Making money online is definitely a craved topic across the web. So is contracting in a wide variety of industries. Let me discuss the entrepreneurial side of 3D design, and manufacturing through 3D printing. I’m talking about designing products, and creating them on a small scale for profit! Many people are already doing this and generating plenty of success. Let’s discuss the actual process behind 3D modelers, people who use 3D printers, and people who use 3D printing services.

CG artists have been freelancing for years. The movie industry has been using them since Jurassic Park 2, and video games have been using artists since the start of video games! The graphics behind a wide variety of industries are powered through the actual designing of… artwork. Someone has to generate the work, and that’s where CG artists can come in to make money online. That is the conventional way for artists to make some money contracting, but there are creative ways for them to generate some serious income!

First off, 3D printing is a form of manufacturing technology which allows for the creation of virtually any shape in one of over 60+ materials. This basically means that some artists and engineers can manufacture certain products in almost any shape. There are a wide variety of feats and applications within 3D printing, and people are definitely exploiting them. CG artists can play a role within the 3D printing world in a variety of ways, particularly in an entrepreneurial way. First off, designers can simply contract their services out for creating 3D printable models. Blatantly offering to design products that will be manufactured is popular. Aside from that, I want to discuss a different way for artists to make money.

3D printing service companies really give artists their own kind of freedom when creating revenue. Artists will work to create products that can be manufactured. These products will fulfill a few “design rules” when it comes to making pieces, but overall they will simply upload their models to various service companies like Shapeways, Kraftwurx, or Sculpteo. These models will be sold to consumers, as 3D printable objects. These objects will arrive at the consumers’ doorstep in a 3D printed finished piece. At the same time, designers will receive a certain commission off of each sale if he or she chooses to do so. This means that artists can essentially open up their own stores, offering goods to be made through 3D printing, and shipped to various consumers. There is definitely money to be made in that aspect.

Finally, many artists are taking over another way to use 3D modeling to make money in conjunction with 3D printing. Some artists will create the 3D models for various products. With these models, artists will have them made through 3D printing. Perhaps they will use their own 3D printer, or they will use a 3D printing service to have the products produced. Then, artists will sell them on various websites like etsy, ebay, craigslist, or locally. This allows artists to sell art pieces, knick-knacks, jewelry, etc to various consumers on a whole new level.