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Challenge Categories
Individual Entry:
Team Entry (The Hero's World):
- Environment (Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, Animation*)
*Animation is optional
2D Concept Design
It all starts with an idea, and in this case Concept Design. In this category your goal is to conceptualize the Hero, Legend, God, or Goddess of your choice. Create something that is visually amazing, something that could be incorporated into a feature film or next-gen game. This should be displayed as a model sheet or as a poster/vis-dev (visual-development) art piece. You want to be able to convey mood with lighting and at the same time make sure that your hunter is clearly defined. It would also be great to show your character in an action that symbolizes the nature they posses: attacking, running, or seducing...whatever it is that makes them distinctive. We also want you to include certain aspects of your character that makes them unique, this could be in the form of weapons, technology, gadgets or just your characters overall physique.
Judging Criteria
For judging purposes, your work should be displayed as a model sheet, and a poster or visual development art piece. You want to be able to convey mood and lighting, while simultaneously making sure that your hunter is clearly defined.
We will be judging on:
- Creativity and Design
- WIP/Forum Participation*
- Final Render.
*It is required to showcase your Work In Progress (WIP) of character art; as this is a major part of the judging criteria for this contest. WIPs should be in the form of sketches, reference art inspiration, actual progress, etc.
Deliverables
All final file submissions should be:
- In JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe) format (guideline 1600 pixels wide and/or 1600 high, 72 DPI (portrait)
- Large format/high dpi resolution (If selected you will be asked to provide a larger image for display at Evolve CG Art Gallery)
Character Modeling and Texturing
Modeling
Now, if you think you got what it takes to rock out an awesome character model, then this is the section for you! But before you start going crazy and showing off your sculpting skills and stuff, just know that it's not only about how well you model, but what you model. Meaning a poorly thought out design could really hurt your shot at claiming the win here. So the concept design you choose to model should be both challenging and look aesthetically amazing. This means we don't want to see just a bunch of random clutter or purely abstract models with no real shape or form. We want to see a combination of surface types. From fleshly skin with massive calluses, to thick leather hides laced with readable hard-surface features, to organic mechanical hybrid technology done in a believable way. Think: complex surface types that are challenging and interesting. We want to see your best work!
Texturing
There is a quote by Metadesign, which states: Beauty without depth is just decoration. Surfacing is the art of making things beautiful using color, and material appearances. It strives to find that balance between what a texture can do, and what a shader can do better; and vice-versa. For this competition, anyone brave enough to embark on this most worthy of paths, has to do so with the narrative of color. We want to see the details that modeling alone, just can't do. We want your hues, saturations and values to reveal details and subtleties on the modeled form that would go unnoticed otherwise. Your task is to accentuate the positive by telling a rich story about why the character and environment looks the way that it does. Through texture painting and shading, skin comes to life. Zeus may have skin that softly glows like the sun, an internal fire shining through. Better still, his long mane of hair might shine with the reflection of the signature thunderbolt he holds in his hand. The point here is, be as creative with textures and shading in your work, as a writer would be with any story and verse. We want to see your true colors!
We will be paying extra close attention to how well you execute the translation of your 2D concept, to a final 3D model. Remember, a model is only as good as its design. So make sure you do the research and gather some amazing art work and reference. (Feel free to ask participants from the concept design thread permission to use their art as a reference. The same way your modeling brings out the primary form of the character, you must layer this character with detail and history, through your use of texturing and shading. First and foremost, artist will be judged on overall execution- as well as attention to detail. We want to see the overall piece, but we want to make sure that you paid attention to all of the little details. As with the other challenges we want to see your work in progress (i.e. your workflow, texture maps, references, the various passes utilized to create your work, etc.).
Judging Criteria
So to recap, we will be judging:
- Creativity and Design
- Technical Execution /toplogoy (i.e. we would love to see you take your model to the next level and sculpt it in Zbrush, Mudbox, etc.)
- WIP/Forum Participation*
- Final Composition/Pose
*It is required to showcase your Work In Progress (WIP) of status up dates; as this is a major part of the judging criteria for this contest. WIPs should be in the form of sketches, reference art inspiration, wireframe passes, Mudbox or Zbrush detail passes, etc.
Again, we will be looking for technical merits in terms of both construction and aesthetics. F.Y.I many recruiters and supervisors from different studios will be reviewing this challenge, so think; production quality models.
Deliverables
All final file submissions should include the following:
- A link to loopable turn-table in either Quicktime (.mov) or WindowsMedia (.wmv) format*
(Your final character model should be in grey-scale shading only no textures) - Three 1k snap-shots of the character- in pose, JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg) format (If selected you will be asked to provide a larger render for display at Evolve CG Art Gallery)
*Video should be submitted at a resolution of at least 640x480 and with a 4:3 aspect ratio. We recommend it be linked via Vimeo or equivalent online service.
