I am a "Brycer" since Bryce 3
I love Bryce.
I know Bryce.
I work with Bryce.
I'm a professional "Bryce artist" in the "real life".
I earn money with my work (in the "real life") with Bryce.
Publishing houses of many countries buy and publish my Bryce illustrations for magazines and book covers .
And also...
I am a Bryce Merchant on Renderosity.
I have dozens of Bryce object and scenes on sell in Renderosity.
I sell object and scenes in Renderosity.
I have hundreds of artworks on display in Renderosity.
But...

I will never be the "Merchant Of the Month" with Bryce, so I will never appear on the Renderosity front page (it could improve a lot the sales on Renderosity).

I will never be the "Artist Of the Month" with Bryce, so I will never appear on the Renderosity front page (also if the comments on my works are reaaly good)

Is this just because my objects, scenes and artworks are not so good, or just because I'm a "Brycer"?
What is the secret of a "pupular image" (and voted image) on Renderosity?
Why the "Artist Of the Month" usually is a Poser user?
Why the "Merchant Of the Month" usually is a Poser merchant?

What do you think about?
Your opinion is warmly welcome! :)

O RLY?

I can only name one name to discount this.  Granted, this was quite a while ago, but as I recall Rudy Herczog (Rochr) manged to get the AOM for April 2004 AND Artist of the YEAR that same year.  Rudy is a phenomenal artist, IMHO (not that I'm discounting your work Duo, it's better than anything than I could put together), and he's out there in the public eye.  He works in multiple apps and is quite efficient in his work style (as I've seen in some of his tutorials).  I always believed that he deserved that award...

As for poser artists getting these coveted (?????) titles?  Look at the availability of content from the merchants and what do you see?  Figures, clothing and props for??? Poser/Daz Studio.   Most of these merchants are truly talented, and you have to admit, most of the content being sold on R'osity is geared toward Poser or Daz (not that some of the wankers get this content only to play pocket pool at home [OHHHH Vicki, you vixen!  Unh, Unh, ahhhhh :blushing:]).  Besides, when was the last time that you saw a majority of Bryce only content that wasn't sky presets or mats?  Can OBJs be considered Bryce only stuff?  Not really...

On that note, since content is king when it comes to some artists, it is not wonder that most of the artists will work with Poser or Daz Studio.  Premade content can make the creative process easier.  Some of these artists not only insert, pose and render the images, but take great pains in post work, which is why I can see them getting the AOM.  Not that all of them necessarily deserve it, but a majority do.

Who am I?  Just a really long-time lurker here (and former Brycer) who tends to step in and put in a commentary or two.  Besides, you asked for opinions and that's my 2 pfennig worth.

Ken

[EDIT:  I just checked out your store and site, and I must say, there's a nice bit of content there.  You're more talented than I thought and I like to think that I'm an impartial judge of quality.  Your Bryce stuff looks quite nice, but limited in selection to the sci-fi realm and I guess that was the point that I was trying to make.  If you want anything remotely human you have to make it/pose in something else and port it in... Still I applaud your efforts and your skill! :thumbupboth:]

       Well poser runs this site for the most part. Bryce content does not sell nearly as well as poser. There are many peopel who have great works here that will never get there because this is a poser site mor eor less. There are other galleries etc but look at teh number of views yrou typical poser picture that features breasts vs a nice render taht does nto feature them and you will understand. Site culture has to be overcome really. But this is a cool place to get togetehr with other artists and really in the end not worry about it.

   Every site has a culture it is weird. Take a look at 3D Commune,  CG talk Subdivision modeling and you can feel the difference after a few minutes. Enjoy thsi forum and enjoy some of the fellow artists who are going thru the sam things.

Attached Link: http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=3622

Here is a quick article to read concerning "Being on the front Cover"!!

