how many 3D artists?

[Shaper]

Gentlemen- I have a question.

How many 3D app users are there in the world? Counting every software that are based on creating 3D meshes and animating.

Im doing some market reserch and is getting no-where fast. I cant estimate the total amount 3d app users because no one has ever made such a survey before. So im asking here, how many people on the globe is doing 3D art? whats your best guess?

[Hazardous]

7

[Gav]

It's hard to tell for sure, considering a lot of hobbyists and people who are just generally quiet and not really letting themselves known, but if you search the main online forums for membership totals, take the total number of strict freelancers, studio size - factoring in art team sizes and technical artists to subtract from that number, THEN compare that to the total sales of "the big 3" plus the hardcore user base of Blender, you'll end up somewhere between 0 and 6 billion.

[Arkadius]

7? I think its a little higher than that! :P

Have you tried searching on Gamasutra?

[Ace-Angel]

100 billion users!

[Del]

7

~ ^ Pretty much. I think it used to be around 11, but a few died in a fire.

[Sandro]

7 seems just right to me.

[dempolys]

yep. I think we can all agree on 7

[Kot_Leopold]

There are 46,000 members on GA, over 32,000 here on PC, 183,863 portfolios on CGSociety, 1,772 members on CGFeedback, 315,062 on zbrushcentral, 70194 on cgarena, god knows how many there are on App-specific/country specific/less known CG forums (mudboxcentral, cgsculpt, mudboxhub, arttalk), Blender users and uncountable 3D hobbyists.

Points to consider:

-The amount of people currently learning/studying 3D
-The amount of people who gave up
-Not everybody does 3D (there are a ton of 2D artists)
-Not every 3D user uses the Internet
-People still attending colleges/uni's/CG schools who are yet to be here


Now do the math.

[ZacD]

(The amount of people currently learning) - The amount of people who gave up / Not everybody does 3D x 2(Not every 3D user uses the Internet) ^ People still attending schools = 7

[Kot_Leopold]

(The amount of people currently learning) - The amount of people who gave up / Not everybody does 3D x 2(Not every 3D user uses the Internet) ^ People still attending schools = 7
Rofl. Good to know - 7 it is then!

[binopittan]

Now do the math.
((46,000+32,000)-183,863)/1,772 *(315,062-70194) = 7!!

[Shaper]

There are 46,000 members on GA, over 32,000 here on PC, 183,863 portfolios on CGSociety, 1,772 members on CGFeedback, 315,062 on zbrushcentral, 70194 on cgarena, god knows how many there are on App-specific/country specific/less known CG forums (mudboxcentral, cgsculpt, mudboxhub, arttalk), Blender users and uncountable 3D hobbyists.

Points to consider:

-The amount of people currently learning/studying 3D
-The amount of people who gave up
-Not everybody does 3D (there are a ton of 2D artists)
-Not every 3D user uses the Internet
-People still attending colleges/uni's/CG schools who are yet to be here


Now do the math.

You're gold, that will help alot! thx. I though 7 sounded good too, but i think Kot_Leopold is just cooler than everyone else in here, so im gonna take his word for now :D

[Hazardous]

I tip my hat to you Shaper - im glad you didnt go ballistic and turn this little bit of fun into an argument where virtual tempers flared and grammar nazi's began to emerge and ultimately reign supreme before thread lock. Maybe theres hope for the internet yet!!!

Edit: Im not sure about Kot_Leopold being the coolest though, no offense Kot but have you seen Gav's sleeves ? Shits hard to beat for coolness.

[AtlusZMH]

It's hard to tell for sure, considering a lot of hobbyists and people who are just generally quiet and not really letting themselves known, but if you search the main online forums for membership totals, take the total number of strict freelancers, studio size - factoring in art team sizes and technical artists to subtract from that number, THEN compare that to the total sales of "the big 3" plus the hardcore user base of Blender, you'll end up somewhere between 0 and 6 billion.

7 is definitely between 0 and 6 billion, so the math checks out!

[greevar]

...does it take to change a lightbulb? It depends on your studio budget.

[Ravenslayer]

42 is usually a safer answer

[Tenchi]

'tis now ...8!

[CheeseOnToast]

grammar nazi's

That should be grammar Nazis.

:p

[makecg]

What the hell is this !!!!

[equil]

poopinmymouth is the only one. everyone else is a faker/poser/nerd.

[makecg]

You want to poop in my mouth ?

[Ace-Angel]

I guess that where those two girls got the idea from.

OnTopic: Well, asking a daft question will get you daft answers mate, I mean how can ANYONE know how many people about of the 6-7 billion in the world use what-what.

I mean bloody hell, you could have estimated it, or asked us how many people have sex at any given moment, and you would still get the same answer. Last I checked, PC didn't run a Census program for 'Artists United under Numeric Numbers' banner.

[Shaper]

I guess that where those two girls got the idea from.

OnTopic: Well, asking a daft question will get you daft answers mate, I mean how can ANYONE know how many people about of the 6-7 billion in the world use what-what.

I mean bloody hell, you could have estimated it, or asked us how many people have sex at any given moment, and you would still get the same answer. Last I checked, PC didn't run a Census program for 'Artists United under Numeric Numbers' banner.

This isnt really a daft question, its a very good one infact. True there are no one that knows the exact numbers but an estimation on numbers gives alot of perspective.

And true, i cant expect anyone to know these things but i gave it a stab and i got a good result, even with people trolling the thread.

I did get a very good answer, anyone who knows a bit about making money ask these questions. Just not openly like i just did. Roughly knowing the math and try to estimate if a market is profitable or not and weather there even is a customerbase for your product/service, you can see how big a market is by looking at numbers on adjourning markets or competitors for example, so tell me; is it really a daft question?

[Ben Apuna]

According to Luxology's 2011-06-03 modcast (http://www.luxology.com/modcast/audio.aspx?id=157). The number of end users in the entertainment industry (television, film and games) is approximately ~300,000. Also the number of Bentley MicroStation users (the second largest architecture, engineering, CAD app) is ~300,000 users. So I'm guessing that the number of Autodesk Autocad users is over 300,000.

So in the end we potentially have around or over 1 million users of CG apps in the world.