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How I earned MakerWorld points with AI (and what I actually got)

I set out to do something simple: use an AI that turns images into 3D models, upload those models to MakerWorld, and see how many points I'd earn. I have zero clue about organic modeling, so it was the perfect excuse. I'll show you how the tool works, how I got the models print-ready, and —above all— the real results, no makeup. Heads up: I didn't get rich.

Image → 3D model: how the tool works

The core idea is simple: you give it an image and it generates a 3D mesh. If you want it to catch all the angles better, you can upload several perspectives with Multiview. You pick the AI model and the resolution (I used the one tuned for 3D printing), and choose whether you want geometry only or also texture. In my case I almost always went geometry-only, since what I care about is printing it, not how pretty it looks on screen.

Portrait, reliefs and segmentation for multicolor

There's a portrait mode worth turning on when you're —surprise— making a face; skip it and the mesh comes out worse, it happened to me. There's also a relief mode that produces something halfway between a photo and 3D (I tried it with my girlfriend's dog and it looks fun, good even for a wall piece). And my favorite: segmentation, which splits the mesh into distinct parts —hair, nape, even the glasses— so you can print in multicolor or paint each zone way more easily in the slicer.

If you don't like it, retry (for free)

One really nice thing: if the mesh doesn't convince you, you can hit retry up to three times and it regenerates the model a different way, without spending credits. Quality depends a lot on the source image: feed it a mediocre photo with a background and don't expect magic. To generate the base images I leaned on Gemini, asking it for side views so a dog would come out nice and long, for example.

Simplify the mesh before printing

This is key. The tool generates models with tons of detail —over a million vertices— and in 3D printing you don't need that. You download the STL, drag it into Bambu Studio, scale it to millimeters and apply an aggressive simplification. On some models I cut nearly 98 % and there was still plenty of detail left. Once simplified, it manipulates, scales and orients without the slicer crawling.

Give it a purpose: from figure to keychain

The example that worked best was a straw hat (with the second season of the One Piece live action, people are searching for it). I simplified it, oriented it and turned it into a keychain: select the part, add a negative part (a cylinder), position it and done. A dumb little hole, but now it stops being a figurine and becomes something someone wants to print and gift. For the colors —the straw hat's yellow and red— the slicer's fill and height range tools work well.

Print BEFORE publishing (this isn't optional)

Please don't skip this step. If you upload a model without testing it, it might not print well, people complain, you get rated badly and you earn fewer points. But beyond the self-interest: 3D printing carries a responsibility, because people spend literal money —filament— printing what you design. So at the very least print whatever you're going to publish and check it comes out decent.

The real results (not glamorous)

I uploaded the hat, a collection of dog-breed chibis (maltese bichon, golden, shiba inu, dachshund, husky), a frog pen holder and a Luffy magnet in relief. The result? Most earned nothing: a few scattered downloads and saves, but zero points for weeks. The one that took off was the straw-hat keychain: it ended up with about 39 points, which works out to roughly 3 €. For context, almost all my MakerWorld points come from an old viral model (a filament dust cleaner), not from this.

My honest conclusion

It's not an all-powerful tool, and a pro designer will tell you the meshes aren't great. But for someone who doesn't want to pour hours into modeling and just wants the odd model now and then —or to have fun generating their own face— it's genuinely good. As a method to farm points it's no miracle: at first it's hard to get going and earning nothing is the norm. It's one more tool in the workflow; what you get out depends on how you use it.

FAQ

Can you make money on MakerWorld with AI-made models?

You can scrape a little, but it's not a way to get rich. I uploaded several AI-generated models and almost all earned nothing; only the straw-hat keychain got around 39 points, which is about 3 €. It can cover filament if you're lucky, not pay your rent.

How does an AI that turns images into 3D models work?

You upload an image (or several views with Multiview) and it generates a 3D mesh. You can pick geometry only or with texture, use a portrait mode, generate reliefs, or segment the mesh into parts for easier multicolor printing. If you don't like it, you can retry up to three times without spending credits.

Do you need to know how to model to use Hitem3D?

No, and that's the whole point: with an image you already have the base of the model. I have no clue about organic modeling and still generated figures like my own face. What does help is knowing your way around the slicer to simplify the mesh, orient it and add some functionality.

Why print the model before publishing it?

Because people spend real money, filament, printing what you upload. If you don't test it, it might not print well, you get complaints, you get rated badly and you earn fewer points. It's basic responsibility: at the very least, print whatever you're going to publish.

Here are the models from the video: straw-hat keychain, Luffy magnet, frog pen holder and the chibi pets (maltese bichon, golden, shiba inu, dachshund, husky). I've got more in Projects, and all my designs are free on my MakerWorld profile.