CG Society just announced CG Challenge XXI - Strange Behavior.

Excerpt from the challenge website:

“The CG Challenges are the largest online art contests of their kind, with huge amounts of sponsorship and publicity for each challenge. Working within guidelines and software limitations, artists are challenged to create outstanding artworks based upon set themes while showing their work-in-progress to the community.”

Strange Behavior.
25 June 2007 - 29 October 2007

The unexpected can delight or shock. It can be exciting or frightening.
It’s often funny. It’s never boring!

This challenge draws on one of the most popular artistic themes – unusual behaviors and relationships. Whether it’s a giant robot admiring a fluffy teddy or a sheep in wolf’s clothing; a cow that thinks it’s a helicopter or a warrior going into battle dressed as a giant pink bunny – they all make you stop and think. They also stimulate discussion – what one person finds funny another thinks is demented. Unusual juxtapositions and humor allow us an unprecedented freedom of expression. They can also bring us closer as we laugh together and at ourselves.

Entrants are required to bring to life Strange Behaviors in the most entertaining, humorous and emotive way.

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My thoughts:

I have always wanted to participate in one of these challenges, to see what I can come up with. This time around I actually think I have the time available until 29th of October to be able to submit an entry to one of the categories that’s appropriate for me. Illustration or animation, I think I’ll have to pass on short film.

I’ll go on vacation in 8 days from now, so I have tons of things to complete before then, so I will let this challenge rest for a few days, but on my vacation I’ll have plenty of time to brainstorm together a concept for my entry, and then I might actually be on my way completing a piece for this one. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

A very interesting site surfaced the other week, dedicated to the sphere. Check out the site over at CGSphere.

“Sphere: [sfeer, noun] a space or solid enclosed by a surface, all points of which are equidistant from the center. - The Penguin Concise English Dictionary

The sphere is arguably one of the most basic and fundamental primitives in computer graphics. Its uniformly curved structure allows for wide field of view coverage, as well as full diffuse tonal range shading. When reflective, its convex shape can reveal more of it’s surrounding environment than any other primitive, and when refractive it can bend surrounding light into a single concentrated caustic point. The sphere is an inherent form chaotically evident in nature and continually apparent in man-made designs. From the smallest atomic structures to the largest planetary globes, the sphere continues to be perhaps the most common geometric form in existence.

The Sphere Project is a website dedicated to the evolution of technical and creative 3D sphere design. The purpose is simple; to create the most captivating and visually appealing sphere from our provided scene using your 3D program and renderer of choice. We encourage everyone to submit his or her renders regardless of their skill level so long as they adhere to the rules. However, those with the best renders will receive the highest ratings and possibly make the front page. Your goal is to rise to the top, through the use of clever ideas, thoughtful execution, technical expertise, and dazzling presentation.”

Above is the basic 3D scene provided to create something imaginary out of. I think I will take a few hours to give it a shot and see what I can come up with. I love the idea behind this project. So simple, so intriguing.

CGNetworks recently took the initiative to form a CGSociety. Of course I’m fully supporting this great step and am a member of this society.

“The CGSociety is for creative digital artists. This is artists that uses computers to tell a visual story. No matter what the format or scope, from a still image to a complete film or game, telling a visual story is the thread that ties this community together.

The CGSociety is committed to enhancing the global state of creative digital arts. It celebrates, aggregates, supports, trains and promotes creative digital artists in their local and global communities.

The CGSociety is unbiased in its enthusiastic support of all genres, styles, tools and outlooks. It supports professional chapters including Film, Games, Concept Design, Visualization, Illustration, and more.”

It will be interesting to see how powerful the CGSociety will become, and what I’ll contribute with to it.

CG Challenge XVI: Grand Space Opera
CG Networks just announced this competition, and of course I couldn’t resist, so I signed up for it.

Could turn out quite interesting. The deadline isn’t until January 15, 2005, so plenty of time. I’ll work with it now and then and post progress images as I make them.

Been in a fighting mood for a while. Made a contribution to todays 3D Fight Club daily challenge which were to create a bucket in 10 minutes. This is the image I came up with within the time limit.

(Ended up as Winner)

Another day, another fight. Todays challenge were the 15 minute lollipop.

Entered with this 15 minute piece as my contribution.

(Ended up as Winner)

Haven’t done any fighting for awhile so I was in the mood for accepting a 3D Fight Club challenge today.

Todays challenge was “10 minute Battery”.

This is my 10 minute contribution to the subject. No time for painting surfaces in such a time limit.

(Ended up at 2nd place)