Never Say Never

ICM

look at the bright side; you're making money (I presume). I think your work is great, so fear not. Yup, this started out as a Poser site, so the money's still on them. Maybe if someone coudl make Bryce breasts, we'd stand a chance..;)

Hell, if I could make one penny from anything I create I'd be over the moon! I think you're very lucky to be able to earn money from what you do, and I'm sure there are many other artists on this site who would agree. Therefore does it really matter if you are AOM ? Yeah, I know that sort of thing makes one feel great, but it sounds like you're successfull anyway so so what? I would be interested to know actually how AOM nominations are selected - do the Rendro team work through all the categories available? Maybe they should do a category Merchant of the Month too, as well as an overall on, eg Bryce merchant of the month feature, or Vue merchant of the month feature etc. 

Stop with the pitty party geez! I like your work many do. I think Brycers are often underrated and over looked. Doesn't mean they are not as good of an artist. I have watched this community be very tight knit to one that is all over the board. Heck I see even less images posted now. Do what you do because you like it not cause you want attention I hope. And I will keep enjoying your work.

Thanks to everyboy for your kind answers.
For first: I do my artworks ONLY because I like it and NOT because I want attention, I'm happy with my work with Bryce and also my customers are happy too.
But I also think that Brycers artists are often underrated,  and maybe Renderosity should do a category Merchant of the Month too, as well as an overall on, eg Bryce merchant of the month feature, or Vue merchant of the month feature etc. (as  IO4 said).
I earn some money selling my 3d stuff here on Renderosity, but also if I sell US $150 in a month (my top month sale) I'm still around 350 in the sellers chart (how much eran the people in thesellers  top ten?).
Perhaps the "quest for success" is only a (Poser?) breast matter...

Look on the bright side.

If you were "Merchant of the Month" then there'd be an increased chance of someone noticing that one of your commercial products is actually a design by renouned science fiction illustrator Fred Gambino.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/index.php?ViewProduct=45017

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~fredgamb/pages/bookcvers_gal02/hvns_rch.htm

Renderosity doesn't care much about such things but some of the members take a dim view.

@PJF
I've actually modelled by myself in Bryce this spaceship that apper as a tiny - and not so clear - spaceship in background of a huge spaceship in a Gambino illustration (as you and everybody can see).

So, following your reasoning, If I model a WWII Spitfire airplane or a WWII German tank (there are MANY of this kind of objects on sale on Renderosity),  is GOOD, but if I model a spaceship that is just a DETAIL in a illustration of Fred Gambino is BAD???
WHY???
Are you shure that your reasoning is really working or do you have a personal problem with me?

If you were a merchant PJF, I wonder where you would take your inspiration from? DUO saw a shape in an illustration and got inspired to model something in the same vane. This happens all the time! By now you've checked me out and see that I also sell spacecraft that, if you look at them with a squinty eye, look familiar. I get my inspiration in the same places as DUO, namely movies, TV shows, toys, pulp fiction, cartoons and novels plus the input from my nieces and nephews. This thread started out with DUO asking why he isn't MOM or AOM and is it because he uses Bryce. Being MOM is hard as you are dealing with people who vote with their pocketbook and it doesn't make a bit of difference what you use to make your product if no one, or not enough, buy it!!! As for AOM, DUO has, in my opinion, a good shot there. Hang in there DUO :)

"I've actually modelled by myself in Bryce this spaceship that apper as a tiny - and not so clear - spaceship in background of a huge spaceship in a Gambino illustration  (as you and everybody can see)."

That's right, you've taken a design by Mr Gambino and made a commercial product out of it without credit. The size and emphasis of the original was enough to catch your eye as being suitable for a saleable item; and enough for you to quite closely match the shape and details shown.

"If I model a WWII Spitfire airplane or a WWII German tank ... is GOOD, but if I model a spaceship that is just a DETAIL in a illustration of Fred Gambino is BAD???
WHY???"

Because the former are models of real historical objects whilst the latter is a straight lift of someone else's artistic design. If you don't recognise the difference, perhaps you are unsuited to the field of commercial art.

"Are you shure that your reasoning is really working or do you have a personal problem with me?"

