Selling 3D Assets for Fun and Profit: Part 1 - Introduction to 3D Assets
March 31st, 2025
Preface
Originally, this project was going to be contained in a single post. However, hundreds of hours of work over two years don’t tend to easily condense into a single article. I found myself with too many things to say and not enough space to tell them in one sitting. So instead, this post will be the first part of a multi-part series covering creating and selling 3D assets. Here is what you can (most likely) expect from each article:
- Introduction to 3D assets
- Idea generation and market research
- 3D asset creation
- Marketing 3D assets and digital storefronts
- Retrospective on selling 3D assets
The goal of this series is to document my process for, reflect on my experience, and provide a helpful guide to selling 3D assets, specifically using Blender.
What is a 3D asset?
3D assets are a category of the much broader realm of “digital assets”. Digital assets are anything of value that is stored electronically. For example, NFTs and Bitcoin are digital assets. 3D assets specifically are tools that are used to enhance digital artwork.
What is Blender?
Blender is an open-source 3D software used for 3D modeling, shading, animation, simulating, rigging, rendering, and compositing, among other uses. I was introduced to Blender back in high school when looking for a free alternative to the in contrast, closed source and paid software Cinema4D. Over time I’ve developed my skills in Blender to a point where I’m confident using it for projects involving 3D.
Why Sell 3D Assets?
In the summer of 2023, I was looking to leverage my Blender skills as a side gig to make some extra money. I was introduced to selling Blender assets through the YouTube channel “Hubert Knoblauch”. Hubert’s channel focuses on selling asset kits that allow users to build realistic 3D environments more easily in Blender. His Digital Set Dressing product markets to users looking to add realism to, or “set dress”, 3D urban environments through what is essentially digital kit bashing.
Let’s look at this product from the perspective of a potential customer. Suppose I’m developing a game that has a realistic urban environment. I’m skilled enough with Blender to create large buildings and city layouts, but I struggle creating small details. I have two options to implement these small details. I could spend hours and days learning how to model and texture realistic urban assets, or I could simply buy a large pack of realistic urban assets for $29 and save valuable time working on more important game features. Unless I’m a hyper-motivated individual who must make everything from scratch, the latter option seems more compelling.
Of course, game developers aren’t the only artists that have an affinity for 3D assets. 3D assets can save time for all digital artists like graphic designers, CGI artists, or simply hobbyists. If the time saved by an artist not creating a 3D asset by themselves outweighs the monetary price of that asset, the asset has inherent value. This is the argument for why 3D assets have value.
A Thought Experiment About Digital Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3D assets have inherent value if they save time or energy. But isn’t this how all goods and services work?
Yes, but 3D assets never run out because they are digital. Image two scenarios: In the first, “Standard Extra Virgin Olive Oil Company” is a wealthy corporation with a monopoly over the world’s EVOO production and supply chain. Standard EVOO’s monopoly over olive oil brings the company great wealth. Sounds nice, but just like all physical services the logistics and labor scale with the customer base. The company is rich, but it requires a huge labor force, extreme resource extraction, and large-scale infrastructure to sustain.
In the second scenario the “3D Extra Virgin Olive Oil Company” is a successful tech-bro startup with a multi-billion-dollar investment from angel investors. They dominate the marketplace for 3D extra virgin olive oil assets used for advertisements, CGI, and graphic design. They are able to sell 3D assets without the investment that a company selling physical products requires. 3D EVOO makes a product once and then is able to sell an unlimited amount of that product. The largest physical investment the company makes is not in production, but in marketing, sales, and customer service. 3D assets provide value, and more importantly they provide unlimited value in return for a finite investment.
Selling 3D Assets for Fun and (No) Profit
When discussing 3D assets, it’s easy to get lost in the discussion of “providing value”. In my specific case, I was motivated to sell 3D assets for two reasons. The first reason was to gain experience with creating and marketing consumer products. The second—and let’s be honest, the more motivating reason—was to make money. This was my situation, but many people are motivated to make 3D assets for different reasons. Many people aren’t profit motivated. Posting assets online for free is a great way to share your work with and contribute to the Blender community. A large portion of the Blender community, and even Blender itself, is built on the viewpoint that tools to create 3D art should be free and accessible to everyone. Although it may seem in contrary to my for-profit goals with this project, in my opinion, for-profit tools should be optional for both the tool makers and the tool users. Most of the information covered in this series is less about monetary gain and more about reaching a wider audience for your work. If you are someone who isn’t motivated by money but still wants to reach as many people as possible, I still encourage you to keep reading this series to learn how.
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