A few of our new Yixing posts … in 3D!
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with product presentation. While nothing can replace tasting a tea before you purchase a reasonable amount or take a teapot into your hands and feel it, this isn’t really anything you can do when purchasing tea and teaware online. If you live in Christchurch, you’re always welcome to swing by and I’m happy to share a cup of tea (or two) with you. But what if you don’t come through Christchurch any time in the foreseeable future? Well, you kind of have to rely on the photos I put up on our website.
Realizing that it’s hard to judge the size of a (usually very small) Yixing teapot, I’ve started including a lighter in my photos recently to give you a better idea of the actual size of the tea pot. This helps to a degree, but it’s difficult to get a good impression of an inherently three-dimensional object like a teapot in a two-dimensional photo. I’ve long thought that presenting things like teapots in 3D would be the bee’s knees!
Well, the time that such a thing is possible isn’t too far off, I think. Below the fold, you will find a few examples of actual teapots that we sell in magnificent 3D. Granted, the models aren’t perfect (yet), but they’re pretty amazing, you have to admit!
To control the view, rotate and zoom the model, use your mouse wheel and the arrow, plus and minus as well as the shift keys on your keyboard.
This Yixing pot ‘Pumkin’ a large (600ml!) teapot and very impressive. It sells for $105 and comes in a gift box.
This Yixing pot ‘Starry Octagon’ has a capacity of 400ml and sells for $67 (including gift box).
This teapot ‘Water Lily with Frog’ has some exquisite craftsmanship (you can only get a glimpse of the frog’s delicate shapes in the model) and is made from an unusual green clay. It has a capacity of 400 ml and costs $85 (including gift box).
This teapot ‘Gourd’ is made from clays of different colours and has a most unusual handle. It’s capacity is 330ml and the price is $50 (including gift box).
This ‘Three-Footed’ teapot is finished with an almost metal-like look and has a beautiful feel about it. It stands pretty tall, holds 500ml and costs $82 (including gift box).
This very unusual ‘Old Tree Root’ teapot was made by artist Zhang Zhong Guang and is the most unusual teapot in our collection. It’s pretty big (hard to measure since it is all hollow), but I would guess 400ml+. This was the first 3D model I made and it is for objects like this teapot, that the presentation in 3D definitely adds to ‘understanding’ the teapot (have a look whether you can see the lizard draping itself around the lid). The price is $95 (including gift box).
While I don’t think that the 3D models will replace product pictures anytime soon, I think they can definitely help to get a better impression of a three-dimensional object online and enhance the experience. What do you think?
If you would like to purchase any of the teapots pictured in this post (we’ve got only one teapot each!), please visit our ordering page.
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