renders might look great, but they’re not printed objects; models uploaded to this site are intended for printing, so… I feel less inclined to even click on a model if the primary image is a render.
I used to not care in the past, but after years of having terrible prints generated only from models advertised with nothing but a render, I now know not to bother downloading them.
Space is always an issue for taking great pictures, I get that, but I also appreciate the effort someone takes to get that photograph, to prove the model actually prints.
I know making a render look “real” takes a lot of effort too, I do it for all my non-3D-printing stuff, but I’m still never going back to 3D-printing models that favour a render over a genuine photograph. If I see a real print, I feel reassured that the model will actually print, it’s that simple.
Totally understandable. I’m also very sceptical when I only see renders on a model page.
But to be faire, that shouldn’t be the case on MakerWorld, since posting a real picture of the print is a requirement.
What I’ve noticed here recently is the scanning of purchased figures. No renderings are created, but simply the object purchased in the shop is photographed and then the scan is uploaded.
But well, Makerworld wanted pretty good product photos, now everyone has to follow suit, even those who are not enthusiastic about it. Just provide pictures that are eye-catching if you have the opportunity.
Let’s get into this a little deeper. @MakerWorld. I’m going to tag you on this too, because hopefully this will be informative on why this asset is an issue, why people doing this kind of garbage is an issue.
Beyond the fact that the hero image is painted/colored up in a way that isn’t setup or as easily done on the actual 3d model. Let’s set aside the idea that both of these are AI generated and just look at them as a pair, as one suppose to be representing the other.
Intro: The model in the hero shot IS NOT the printable model. I don’t think anyone is surprised by this. I find it offensive though. I think this kind of bait and switch cheap trickery is harmful to the community as a whole. It’s just more cheap junk and cheap marketing to sell that cheap junk. It’s products that don’t live up to the hype. Even if someone went through and set it up for the AMS, or painted it by hand, this model is still garbage from front to back, top to bottom.
- The lines here are different on the brow. The hero image has two creases, while the cheap actual model has it come into one.
- These X’s are inconsistent. The ones on the hero model are solid, boxy, have sharp edges, and feel like a separate element. The ones on the cheap actual model are poorly sculpted in, feeling more like scratches
- The ridge line of the hair is off and weird. Looks muddy/mussy.
- The body is rounder and has more of a bowl to it, while the actual cheap model is straighter down with less of a bowl out.
- This detail, this strap thing, it’s clearly defined in the hero image, but it’s mush on the actual model.
- This detail too. Feels like mush. It feels like an actual defined something on the hero image, but on the actual model, it’s just mashed potatoes.
- The strap thing doesn’t even extent all the way around, it just oddly stops towards the back.
Overall the sculpt is awful. The details aren’t clearly defined. Everything looks scratched in; none of the elements that should feel separate, are.
This is a really bad model. If where I worked, we hired an artist that gave us work like this, we would fire them. That is unacceptable on so many levels.
Obviously this is all AI generated junk. @MakerWorld this is the problem I have though. There’s no thought or quality control that goes into this. No one bothers to care about how poorly done the model is, how misrepresented it can be. The person that created it obviously doesn’t care. I would be embarrassed to put a model out like that. It doesn’t reflect the sort of quality people should want or expect. I think it’s harmful in the long run because if people only come across cheap AI junk like this, that’s the impression they’ll get of the quality of the platform.
Whoever generated this isn’t a real artist. Some may argue with me on that, but there’s no artistic integrity here, there’s no polish, there’s no pride.
As a little addendum. Frankly I don’t care if the artist behind it posted the model, or that it’s AI generated. I may not like the quality of it, it may not be for me. The part that burns my bridges though is the blatant misrepresentation of what the model actually is. I don’t know that people always think or notice these things like I do. I do though. It hits me in the face like a car that’s lost it’s brakes and I’m crossing the wwrrrrong street.
The person that posted that model, they have other such models, but the thumb image is of the actual print on those. I think that’s a better. I’d even be fine if they did a render for the hero image, but the AI generated image that isn’t even the same actual model is… cheap. Just no
This is all my personal opinion, obviously.
This is the first time in ages, that I used brevity when I introduced this poor example of “Why Renders should/shouldn’t be used”.
Then @Josh-3D says “I will take up that mantle.”
FWIW, I have been burned several times from things that don’t have pictures.
I actually love it when people have quick, iphone, “here’s my thing on a table that I tried to clean off and sorry my dog is behind it” type photos because I don’t have to sit there for three minutes trying to figure out if it’s AI or a really good render. 
What if all images were tagged either/both visually or metadata (that we can view) that it is:
- Photo of the printed model
- Render
- Screenshot
- CAD model
- etc
Liars become obvious if they mistag, reports become easier and honest designers can portray reality to their users.
with you on that. the mesh doesn’t even match the render. one reason i do not like render as images as much. they can lie. i’d rather see the mesh or a printed in color version of it. true look of what it should look like.
that one looks like an AI version too me.
As a designer sometimes I like to make renders for the thumbnails because it’s in some case easier to make a good looking thumbnail. But I always add quality pictures of the actual print in the gallery.
It’s just common sense to me but fortunately it’s also a requirement on MW 
It looks more like a 3D scan to me. It cannot be ruled out that the cover image is simply a photo. I don’t think the AIs are yet that good at generating such a detailed image and the STL at the same time.
They already are unfortunately 
That duck image is generated with Flux AI. I can’t post pictures or links directly, just replace “DOT” with an actual “.”
ibbDOTco/88CdH0z
The description is ai too.
ibbDOTco/LJJWfWX
This leads me to believe that even the model was generated, probably with the tool on makerworld. Models usually require at least some manual work though. I don’t actually have an issue with ai models generated from images to be clear. But the photos must depict it correctly, which this definitely does not. The user even denied that it’s ai which is hilarious to me. It really shows the type of “designer” they truly are.
Don’t forget the bolts, they are very clearly not even close to the same. The ai image shows proper bolts, but the model is just round nubs.
Thanks for the tip!
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