for free. To find them, select “3D Model” as your “media type.” Then, sort by lowest price, and the free ones will come to the top. Free registration is required to download.
Primarily known for their high-quality textures, 3D Total has a nice group of models for free download. Look for the “Free Stuff” link at the top of the page, and select “models” from the dropdown.
Renderosity has a huge number of free 3D models in various file formats. The overall quality is quite low, but there are a few gems among the clunkers. To get to the models, hover over the “Free Stuff” button in the top navigation area, and click on “Search Free Stuff” in the dropdown.
In addition to a TON of great, free tutorials for Vue, Hexagon, and others, Geek At Play always has a page or so of free models available for download. Just another reason a visit to their site is time well spent.
ShareCG is, as the name implies, a file-sharing site, and it’s free to use. There are lots of models here, easily findable using categories for file format, genre, and usage restrictions, sortable by date, rating, and number of views. While you’re here, check out the tutorials and the forum. This looks like a site to keep an eye on.
Explore More:
If you enjoyed this tutorial, be sure to check out more tips and tricks on my Photo Mastery blog. For inspiration, dive into my Wall Art blog and explore curated galleries here. Don’t miss out on my exclusive collections, featuring captivating Urban Photography, stunning Black and White Photography, breathtaking Natural World Photography, and evocative Bygone Era Photography. Each piece tells a story—find the perfect one to complement your space.
