What does the sale of ArtStation and Sketchfab mean for digital artists?
(Image credit: KitBash) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter ArtStation remains one of the most popular digital art communities online, with over 10…
(Image credit: KitBash) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter ArtStation remains one of the most popular digital art communities online, with over 10 million registered users (see our pick of the best art inspiration sites). Thousands of digital artists use the platform as their main portfolio site, and many will be anxious to know what it means now that ArtStation is changing hands again.Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite and the game development software Unreal Engine, has announced that it's selling ArtStation along with the 3D assets site Sketchfab, both of which it bought just five years ago in 2021. The platforms will pass to KitBash, the company behind the 3D assets platforms KitBash3D and Greyscalegorilla.The deal allows Epic to focus its attention on Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, the Epic Games Store and its developer ecosystem. Meanwhile, KitBash now has a suite of platforms covering everything from education, portfolios and artist discovery to production-ready 3D assets and materials and publishing.Latest Videos FromCreative BloqWatch full video here: We’re excited to share that @ArtStationHQ and @Sketchfab are joining KitBash’s portfolio of creative platforms alongside KitBash3D and Greyscalegorilla. Together, we will build a more connected creative ecosystem.Read more: https://t.co/FlA3Lt1IL2 pic.twitter.com/qgyj5r6dLYAugust 10, 2026KitBash says its acquisition of ArtStation and Sketchfab is an opportunity to create a broader ecosystem that covers the whole creative process, from training to publishing. Its KitBash3D platform has huge libraries of production-ready 3D assets and environments, while Greyscalegorilla is dedicated to materials, plugins and other tools for 3D artists and motion designers“KitBash has been part of the creative community for over a decade, and we know firsthand how central ArtStation and Sketchfab are to artists and 3D creators around the world,” said Banks Boutté, Co-CEO of KitBash. “These are platforms where people have built portfolios, careers, and communities. That trust is real, and our first priority is to protect what users value most about each platform, listen to the people who rely on them, and build thoughtfully for the future.”What does it mean for artists?This is part of our effort to update our tech architecture and the company for a more open, standards-based 3D future.The lowest level of the system is Lore, the new permissively licensed revision control system for handling content development and distribution at exabyte…August 10, 2026ArtStation was founded in 2014 by Leonard Teo and Kevin Strike as a purpose-built portfolio hub for digital artists in gaming, film, and entertainment. It quickly grew to have millions of users. While there were concerns about Epic's acquisition in 2021, the integration into its ecosystem had advantages for many artists, and Epic also lowered marketplace fees.KitBash now looks set to integrate ArtStation and Sketchfab with KitBash3D and Greyscalegorilla. According to Bill Clifford, SVP of the Unreal Ecosystem at Epic Games, "KitBash will expand opportunities for artists at every stage of their creation process to connect and showcase their work in new ways."Get the Creative Bloq NewsletterSign up to Creative Bloq's daily newsletter, which brings you the latest news and inspiration from the worlds of art, design and technology.The new owner of the platforms says there will be no immediate changes for artists, who will be able to continue using existing portfolios, libraries, and workflows in the same way. KitBash3D and Cargo customers will also retain their Kits, assets and subscriptions.Intellectual property remains with artists, with KitBash explicitly committed to safeguarding ownership, attribution and creative rights. subscription pricing and access remain the same, and artists can continue to sell 2D/3D assets and prints without interruption. The companies' statements don't suggest any ownership change at Epic's Fab, its digital asset marketplaceLonger term, it remains to be seen how the expanded ecosystem will be connected up. Many artists seem optimistic, suggesting that the integration could help expand visibility, while some are concerned about the concentration of ownership and reduction of competition among platforms. Others suggests that KitBash's first priority should be trying to reduce the amount of AI slop on Epic's platforms.You can see more details on the KitBash website. If you use any of the platforms, what are your biggest hopes and fears for their future under KitBash? TOPICS Joe FoleyFreelance journalist and editorJoe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango. View More You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout LATEST ARTICLES 1 People can't decide whether Newcastle United's logo design poll is a joke 2 See how this 3D artist experiments with colour in renders 3 Taylor Swift's Trump TikTok takedowns show the White House isn't above copyright law 4 Buc-ee's infamous logo design lawsuits are coming back to bite it 5 The Apple Watch redesign can't come soon enoughSource: Creative Bloq AI Art — Published — Category: Image AI