$10 for a single model… or $20 a month for four models? For some flexi toy with 20 separate variations that only have tiny changes?
I recognize this is a pretty minor issue in the grand scheme of things. There are plenty of alternatives - both free and paid. It’s just a frustrating trend I’ve been noticing. I’m all for supporting artists and recognizing the time and effort it takes to create the model. I have a handful of Pateron subscriptions/donations.
I don’t sell anything. I print for myself and for gifts. Not everyone wants to sell prints at flea markets, but it feels like that’s the assumption now.
Side rant: It’s annoying how the first thing EVERYONE says when seeing your prints is that “you could sell these!!” I know they mean well, like it’s a compliment, but it’s annoying when it’s insisted on as if they were the first people make such a profound thought.
On the other hand, the amount of conventions I’ve been to and seen multiple 3D printed toy vendors in one venue, each sharing the majority of designs/prints among them, I can totally understand why someone would put a paywall for their designs.
I’ve seen so many identical flexi-dragons, “knitted” Pokemon, Mandalorian Mario characters, and fidget bullshit that none of it is unique anymore. Hell, toy companies have started selling those shitty 3D printed flexi-dragons on actual stores like Walmart because people actually buy that literal trash.
Yeah, I don’t blame artists for wanting a piece of the pie. Most artists have tiered payment options so licensed vendors pay more, but Hobbyists seem a bit lost in the crossfire sometimes. The AI slop model grift is getting worse too, which just rubs salt in the wounds.