My reasoning is clear, as you have confirmed in your response. I'm not aware of having a personal problem with you other than the fact that I don't like plagiarism.

"If you were a merchant PJF, I wonder where you would take your inspiration from?"

I would never take someone else's inspiration for commercial gain without permission.

"DUO saw a shape in an illustration and got inspired to model something in the same vane."

No, duo saw an illustration and closely copied an item in that illustration in order to sell it. The shape and apparent details are quite closely duplicated (they are quite clear on the cover of Fred Gambino's book "Ground Zero").

The scenario you suggest is what Kromekat did for his "Foss" inspired tutorial for "Imagine FX" magazine. He developed his own design; there isn't a Chris Foss illustration with a ship that looks like that.

I have no idea if your ray gun models are originals done in the same vein as old style SF designs, or if they are close copies of originals by SF artists and designers working at that time. If the former, then I wish you the best of success.

As I said before, Renderosity doesn't care much about this issue (one of the reasons I don't have a gallery here). Plagiarism isn't necessarily illegal, but it is always plagiarism.

There are many modern BERETTA GUNS on sale on Renderosity, their design is by BERETTA Company.. is it plagiarism?
BTW: let see your gallery PJF... have you a website?
I'm just curious to see your stuff ;)

Its not plagiarism if you are making a replica of an already man made object( as its a reproduction of something real). However, If I were to design a spaceship and you made and sold a model of it, I could sue you.As you would be stealing my ideas. Fred Gambino could actually sue you for stealing his intelectual propertys.

"There are many modern BERETTA GUNS on sale on Renderosity, their design is by BERETTA Company.. is it plagiarism?"

Not the two models that come up in the search engine. They are labelled and thus credited as Beretta designs, which means the merchant artists are not guilty of plagiarism.

"BTW: let see your gallery PJF... "

Yawn.

"Fred Gambino could actually sue you for stealing his intelectual propertys."

Probably not in this case, TwistedBolt; but that's an issue best advanced in the copyright forum.

It wasn't the legal aspect that concerned me. I just think it's a bit off to knowingly take someone else's artistic design and present / sell it as your own work.

"BTW: let see your gallery PJF... " Yawn. LOL, you need to put a SOW in your gallery just so people would stop asking.Or check the threads that you did post stuff in, and put that up.

On the copyright issue. An artist owns all rights to an original image/design that he/she creates. These said rights can only be transferred to another person/user through a contract(for free, or by selling it to them). For example, I can sell my models/art to other people in a few ways. I can sell all the rights to said peice, it is then no longer mine(but will cost the most, as they could then turn around and sell the art/models themselves). Or I can sell usage rights, while still keeping the copyright/property rights.Unless Fred Gambino gave explicit written permission to use his design, he could sue for it(but it would be a huge time waste, as I doubt you've made alot of money off of your product, to make suing for damages worth it).

I really did not think to raise this problem making and selling this object,  really...
I'm a commercial illustrator as Fred Gambino (not famous as him) and my customers are companies from from all the world.
Sincerly if someone model in 3D fron scratch one of my 3D background model of one of my illustration and sell it on Renderosity I don't rise any problem...
Actually some time ago a famous italian illustrator use one of my "free" Bryce object for a book cover... I ws just happy... :)
I do not earn a huge amount of money (nor a little amount of money) with this object, so I delete it now from my renderosity shop.
But I really think that you just want try the hair in the egg... it is really a microscopic problem for me...

I didn't mean that you had to remove it, I was just making you aware of it(and the potential problems that it could cause for you). Thats basicly why alot of freebies have no commercial use stipulated in thier readme's(as well as usage stipulations, such as no reselling or modifing of said model/product).However if such things are not listed in the readme(or thier isn't one), then you can basicly do whatever you please once bought/or downloaded.I'm not trying to bust your, or anyones chops about it, just spreading the info for anybodys future reference.

You have a lot of good models in your shop. Keep up the good work

Might help to have some more fantasy items, like the 'little medieval castle'. I'd think they would be popular, cause I see a lot of fantasy renders around and about.