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How to Make a Stylish Spacecraft in Blender

Imagine if we humans, in the distant future, exploring the borders of our dimension, rediscovered ourselves in the past, thinking that it is another species.The third place winner in the Student category of the FGT3D Explorer Challenge goes to Andrey Oliver with his work, Explorers from the future. “Great combination of painterly looks and 3D rendering. who didn't ever park his ship in a no-parking spot? The cartoony and still technical design of the vehicle looks absolutely stylish. The colors of the paint finish pop out greatly surrounded by this rough and hazardous landscape.” One of our judges, Kariem Saleh said, who is an award winning film director and animator based in Berlin, Germany.Let's find out how Andrey made the amazing artwork through the exclusive interview with Fox Renderfarm.!Explorers from the future © Andrey OliverExplorers from the future © Andrey Oliver Fox Renderfarm: Hi, Andrey! Thank you so much for accepting our interview! Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself? Andrey: Hello! Thanks for the opportunity. My name is Andrey and I have always been interested in 2D and 3D art, as it was a way I found to release my creativity and thoughts, the art world. Fox Renderfarm: Congratulations on winning 3rd place in the Student Category of the FGT3D Explorer Challenge, how do you feel about that?Andrey: I feel extremely happy to have won third place and to have competed with exceptional artists. It's great to see your art on the podium. Fox Renderfarm: How long did you finish the work, Explorers from the future?Andrey: On March 24, 2021 I found out about the contest through @tonycartoonish, a great artist, and since that day I have been thinking about what to do. It must have taken me 5 weeks to model and render all the art.!Samantha Donut @ tonycartoonishSamantha Donut @ tonycartoonish Fox Renderfarm: What software and plugins did you use?Andrey: I used Blender and Substance Painter to model the ship and scenery, and also used and modified some Quixel Bridge props to complement the naturalness of the scene with secondary elements and textures. In the end I used Photoshop for retouching. Fox Renderfarm: What’s the inspiration behind your artwork? Any references?Andrey: For the Explorers theme, I thought about making a spacecraft, after all I've always admired the Star Wars or Guardians of the Galaxy spacecraft designs, and so I made my spacecraft inspired by them but stylized.!Explorers from the future!Explorers from the future Fox Renderfarm: The believable lighting, mood setting, attention to details, even the No parking sign are rendered nicely. How did you make it?Andrey: As a 3D artist, I have always sought to add naturalness to the works, observing the real world and the behavior of nature and light. I think that the small details make the narrative of the scene more complete.!Explorers from the future-3!Explorers from the future-4 Fox Renderfarm: How did you make the great combination of painterly looks and 3D rendering?Andrey: I think a stylized modeling with a hand texture painting in Substance Painter and small touches in photoshop were essential to achieve this effect.!Explorers from the future-10!Explorers from the future-4-6!Explorers from the future-11!Explorers from the future-4-5 Fox Renderfarm: Did you meet any difficulties when creating this work? And how did you solve it?Andrey: Yes, the biggest challenge was the complexity of the shape of the spacecraft and its numerous parts, but after a long time of testing, the best way was to divide the spacecraft into several categories of parts, so I was able to have greater control in the modeling.!Explorers from the future-9!Explorers from the future-8 Fox Renderfarm: Any artists or artworks inspired you most?Andrey: @thisnorthernboy was an artist who inspired me a lot in the design of the ship.!Explorers from the future-7Deep Space Fleet II @ thisnorthernboy Fox Renderfarm: Could you briefly tell us your educational and work experience along your CG journey?Andrey: I am self-taught in 3D. I started studying when I was 13 years old out of curiosity, learning everything from internet videos and manuals and today I have a great experience with these programs. To complement my learning, today I also study Animation Design at college. Fox Renderfarm: Do you have any recommendable learning methods to improve professional skills?Andrey: If you really want something, you will get it, the beginning is always the hardest. Draw what you like, model what you like, so you will have more pleasure in what you are doing and learn better. Look at the great artists and get inspired. Fox Renderfarm: What do you think of the FGT3D Challenge, any suggestions for us?Andrey: I think FGT3D is an amazing idea, which stimulates the contact and minds of countless artists to show their potential to the world. Fox Renderfarm: Do you have any advice for future participants in the competition?Andrey: Enter the contest, do what you like, gain experience, have fun!!FGT3D Explorer ChallengeFGT3D Explorer Challenge organized by the TPN-Accredited cloud rendering services provider, Fox Renderfarm, was started in March, 2021 and sponsored by our amazing sponsors, including Xencelabs, Corona Renderer, TopoGun, Friendly Shade, Graswald, Raysync, Textures.com, Texturebox and iCube R&D Group. After the selection by our jury, 3 Professional artworks and 3 Student artworks were picked and would be awarded the prizes provided by our amazing sponsors. Congratulations to all the winners again! And thanks to everyone for participating! See you at our next FGT3D Challenge!

