How to Render Realistic Snow With Blender

FGT3D Snowman Challenge organized by the TPN-Accredited cloud rendering services provider, Fox Renderfarm, was started in September, 2021 and sponsored by our amazing sponsors, including Maxon, Chaos, Poliigon, HDR Light Studio, Pilgway, TopoGun, 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!

Congrats to Swikar Poudel for winning third place in the Student category with his work, Snowman at the top of mountain.

“Such a simple composition, yet it really appeals to me. There is a sense of peace and retrospection as the snowman looks out over the wide landscape. I love the overall mood and overcast lighting, and also technically I am very impressed with the realism of the snow - it is very hard to render snow, and this is some of the best I have seen.” One of our judges, the Corona Renderer Team said, who is also one of our sponsors.

Here’s the interview between Swikar and Fox Renderfarm, in which we can find out how he created this wonderful 3D render.

Snowman at the top of mountain © Swikar Poudel

Fox Renderfarm: Hi, Swikar! Thank you so much for accepting our interview! Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself?

Swikar: Myself, Swikar Poudel from Nepal who loves to explore the science behind such a beautiful nature . I am a beginner blender artist . I joined the CG community 2 years ago!

Fox Renderfarm: Congratulations on winning 3rd place in the Student Category of the FGT3D Snowman Challenge, how do you feel about that? Swikar: I feel very proud of myself as the judges knew what thing I wanted to emit through that CG image . Being a very very beginner , this achievement meant a lot to me!

Fox Renderfarm: How long did you finish the work, Snowman at the top of mountain?

Swikar: It really took 3 weeks . I used to imagine concept art while teachers were teaching subjects in School . Yeah ! It was a wonderful experience .

Fox Renderfarm: What software and plugins did you use?

Swikar: I used Blender for my artwork . I didn’t use any plugins . The thing I imported was a snow material from polyhaven . The materials of the mountains below were made by a combination of black and white color with noise .

Snow Material

Fox Renderfarm: What’s the inspiration behind your artwork?

Swikar: I watched Nim’s Dai documentary called “14 PEAKS “ on Netflix. Scene I saw in it was my inspiration!

14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible | Official Trailer | Netflix

Fox Renderfarm: The realism of the snow is impressive. How did you make it?

Swikar: By tweaking snow material , with displacement maps .. I searched google to know what real snow looks like and then I began to work for the realism of snow . I tweak the snow material for more than 3 days .

Fox Renderfarm: The overall mood and overcast lighting are amazing. How did you make them?

Swikar: We all know , at the top of the world there is no external lighting . So to make the scene as in the real world . I simply added HDRI and some Area lights.

HDRI

Fox Renderfarm: Did you meet any difficulties when creating this work? And how did you solve them?

Swikar: To make snow look like real snow was a great task to me which I solved by tweaking different values such as displacement , transparency etc .

Fox Renderfarm: Could you briefly tell us your educational and work experience along your CG journey?

Swikar: I am at School level right now . I am in Grade 11. I have about 1 year experience in CGI work ( except school days ).

Fox Renderfarm: Do you have any recommendable learning methods to improve professional skills?

Swikar: Being a complete beginner , I don’t have any suggestions!

Fox Renderfarm: Have you ever tried Fox Renderfarm’s cloud rendering services? If yes, how do you like it?

Swikar: I haven’t yet but I will surely try it .

Fox Renderfarm: What do you think of the FGT3D Challenge, any suggestions for us?

Swikar: It would be great if you list out the total number of participants at the time of publishing results . And also Computer hardwares and cash prizes would be great!

Fox Renderfarm: Do you have any advice for future participants in the competition?

Swikar: Give your best!