Hello,
I am Arthur from 3dgtx - https://www.fab.com/sellers/3dgtx
I have a suggestion that could on one hand solve some problems and on the other increase the user experience on FAB (for all - vendors/sellers, buyers and on the end of the day FAB too).
My idea sounds like that:
Keep the aspect ratio of the thumbnail images as it is currently, no matter what because it is the best aspect ration for model presentation, even and specially for thumbnails repr. cover images, compared to i.e. CGTrader or RenderHub. Let´s say it is a 16:9 aspect ratio FAB uses. Now just go the next step and just allow the artists to decide if they desire to choce a landscape format or a portrait format. Both formats should have the same aspect ratio as it is now, but would differ just in the format chosen.
That way artists could fill the frame nicely with typical vertical based models like towers, floodlights, skycrapers, swords and what not, versus using the landscape format (as it is now) for typical horizontal based models like bridges, cars, airplanes, weapons and what not. The thumbail images on artist´s store front could be sorted in horizontal section and vertical section to keep some kind of order and to let it look more sophisticated and attractive to buyer´s eye. It also could be sorted dynamically in a way if someone at FAB has an idea how.
In my opinion it would be an evolution in this area and everybody would benefit from it, considering artists (sellers/vendors), FAB and buyers, so it´s a Win-Win-Win. FAB would be the first marketplace that does it, and artists could put their models better in the spotlight in terms of framing of different models dependent on their construction resp. built vetically vs. horizontally.
I my opinion there is ways too much dead space in cover images due to aspect ratio limitations on marketplaces. Dead space is the empty space that could not be used because of aspect ratio limitations combined with a model structure that does not fit the ratio.
Also from my many years in dev and design, but also media relations and marketing, cover images should show the entire product in i.e. full shot before exposing details in medium shots, zooms and macros, so the freedom of landscape versus portrait format in thumbnails is always crucial in product presentation.
What do you think about that? Is it evolutionary or not? Should it be realized or is it to much work for FAB coders?
Regards
Athur