How to Make Lighting a Booster to the Whole Picture?

Fox Renderfarm, the best render farm, is deeply committed to supporting education and wishes to contribute to the development of the CG industry. We are so proud to form cooperation with PIXL VISN Media Arts Academy and offer students an affordable pricing scheme to support educational purposes.!PIXL VISN and Fox RenderfarmAfter we’ve discussed the factors to make a character design and rigging with excellent graduates from PIXL VISN, we continue our discovery about how to make lighting a booster to the whole picture with another brilliant graduate, David Pferrer, from PIXL VISN Media Arts Academy. After graduation, he had the chance to work in Moving Picture Company, and he continues his career exploration in ArchViz now.!David Pferrer- David Pferrer- General Lookdev / Lighting Artist- Artstation: https://www.artstation.com/david_pferrerIn the exclusive interview with Fox Renderfarm, David shared his encounter with CG, how he stepped into the CG industry and how he found his passion in lighting design. Moreover, he elaborated his idea about the factors that will improve the lighting design.Student Demo Reel 2019 © David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: Hi David, thank you so much for accepting our interview! Could you briefly introduce yourself?David: Hi Fox Renderfarm, I am David Pferrer, a 22-year-old CG artist from Cologne Germany. Fox Renderfarm: How did you encounter CG and get started in the CG industry? And how did you enrol in PIXL VISN media arts academy? Could you share with us your education and working experience in the CG industry?David: My first encounter with CG at all was actually long before I really started to pursue it in a serious manner. Like many others in the industry, I was amazed by the effects of movies like Star Wars, Transformers, Lord of the Rings, and so on. It’s sort of a cliché but I guess that this is really what makes most of us want to work in this industry – the incredible art and creativity in movies. When I finished school a few years later the CG industry was still somewhat of a mysterious and impossible-to-get-in place for me. At an orientational fair for graduates, I encountered Pixl Visn for the first time. It looked and sounded like my opportunity to learn all the things any CG artist needs to know. Pixl Visn was a great experience overall. It was not all fun and games. You have to put in the hours. You have to be willing to learn and work hard. That’s what the CG industry is all about anyways so Pixl Visn prepares you for it in that way. It is very rewarding though to learn so much and become a better artist in such a short time. One month you might have no idea about what a node even is and a few weeks later you are cruising through Nuke. Fox Renderfarm: What are the most important things you’ve learned at PIXL VISN, technically and career-vice? And what’s your most unforgettable experience in PIXL VISN?David: The most important things I learned at Pixl Visn. I feel like that would have to be the basics. The learning really starts from zero knowledge, and that’s how it should be really. So the foundation is being built strong. And a lasting foundation is the most important part of any skill I feel like. As for my most memorable experience – clearly, the time that our animation teacher came to visit. He was accompanied by two former Pixl Visn students that worked with him at Pixomondo. Afterwards, we went out for drinks and to show them the city. Fox Renderfarm: Congrats on getting the A-level certificate and getting selected in the Draft Selection on The Rookies Awards 2019, could you share more details about how you got these honors? David: Thanks. It’s really an honor to be one of the selected few. Especially if you look at all the stunning works that are put up at The Rookies. Getting selected is really about two things: Firstly, you have got to create a quality piece of art. The judges are no dummies, they recognize good works and know how much work went into it. Secondly, I would say, it can really help to have an artwork that stands out in some way. Meaning it should have something that will make it recognizable. It could be a unique color palette, a really interesting or unusual subject or topic, or even just a really good-looking cover frame to make it recognizable. Making a technically great render is one thing, elevate it with something special and it will stand out amongst the other contestant´s