Character Animation
Arguably, of all the people famous for surmising what life is or could be, it was the father of bodybuilding- Mr. Eugen Sandow ,who declared it most simply in his day. He stated that Life is movement. And if that phrase does not speak to those of you planning to enter this category of the competition, then you might want rethink your life. And we just don't mean the past few seconds no, the entire thing (or at least what you have been doing with it up til this point). But for those of you who get what the man was saying when he said Life is movement then we want to see your interpretation of that.
You see, this is the category where you show out. We want to see you breathe life into your character. The motion should convey meaning and substance beyond simple kinetics. We want to understand that he or she walks with a limp because they were injured during a heated battle with the nemesis they are now pursuing. We want to believe that, if a Satyr - with it's top half man and bottom half goat -were real, it would really walk the way you portrayed it. Your job is to ensure that form follows function, and that when your character moves, it makes sense in context of their surroundings, and physical design.
Judging Criteria
We require that you all create at least a 20-30 sec clip of animation this could be done in 3D or 2D. It should consist of a the Hero / Legend of your choice engaged in a movement that best embodies it's reputation. This could be Zeus striking out at an enemy or Venus admiring her own beauty then beckoning the viewer closer. This could be portrayed via a characters show of strength or with a special gadget or weapon etc. We want you to bring this Legend to life and show us why they are so good at what he/she/it does. So be creative and go all out!
For 3D animators, we will provide a couple rigged models for download. Also, please feel free to add any additional props you might need to help sell the animation.
So to recap, we will be judging:
- Degree of Creativity / Complexity of the Animation
- Technical Execution (i.e. timing, blocking and staging, etc.)
- WIP/Forum Participation*
- Final Composition
*It is required to showcase your Work In Progress (WIP) as status up dates; this is a major part of the judging criteria for this contest. WIPs should be in the form of blocking animation, specific motion test, reference videos, etc.
Deliverables
All final file submissions should include the following:
- Your final character animation- with basic surface shading (textures optional)
- In either Quicktime (.mov) or WindowsMedia (.wmv) format* (If selected you will be asked to provide a larger render for display at Evolve CG Art Gallery)
*Video should be submitted at a resolution of 640x480 and with a 4:3 aspect ratio. We recommend it be linked via Vimeo or equivalent online service.
Environment (Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, Animation*)
This challenge is the culmination of all the other categories combined. So by default, this will incorporate the best of design, amazing models, believable textures and gorgeous lighting & composting.
This challenge asks your team to take us on a journey- not down the street or around the corner, but across the galaxy of creativity, and through the universe of imagination. Your character needs a home or a place to prove their superiority, and that's the task. From depicting the dry, parched desert floor in far off Egypt, up high to palaces made from soft clouds, and down to the rocky terrain of a dark and smoldering underworld. Again, this challenge will incorporate the best of all worlds from modeling, to texturing, to lighting, and compositing.
Since design is key, we recommend a few websites that you may visit for inspiration. This contest will be judged on creativity and how well you execute the look and feel of the story behind your environment. Remember, this is either the Heroe's or God's and Goddesses home or proving grounds, so how effectively this world relates to their character, is completely up to you. Again, your task will be to pair up your world with an existing character design, and compliment it. Similar to the other categories your submission will be based on how well you execute the design- as well as the amount of complexity visible in your environment. We don't want to see a bunch of cubes and cylinders thrown about with no purpose in a world (that is not really modeling). Think: something challenging, that only a team could do. Something meaningful, something manageable, we actually want you all to finish this. Most importantly something unique, because you do want to win don't you?
Websites:
Judging Criteria
This challenge is all about composition. We will be judging not only how the virtual assets came together in the final piece, but also how the different disciplines (i.e. concept design, modeling, texturing, lighting, and shading) complement each other, and came together. Remember, the environment is a third of this challenge, so make sure to really think it through, and show it off. This means your final piece (and some of the preceding WIPs-work in progress) should be presented as a well composed camera fly-through or basic story driven character animation- for those of you so inclined.
Also, since this is the team portion of the contest, the WIPs for this section need to reflect both the individual roles of each team member's participation, as well as the overall group status/updates over the duration of the project. We recommend teams of no more than 3 artists. It is required for each team to select a team captain that will be responsible for the allocation of the prizes. If a dispute arises and cannot be resolved among the team members your team will be disqualified
So to recap, class, we will be judging:
- Degree of Creativity / Complexity of Final Composition
- Technical Execution (i.e. workflow, modeling,texture maps, render passes, shaders, blocking and staging, etc.)
- WIP/Forum Participation*
- Final Composition
*It is required to showcase your Work In Progress (WIP) as status up dates (per individual team member contributions, and overall project progress). This is a major part of the judging criteria for this contest, constituting 1/3 towards the final desicion. WIPs should be in the form of concept design,models, motion test, texture reference, look development, Mudbox or Zbrush detail passes, lighting test ,etc.
Deliverables
All final file submissions should include the following:
- A panorama style render of the environment, JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg, .jpe) format (If selected you will be asked to provide a larger render for display at Evolve CG Art Gallery)
- At least 30 second camera fly-through.
- Submission should be in either Quicktime (.mov) or WindowsMedia (.wmv) format* (If selected you will be asked to provide a larger render for display at Evolve CG Art Gallery)