‘History Through 3D Printing Challenge’ Contest from CGTrader Focuses on Presidents & Architectural Styles

Are you a history maven? A repository for information about politics and architectural styles from the past? Do you know your Beaux Arts from your Baroque? Your William Howard Taft from your Warren G. Harding?

If so, CGTrader.com has organized an educational project and contest that’s right in your wheelhouse. Called History Through 3D Printing, the contest calls on designers to create objects for 3D printing grouped in a pair of model categories: Miniatures and busts of US presidents, and miniatures representing architectural styles.

As for that Beaux Arts stuff? Here’s a leg up. The style was a heavy influence on the architectural tastes of the wealthy and powerful in the United States from the 1880s to the 1920s, and the look depended on fantastic sculptural decoration placed among an overall theme of a conservative, modern framework. Large details, sculptural supporting pieces and deep cornices recalled the work of the modelers and carvers of Italy and Central Europe.

With their flat roofs, a tendency toward rusticated and raised first stories, arched windows pediments and doors, classical details, inclusion of statuary and sculpture via bas-relief panels and sculptural groups and a plethora of balustrades, pilasters and garlands, the style reflected the tastes of a Gilded Age.

So how do you make your mark in the contest? You can consult a list of required models, and that list will be updated to reflect which models are still required to complete the collection.

As of now, the architectural styles include: Classical, Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococco, Neoclassicism, Art Nouveau, Beaux Arts (of course), Neo-Gothic, Art Deco, Modernist styles and examples of Postmodernism.

As for the US presidents, entrants have the option of modeling everyone from William McKinley (1897-1901) to Barack Obama (2009-present).

To enter, designers will need to upload files and images of their 3D designs here, and there are options which include General, Editorial and Custom licenses which can be selected to protect and set limits on the details of a designer’s copyright protection level.

Only 3D models uploaded between the 10th of August and the 13th of October 2015 will be treated as valid entries, and there are no restrictions on publishing and selling models elsewhere.

And the possible rewards for top-flight and winning entries is spectacular indeed.

In the Best Model category, the 1st place entry will receive a CubePro printer from 3D Systems, a box of four special filaments which includes bronzeFill, copperFill, brassFill and woodFill from Colorfabb, a T-shirt from CGTrader, five free sales through CGTrader and promotional features from CGTrader.

The 1st runner-up will take home a spool of special filament of choice from Colorfabb and other considerations.

The contest will be judged by the CGTrader staff, and winners will be chosen for Best Model and Best Portfolio, with both to be judged on:

• Quality of History Through 3D Printing Challenge model
• Uniqueness, innovation, and general achievement in design of History Through 3D Printing Challenge model
• Clear and attractive presentation on CGTrader.com (detailed description, high-quality pictures)

You can find all the details regarding the History Through 3D Printing contest here.

Will you enter models in the CGTrader History Through 3D Printing challenge? Let us know in the History Through 3D Printing forum thread on 3DPB.com.