works. Go that extra step.!The Rookies Awards 2019!Draft Selection - The Rookies Awards 2019 Fox Renderfarm: Could you share with us your usual creative process, from forming the concept to the final rendering (it would be perfect if you can raise an example)?David: The creative process behind every project can be very different. In the artistic and the technical sense. So there is not really a standard here. Also, I don’t think you can make formulas for a creative process. For the technical aspects that are a little different. Technical aspects of any CG-related field are well documented by many others that are more knowledgeable than me though. So I am not gonna go into that. Generally speaking, I would say: Write down every idea that comes into your mind. Always have something to write with you. Ideas will come at random times. Next prepare your project. Go online and just throw your subject into Google and see what comes up, you might get even more ideas. Don’t be put off if someone else has done a similar project already, it’s a big community and everybody is creating stuff all the time. You can not reinvent the wheel. Just make art that speaks to you and that you want to create. Make something you like.!David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: According to your online portfolio and info, we know that you are interested in and good at lighting. Do you have any unforgettable creations? And did you meet any difficulties in your creative process?David: Yes, I find myself most at home in the lighting area of the 3D spectrum. My most unforgettable creation is the lady from my demo reel. Every time I think about that project I am a little disappointed in myself. The project stretched over months and It went through tons of changes. I could have spent a quarter of the time on it, with all the things that I did and then discarded later. Also, I am really unhappy about the presentation in my reel. The lighting is just not very good. I somehow ignored the fact that she is completely symmetrical, I showed her closeup from the very front, And I covered most of my texturing work in glitter. There are so many things I would change about that project, but you are always smarter afterwards I guess. !David Pferrer© David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: What are the key factors in lighting that will make 3D artworks natural and vivid?David: Ironically the thing that makes a render perfect is the very thing that makes it look like CG. You don’t want something perfect if you are striving for realism. In reality, everything is imperfect, from the surfaces to the camera lenses and even the movement of the camera. Achieving realism takes every aspect in the pipeline of a project. For lighting I would advise: Always use real lighting. Meaning essentially, avoid having a light in your scene without a texture in it. Try not to place your lights where they could not be in real life. It can help to look at photography sets and movie sets and analyze the lighting setups and techniques that they use. There is a lot to learn from that.!Train Station © David PferrerTrain Station © David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: How do you feel about working at Moving Picture Company? Have you been involved in any projects that you would like to share with us?David: Working at MPC was a lot of fun. I was very fortunate to get a position at their Montreal Studio as my first job in the industry. The only project that I worked on there was Cats. There is not a lot to say about Cats. Unfortunately, 2020 was not really the best year for the 3D industry. Due to the pandemic, many studios had to lay off employees and I was one of those.!CATS Fox Renderfarm: What’s your next step? And what’s your vision for your career path?David: Currently, I am working at an ArchViz oriented company where we scan people and create 3D models of them. It’s a lot of fun and I don’t intend to quit anytime soon. Also, I am not really one to plan my career like that. Especially in the current situation, I think that’s even more difficult. There are so many factors that can determine where your path leads you. But I am definitely gonna go back to Montreal at some point, it was a really great time, even though I was only there during the winter. !Froggy © David Pferrer-1!Froggy © David Pferrer-2Froggy © David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: How do you constantly improve yourself on 3D techniques and artistic sense?David: Improving is all about practice. I like to create some nice 3D stuff from time to time. Working in 3D all day though, I don’t spend that much of my free time on 3D anymore. Instead, I try to find other creative outlets. Recently, I have been doing photography and cooking for myself. Staying creatively active is very important to improve on artistic skills I think. Don’t limit yourself to just 3D. A lot can be learned from other art forms and it will improve your 3D game a lot.!Woman Portrait Experiment © David PferrerWoman Portrait Experiment © David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: What do you think are the most important qualities that a 3D artist should have in his/her career? David: The best thing any 3D artist should have – and especially a lighting artist – is probably a really good understanding of photography and also an artistic eye. There will always be new programs to learn and new pipelines to understand. Learning about composition, color, mood, all that knowledge will never really change. Photography can really help with that because it uses all the same rules as any other visual art form. Apart from that, being a good team player is very, very important. In production, you never work alone on anything. It's always a team effort. !© David Pferrer © David Pferrer Fox Renderfarm: Any artworks and artists that inspire you the most?David: I find it hard to pin down an artist that inspires me. I would say that inspiration can come from anywhere. You can’t really force it. What I would advise though, is to get out of the comfort zone. Try to watch a movie that you might not usually consider, listen to music that you don’t know yet, maybe go on a walk somewhere you would not usually go. If you never experience new things it will be hard to have new ideas, at least that’s how it is for me. Fox Renderfarm: Any other things you wanna share with CG enthusiasts?David: Please keep creating. Other than that – it has been a pleasure and I hope I had some stuff to say that you found interesting or even helpful.

How to Portray a Photo-realistic Render With Powerful Storytelling in 3ds Max

FGT3D Explorer Challenge organized by the TPN-Accredited cloud rendering services provider, Fox Renderfarm, was started in March 2021 and sponsored by our amazing sponsors, including Xencelabs, Corona Renderer, TopoGun, Friendly Shade, Graswald, Raysync, Textures.com, Texturebox and iCube R&D Group. After the selection by our jury, 3 Professional artworks and 3 Student artworks were picked and would be awarded the prizes provided by our amazing sponsors. Congratulations to all the winners! And thanks to everyone for participating!!FGT3D Explorer ChallengeIn this hard time where people are finding it hard to breathe and oxygen is costlier than life, this was the only positive we never wanted. In a country of colors and love, we are seeing helplessness and deaths but we have been a fighter and this too shall pass. This picture has portrayed the helplessness people are facing, sorrow and a little hope that we can fight this too.The first-place winner of the Profession category is Deepak Jain! Congratulations! His artwork, Hard Time, stands out for its highly detailed scene, goosebumpy mood-setting, great lighting and color temperature.“This indeed is looking like a hard time for the girl in the centre of the frame. Lighting and color contrasts play nicely in this very atmospherically dense frame. The setting is visually rich, though very effective in using and reusing a limited amount of assets and geometry. You feel like you want to step into the screen and get her out of this misery.” One of our judges, Kariem Saleh said, who is an award-winning film director and animator based in Berlin, Germany.Here’s the interview between Deepak and Fox Renderfarm, in which we can find out how he created this moving render with powerful storytelling.!Hard Time © Deepak JainHard Time © Deepak Jain Fox Renderfarm: Hi, Deepak! Thank you so much for accepting our interview! Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself?Deepak: Hello Everyone, I am from New Delhi, India. I started my 3D Career 15 years back, started as a High detailed 3d automobile modeler. After spending years in that domain I moved towards the 3d architectural field meanwhile I kept working on my conceptual renderings which I love to do the most. Fox Renderfarm: Congratulations on winning 1st place in the Professional Category of the FGT3D Explorer Challenge, how do you feel about that?Deepak: Thank you so much to the Fox Renderfarm Team! It was a surprise moment for me when I got to know that I was chosen as the 1st place winner. It was one of the happiest moments of my life that my artwork got selected amongst the other beautiful artworks. Fox Renderfarm: How long did you finish the work, Hard Time?Deepak: To be honest I spend almost 4-5 hrs daily on this artwork for their in-depth Detailing and completed the final image in 2 weeks. But the most important thing in this artwork is the storytelling concept which is the most time taking thing. Fox Renderfarm: What software and plug-in did you use?Deepak: 3ds Max, Corona Renderer, Photoshop Fox Renderfarm: What’s the inspiration behind your artwork?Deepak: The inspiration behind this artwork was - In India we faced the 2nd wave of covid-19 and that was the toughest time for my country where people were finding it hard to breathe and oxygen was costlier than life. We saw helplessness and deaths, even I got affected by the coronavirus and I was in a quarantine zone at that time. It was a tough and hard time for me as well, so I decided to portray my feelings through artwork. Fox Renderfarm: The setting is visually rich, though very effective in using and reusing a limited amount of assets and geometry. How did you make it?Deepak: Planning scene development is the most important thing in any artwork. Once I finalize the story then I download some freeware models and some are self-created. Then I enhance the assets in such a way so that I can connect with my story. Hence, detailing each and every asset is the most time taking part.!Hard Time © Deepak Jain!Hard Time © Deepak Jain!Hard Time © Deepak Jain!Hard Time © Deepak Jain Fox Renderfarm: Lighting and color contrasts play nicely in this very atmospherically dense frame. How did you make it?Deepak: Lighting and color depend on the essence of the story. For example, if the story is intense then I add rich and vibrant colors and if the story is subtle then low saturated colors are used.!Lighting!Lighting!Lighting!Lighting!Lighting Fox Renderfarm: Did you meet any difficulties when creating this work? And how did you solve it?Deepak: Yes I faced a lot of difficulties while creating this artwork, like the modeling of small props for detailing and unwrapping those, finding the accurate human which completes my story and result that I wanted. Fox Renderfarm: Any artists or artworks inspired you most?Deepak: Definitely there are lots of amazing artists with their mind-blowing artworks thathave inspired me a lot. Fox Renderfarm: Could you briefly tell us your educational and work experience along your CG journey?Deepak: Started my career as a High Detailed Automobile Modeler. After gaining sufficient knowledge, I went on to work with another big name. I was hired as a Team Leader in 3D Archviz Renderings and Walkthroughs for Indian Clients. With never-ending growth I was promoted from Team Leader to Senior Team Leader and then to Creative Group Head and now working as a 3D Production Head, I have expanded myself in areas of Architectural Visualization - Renderings, Walkthroughs, VR 360 Renderings, Storyboarding of Conceptual Walkthroughs, Experience Center Designing, Sales Hall Designing, Archviz Digital Matte Paintings, Application Interface Designing, Research & Development of new 3D plug-ins and software. Whenever I get some spare time I always push myself to create conceptual artistic renderings. Fox Renderfarm: Do you have any recommendable learning methods to improve professional skills?Deepak: Observation is the most important tool in our industry. Artists should observe all the minor details and always take inspiration from real photography. The core mantra is the more you practice and work in a detailed manner the more you will enhance your artwork. Fox Renderfarm: What do you think of the FGT3D Challenge, any suggestions for us?Deepak: FGT3D is doing an amazing job, creating a platform where all the artists try to explore themselves and showing their ability of creativeness to the world. Fox Renderfarm: Do you have any advice for future participants in the competition?Deepak: The talent and creativity of the Artist are more important than software, a real artist doesn’t need any specific software to prove his ability. If he has a good visual sense and visualization power he can bring amazing artwork in any 3D software. Be passionate about your work, in the end, you will finally achieve it.