Sketchfab FAQs

Read through few commonly asked questions

Blippar Documentation Centre

What is the integration and who is it for?

• Blippar has integrated Sketchfab, one of the world’s largest 3D assets libraries, into Blippbuilder. Within Blippbuilder, new and existing users now have instant free access to thousands of 3D models and assets, allowing creators to build AR experiences with just a few clicks.

• The integration enables creators to easily access and import 3D assets while creating AR experiences within Blippbuilder, making the AR creation process even quicker and easier.

What are the benefits of the integration?

• Users no longer need to outsource or build 3D assets from scratch

• Everyone using Blippbuilder, be that for personal or commercial use, has free, unlimited access to thousands of AR-ready assets

• Users can browse an extensive library of 3D environments, objects, and characters

• Models can be imported into projects with a single click and without leaving Blippbuilder

• AR projects can be published straight to the web, or any social media platform, completely free of charge

Is there any payment required to use this integration?

No, there is no payment required to use this integration. You can create a free account with Blippar and access Sketchfab for no cost. All the free 3D models available in the Sketchfab library can be imported into Blippbuilder for free.

Can paid models from Sketchfab be accessed through Blippbuilder?

Not right now but we’re working on further integrations which will be available soon. However all the free models offered by Sketchfab can be accessed from Blippbuilder. Paid models can be accessed from the Sketchfab website, downloaded to your device and then uploaded to Blippbuilder.

How many models can I import from the Sketchfab library directly into Blippbuilder?

You can import an unlimited number of free models from the Sketchfab library into Blippbuilder and use them in your projects. However, be mindful that using many models will increase the size of your project and, therefore will increase load times for users. Also, we recommend that you try and limit the total number of models within any single project to under 100mb in size.

Can I use the search bar to find paid models from Sketchfab within Blippbuilder?

Not right now but we’re working on further integrations which will be available soon. For now Blippbuilder only displays free models. You can use the search tab within Blippbuilder to search by name or apply filters based on relevance, and the results will populate based on the filters applied for all the free 3D models. For now, you can access paid models from the Sketchfab website. We recommend using glTF model formats within Blippbuilder.

Is there any additional plugin that needs to be installed to use this integration?

No. You can use the integration with no additional downloads. You only need to have an active Blippbuilder account, and you can access Sketchfab.

Should users create an account with Sketchfab prior to accessing the integration within Blippbuilder?

No. You can simply log in to Blippbuilder and navigate to ‘Your Library’ to ‘Upload Assets’ and select the option ‘Sketchfab’. If you do not have an account with Sketchfab, a pop-up window will appear to create a free account with Sketchfab.

When I import a model from Sketchfab, why is it not appearing on the design canvas?

Some models within Sketchfab have inconsistent origin points (this is the center point of the model set by the model creator). Try zooming out of the design canvas to see if the model appears as it may have an offset origin point. You can also try increasing or decreasing the scale of the selected model (you can identify if the model is selected as you will see the red, blue and green manipulator handles on the model) within Blippbuilder, as some models may have been created at a very small scale or at an extremely large scale. If the model is still not visible after trying these methods, we suggest deleting this model and importing a new one.

I’ve imported an animated model but cannot see the animation.

Some models in the Sketchfab library are animated. These models may have one or numerous animations included as part of the model. Once the model is imported onto your design canvas, select the play button (located bottom center) to see any animation start to play. Note, that whilst any model is selected and the animation is playing, you cannot make any adjustments to that model. Stop the animation first, and then make your adjustments.

Animations can be looped by selecting this option within the ‘Animclip Settings’ menu. Within this menu, you can also select and play any other animations that may be included as part of the model you’ve imported. Other settings can also be adjusted from this menu.

How is the integration accessed and used?

In order to access the Sketchfab 3D library, you need to have a Blippbuilder account.

Follow the steps below to gain access:

1. Log in to the account and navigate to ‘YourLibrary’.

2. Click the ‘+’ icon to ‘Upload Assets,’ and a pop-up window will appear on the screen as shown below:

3. Click on ‘Sketchfab’.

4. A window displaying all the available free 3D models will appear.

5. Search for specific 3D models by name. You can also apply filters to narrow down the search results. The default search is set to ‘relevance’ based on the name entered in the search field. You can apply filters such as ‘most liked’, ‘most viewed’ or ‘recent’.

6. You can also filter the search by ‘animated’ or ‘non-animated models’

7. Click on the 3D model that you wish to use in the project

8. The selected 3D model will display a preview allowing you closer inspection of the model prior to you deciding if you wish to ‘import’ it into Blippbuilder.

9. Click ‘Import’ if you wish to import the model or select ‘Back to results’ to search and find others.

10. Once imported, the asset will be added into ‘Your Library’. To use the asset, drag and drop it onto the ‘Design Canvas’ and add any animation or effects as required. You can duplicate and manipulate these 3D assets in your projects alongside importing others to create your AR experience.

I am trying to create an App AR project and do not see the “Sketchfab” tab to import the models into the Blippbuilder - is this possible?

The App AR project supports only the BB3 models which are not available on Sketchfab, hence why you do not see the “Sketchfab” tab in Blippbuilder while creating an App AR campaign. However, you can use our FBX to BB3 converter (found here) to convert the models to BB3 format and use them for App AR campaigns.

Why does my Sketchfab imported model appear white in Blippbuilder?

Sometimes you might have colors, materials, or textures applied to your model that don’t come through in Blippbuilder. It may happen due to missing referenced files, unsupported materials/shaders or too many materials.

I have downloaded the 3D models from the Sketchfab website and have applied animation effects. Will they work in Blippbuilder?

Yes, they will work. Ensure the 3D models are glb/gltf models and that the animations are baked correctly. The animation settings can be adjusted according to your requirements with the help of ‘Animclip Settings’ menu.

Is there anyway in which i can verify the license details of a particular 3D model?

Yes. Select a desired 3D model in Blippbuilder using Sketchfab and the license details are displayed. Refer to the image below:

If I delete my Sketchfab account, will my imported models be still available to use in Blippbuilder?

Yes. All the imported models will be available in ‘Your Assets’ in Blippbuilder.

Can I edit imported 3D models using the Blippbuilder design canvas to match my requirements?

Yes. Once models are imported they will appear in ‘Your Assets’ in Blippbuilder.

Drag and drop the asset into the Design Canvas and apply the required edits to texture, opacity etc., as shown in the image below. You can use multiple models and edit them as required.

Can I view the 3D models in AR/VR in Blippbuilder before importing the model?

Yes. Select the required 3D model in Blippbuilder using Sketchfab. Click on the 3D model and it will start loading.

Once the loading completes click on the VR mode icon to view the model in VR mode before you import. Click on import to complete download the 3D model into ‘Your Assets’.

Can I share the 3D models that I wish to import from Sketchfab from Blippbuilder? If yes, what are the supported options?

Yes. You can share or download the 3D models to various platforms. Follow the steps below:

1. Select the 3D model using Sketchfab in Blippbuilder

2. Click on the share icon and the various options available for sharing the model will appear on the screen as shown below:

3. Select any of the following supported options available:

• Share through email: Click the Email icon and provide the email address to share the 3D model.

• Copy and share: Click the Copy icon to copy and share the link to the 3D model

• Webpost to Tumblr: Click on the model to post to Tumblr.

• Embed: Click on embed icon to open the embed viewer as shown below:

How do I verify the size of the 3D model?

Select the required 3D model in Blippbuilder using Sketchfab. The details of the model including the size, title, vertices, face count, view and animation information along with the license details are displayed as shown below: