Instructions Guidelines and FAQ's

[Tom-3DT]

Welcome to the Stylized Animal Monthly Challenge, sponsored by Zoo Publishing Magazines and 3DTotal. Please post all questions in this thread.

What is this challenge all about?
Each month we will select an animal and post some images as reference. All you have to do is create a 3d render of this creature in a stylized/abstact/cartoon style whilst keeping your creature instantly recongnizable. We wanted to publish some content in 3DCreative Magazine on how to create stylized animals such as you see in the many feature films and cartoon galleries. We thought this regular competition might bring in just the images/making ofs we need whilst giving away great prizes and exposure. If it's a success we will start to boost the prizes up as much as possible!

What are we looking for?
Funny and humourous entries which break the animal down to its most recognizable components, enphasize these in whichever ways you think best and render your stylized/abstact/cartoon masterpiece.

Timeframes and requirements?
The rules are pretty laid back: please submit 1x3d render; minor post work is ok; it's up to you if you want to have a background or include some graphical elements or text on your image. Renders of the 800 pixel dimension sound about right, but the top 10 will be featured in 3DCreative Magazine (http://www.3dcreativemag.com) so if you can create some higher res images too, all the better. There will be 1 comp per month, with the deadline being the end of the month GMT. A new thread will be started at the end of the month called the 'VOTING' thread. For a valid entry, just make sure your final image is posted in the 'VOTING' thread before the 8th of the following month. Voting will then start on the 8th of the month and will continue until the 16th, when the winners will be announced.

We require the top 3 winners to submit 'making of' overview articles that will be shown on either 3DTotal or 3DCreative Magazine (http://www.3dcreativemag.com), these need to show the stages of your creation, different elements and some brief explanation text, of why and how you did what you did. We will format this into some nice looking pages to give you some great exposure and us some quality content.

Posting Works in Progress?
Each competition will have one main thread that starts with the brief at the top. This is where all entrants post all WIPs give feedback and generally laugh at the crazy ideas that are emerging each month. Please dont start any new threads! Just reply to the one already set up.

Prizes!!

Great ranges of products from 3DTotal shop:

-Digital Art Masters Book - Vol1 (http://www.3dtotal.com/book/)
-Design Studio Press books (http://www.3dtotal.com/design%5Fstudio%5Fpress/)
-texture CDs (http://www.3dtotal.com/textures/)
-Shorts DVDs (http://www.3dtotal.com/shorts/)
-Lots of training DVDs (http://www.3dtotal.com/training/)
-12 month subscriptions to 3DCreative Magazine (http://www.3dcreativemag.com)
-12 month subscriptions to 2DArtist Magazine (http://www.2dartistmag.com)
-SwordMaster (http://http://www.3dtotal.com/services/swordmaster/swordmaster.asp)
- Joan of Arc (http://www.3dtotal.com/services/Joan_of_Arc/joan_shop.asp)
-Elements Digital Painting Tutorial Series volume 1 & 2 (http://www.3dtotal.com/services/elements/elements_v1.asp)
-Plug-in Blue Cherry (http://www.3dtotal.com/services/pluggins/bluecherry_shop.asp)

1st Place
Any 3 items from the 3DTotal Shop (http://www.3dtotal.com/shop). as list aboved, and 12 month subscriptions to 3DCreative Magazine (http://www.3dcreativemag.com) and 2DArtist Magazine (http://www.2dartistmag.com).

2nd Place
Any 2 items from the 3DTotal Shop (http://www.3dtotal.com/shop) as listed above

3rd Place
Any 1 item from the 3DTotal Shop (http://www.3dtotal.com/shop) as listed above

We do have to put a 1 book limit per winner per competition due to high postage costs for heavier items.

Judging
Everyone who entered can cast a vote of their top 3. We will add them up 3pts for a 1st place vote, 2pts for 2nd 1 for 3rd. Then we will add them up and ship out your prizes!

[AbhishekKr]

Top3 Winners need to submit "making of" overview.........thats cool

But here in the thread, do we need to POST the final render only [that can be more than 800res] or here also we need to POST the WIPs the way far............

'N ya may we make a TOON 3d Model from an inspired idea, thats not purely original

thx

[ben-3DT]

Hi,
In the thread, you only need to post the 800px render. We dont need anything else posted unless you would like to show the WIP as it goes along.

Thanks

[Tom-3DT]

Inspired by something that is not entirly original.... I guess that's ok but I guess the more it starts to look like someone elses work the less chance you have of winning.

Tom

[AbhishekKr]

Inspired by something that is not entirly original.... I guess that's ok but I guess the more it starts to look like someone elses work the less chance you have of winning.

Tom

its just like I saw an attempt in TOONS in Traditional Drawing that I found very inspiring & wanted to turn that 3D & feel it is right applicable here

it will be only theme taken from that Something not a copy of that, design & model will be original

[Glottis]

One question:

is it "do what the heck you want" or are there poly- and texture size limits?

[Tom-3DT]

Hi Glottis, there are no technical limits, as long as its a 3d model/render that's all we care about.

Thanks

Tom

[Tom-3DT]

A lot of people seem to be making the subject into a themed biped, this is fine as it's an open brief, but we would rather see a stylized toon version on the subject as the guidelines above suggest.

Here's a great example, if the subject was 'rooser' this would make a great entry
http://www.3dtotal.com/home2/gallery/getgalleryitem.asp?id=2505

[ben-3DT]

Or these:Dog (http://www.3dtotal.com/home2/gallery/getgalleryitem.asp?id=2481)
Pig (http://www.3dtotal.com/home2/gallery/getgalleryitem.asp?id=2295)
Squirrel (http://www.3dtotal.com/home2/gallery/getgalleryitem.asp?id=2276)
Fish (http://www.3dtotal.com/home2/gallery/getgalleryitem.asp?id=2069)

But of course the brief is still wide open!

[mim]

Greate! I'll so intresting to participate :D but whats your mean from
minor post work is ok
can we work as post production on our stock render and make it like illustrators did her works?! or like 3d smc, just modeling whould be judjed (n here plus rendering n idea n sth!) I mean is post works (or finall work) judjed as well?

[AbhishekKr]

are there any minimum no. of stages to be post as WIP in the thread

[mim]

are there any minimum no. of stages to be post as WIP in the thread
no but more is better, although it is not required unless you win the challenge, then they will ask you for wip, I think!
someone answer my question also, please! :D
thnx, mim

[Tom-3DT]

Minor post work is ok - means you can do a few touch ups in photoshop if required.

We like to see concepts and wips, but they are not necessary if you dont want to.

Thanks!

Tom

[LionFox]

Hi,
When do we have to submit our works at least? I could not find a final date/time anywhere, or that not jet clear?
Thx! LionFox

[ben-3DT]

Hi
The deadline for all entries to be posted on the thread is the end of the month GMT. This month its Sunday 31st December at 12:00am GMT. (12 at night not daytime)

[capitan_popo]

if we have more than 1 entry, are both valid or do we have to choose a final image? also how are the winners chosen, through public voting or judges?

[ben-3DT]

Hi, All entries are valid and its public Voting. Evryone who has entered will give us their top 3 and well add them up.

[hammering3D]

Sorry if U write that and I not undestern, but U will make an final entry thread like in low poly comp where we post our final reders or we must chose our final entry and post it in the same competiton thread ?

tnx,

[mim]

Sorry if U write that and I not undestern, but U will make an final entry thread like in low poly comp where we post our final reders or we must chose our final entry and post it in the same competiton thread ?

tnx,
Good idea, it will be good if we send all of finall works to a new thread then choos n vote between them clearly :D :smug:
,mim

[mim]

Hi Palantir, really great first entry! ...feel free to make as many designs, models and renders as you like but it's best if you just submit your favourite/best one only at the end to go into the voting.
or:
Hi, All entries are valid and its public Voting. Evryone who has entered will give us their top 3 and well add them up.
should we choose final one for public judjment or we can compet all of our entries?! :dunno:

[hammering3D]

:wave:

For 3DTOTAL Staff

When competition pass by and more ppl join I find more and more dificult to vote, and I think if the competition go foword it will be more dificult.
In camel compettion I really not satisfied with my vote, and brake my soul in two,
It was unfair to leave out from voting the extreamly hi detailed models, but if I vote for them I leave outside the simple but verry funny and perfect entrys that give a big smile on my face, :ugh:
But if I read the guidelines and undestearn it I think my votes where with them, but even that is true how to ignore that amazing models with so perfect detailes ?

The guidelines sond like that:
What are we looking for?
Funny and humourous entries which break the animal down to its most recognizable components, enphasize these in whichever ways you think best and render your stylized/abstact/cartoon masterpiece.

So if I undestern right, we must make the animal simple but perfect and when U look at it U'd say WOW that is a funny CAMEL, etc. And I think sometime is harder to make something simple with few details but reconizable and with nice expresion, (and I think that stylization si abut) than very complex and detailed and reconizable and with nice expresion.

So if I undester right, some verry hi detailed images that where post in this and past chalenges not break the animal down to most reconizable part, but some time add more details that real animal have.

... and my questions is what to vote ? ... I can't ignore the nice and detailed artworks some ppl made, but that simpe and funny entryes that make silly animals really makes my day and I prefer them in this competition ... :roll:

Sorry for beeing anoing, but I'm not complaining, just want to be fair or to undestern better the guidelines, and first of all sorry for my english and hope U undestern the ideea of what I write. :roll:

:wave:

[ben-3DT]

I understand, but we cant vote for everyone!

[Antievo-3DT]

Hammering3D:

The members that vote do not have to vote for the model that holds the best technical achievements. You should vote for the model you like the best, and tell people why you like it as much as you do. Some people are naturally more skilled than others, and some have been doing this for years. That enables them to work faster, create more detailed models, pass their models through multiple applications - and other things some artists might not have learned yet. It would be just as unfair to the experienced artists to exclude them from a challenge because of their technical achievements, as it would be to not vote for the best idéa or the cutest model - just because the artists technical skill level is at a lower level. You just have to vote for the entry that is the most overall appealing to you, and call it a fair vote. The criteria on wich you base your vote is an individual stand. As we count all the individual votes and call out a winner based on the majority of the viewers/voters opinions - it will be a fair call.

EDIT:
Picking your favorite is never easy.

Antievo.

[hammering3D]

So we just vote what we personaly like best, beeing an simple model or a complex one ... and is just personal opinion, and vote for the model that we like the overall look even some time is simple and less complex that other models ... ok I got it now, I'll not feel guilty anymore :D,

tnx guys...

[Antievo-3DT]

Hammering3D:

I believe so! That's what I would do. As far as I know, the rules do not say what aspects of the entry you are to weight in making your desition. The ones that weight the technical aspect will vote for that and the ones that weight the concept/idéa will vote for that. The count of the votes will show what the majority favours. As the majority has spoken - the result will be fair. Though, you should always state why you are voting for your chosen entry!

Antievo.

EDIT:
Please do correct me,
if I'm wrong about this Tom.

[hammering3D]

Yes, that is fair, the majority will decide ... tnx again.

[Pathan Power]

Hey yh what Programme do i acctually use to do this ?
:)

[hammering3D]

Hey yh what Programme do i acctually use to do this ?
:)

Any 3D software Package:

- Maya (http://usa.autodesk.com)
- 3D Studio Max (http://usa.autodesk.com)
- Cinema4D (http://www.maxon.net)
- TrueSpace (http://www.caligari.com/)
- Rhino3D (http://www.rhino3d.com/)

etc ... :wave:

Click the names to go to the softwares home pages. :wave:

[PowerCat]

When does the competition end usally, like for the Snail one?

[Warin-3DT]

When does the competition end usally, like for the Snail one?

Hi!

The deadline for all entries to be posted (WIP, stages, concept etc) is the end of the every month GMT. So it will be on Thursday 31th May for the Snail competition.

After that the week later (1st - 7th), all entries will have to post their final image in a post which will be created sperately later.

Ane then the voting time is start, normall is run for 1 week (8th-15th).

Finally, the result will be announced and the top 3 winners will provide the making of of their image which will be published in the 3DCreative Magazine and get the prizes from our huge colllections, as list in page 1!

More than that, all entries will get a free copy of magazine too!

Hope this helps : )

Good luck and thanks for joining us!

Warin

[PowerCat]

Thx alot Warin, that really helped! :D

Does it matter how you make as long as its in 3D?

[lechuzaviajera]

Hi. i'm new here and I was reading this challenge, I want to participate but I don't know where i have to submit my image. Do i have to give a link here?
Please somebody who say me...

Thanks!

[hihosilver]

Give a link in the thread of the competition, so for the snail challenge you would post your progress in this thread:
http://forums.3dtotal.com/showthread.php?t=51294
Your final image will be posted once the challenge is over. A new thread will be created at the end of the month where you submit your final image.

[ben-3DT]

I know its a bit of a confusing system. We do it so that the final pieces will all be together in one thread. This way images don't get missed!

[lechuzaviajera]

Than 'u Hihosilver. You're very nice in answer me. (in other sites they ignore you 'coz you are new and they don't give us an answer when we have doubts about challenges or other things. I'm happy 'coz this site is not like others)

Just another question. When I submit my image... Do I have to submit a link or something like that? Or it exists an especif way to submit it? 'coz I see here, there are options like: bold, italic and underline and there isn't another option to put images...
Thanks again.

mhh. I have to edit my message
'coz my english is not so good and
I write bad a little words.

[ben-3DT]

You can upload your image using the 'Attach files' in the 'additional options' window below.

[ben-3DT]

Hi,
sorry, I didnt mean post it here. Images need to be posted in the thread for that specific competition.

Ben

[hammering3D]

GiDeOn know where to post :roll: lol, he post many images in snail thread but he post it here by mistake lol and he did't see that he post the image here. ;P

[evolution]

Just a quick question for clarification on the rules, does the submission need to have been modeled within the month time frame? Or can we use a model we've had on our drives from a past project?

[mim]

As I said in Monkey challenge forum!
I thought we need a sticky, that mods submit every challenge winner works there to keep em all in one place just like other challenges!
Btw just a suggestion!

Tnx, mim, :haha:

[Chrisp-3DT]

Yes that is a good suggestion will make it so :)

Chrisp-3dt

[3DGURU]

wow , i think i will join :)

[Nocturn8]

Ah, i do hope any of you guys could help me out, i'm kind of ahm lost. Is the Nov 2007 Carnivore challenge still open? thanks

[thee]

Nocturn8- till this end of the month you've got 6 days

[Nocturn8]

thank you very much THEE. i'll see if i can work out something

[hihosilver]

Nocturn8, If you wait 6 days, you can start in on the next challenge with an entire month to finish the project.

[Nocturn8]

yup, you're right about that hihosilver, thanks, I just recently received a few projects which really messed up my schedule. I am hoping though, that i can join next month. Thank you all for being so friendly. God bless and good luck to all of you.

[ednadas]

testing

[ednadas]

testing again

[ednadas]

just testing

[ahmattu]

hi there,

1 - can 2 persons work on the same idea.

2 - I can't seem to find the july challenge post!?

thx

[Honki]

ahmattu.

The challenges finished a couple of months ago.

The tribute challenge is up and running at the moment, so you're free to join that.

[ahmattu]

ahmattu.
The tribute challenge is up and running at the moment, so you're free to join that.

thanks for replying, but there is no challenge with the "tribute" title can you send me the link.


thanks again

[ahmattu]

no worries, I think I found it,

thanks

[rocneasta]

anyone planning to jump start this challenge - would be interesting to see new approaches to it and/or participate

[Lynette-3dt]

We don't have plans at the moment to ressurect the Stylized Challenge I'm afraid, but there will be a whole new look to the 3DTotal forum challenges coming real soon so there'll be lots going on for everyone to get involved in!

You can always create your own stylized concepts and post them in the WIP and Final Artwork threads, or perhaps setup a mini challenge of your own for other forum members to jump on board with?

[rocneasta]

Appreciate the response, back to creative drawing board