We have seen the popularity of the 3D Printed Success Kid meme as it has made it's angry way across the internets but did you ever wonder how it was actually 3D modeled?  

Did he search the world for the child and scan it with Autdoesk's 123D Catch? No.

Did he use Facebook's creepy face recognition software to find multiple views of the child to be stitched together to create a 3D model? No

Did he use Sculptris (FREE), zbrush and a Wacom tablet to 3D model this from scratch? YES...

Check out the video of how Ryan Kittleson 3D modeled the Success Kid .. 

Launched by Mayor Bloomberg at the Shapeways Factory of the Future, Next Top Makers is New York City's is challenge makers, designers, and engineers to create product prototypes. 

New York's Next Top Makers is a challenge to prototype new designs that have commercial potential. The goal of the challenge is to support design-driven production, and promote a culture of innovation and commercialization within New York City's industrial business, design and engineering communities.

Starting in mid November, makers, designers, engineers and others will be invited to enter prototypes in the challenge. It is anticipated that New York's Next Top Makers will be open for submissions until mid February 2013.

Finalists will be selected by an expert judging panel, and will receive assistance on the path to commercialization during the studio phase. Assistance will include studio space from sponsor NYDesigns, business support, and mentorship from industry experts such as Adafruit Industries, Honeybee Robotics and Shapeways. It is anticipated that the studio phase will run from April to August. Judges will award an additional cash prize to the most promising winner following the studio phase.

We introduced Polished White Strong & Flexible Nylon 3D Printing back in May 2011 and have seen your prints coming out looking much more smooth and professional feeling.  Those making twisty puzzles now assemble their designs without the need for sanding prior to assembly and those painting their 3D Prints can do so with less preparation time and effort.

One downside is the size of 3D Print that can currently be polished is limited to 150x150x150mm so not all Nylon 3D Prints can be post-processed in this way. To polish your 3D Prints we place them in a giant vibratory tumbler with an abrasive medium that smooths the surface.  The tumbling process can be a little rough on really fine 3D Printed wires so the minimum thickness for these kind of features in your design must be at least 0.9mm, over 1mm is preferred.

We do not currently offer smooth color 3D Printing but it is something we may offer in the near future.  The current dying process does not react well to polishing but if we were to introduce polished colors we may need to limit the size from the current 230x180x130mm to 150x150x150mm.  The result is there may be a few models that cannot be printed in color, but all color models would be nice and smooth, less stepping, less rough edges. 

Let us know what you think? would you like ALL of your 3D prints to one day arrive at your doorstep silky smooth, is there any other post processing you would like to see? Let us know your thoughts...