Every 3D animation contest presents its own set of unique challenges. In addition to pushing the boundaries of artistry, participants have to adhere to strict deadlines for submitting their final renders.
Let's explore notable entries from Rokoko and Pwnisher’s challenges, their high-quality craftsmanship and ingenuity in character animation are clear roadmaps to transcending the limits of conventional methods.
Advanced Facial Animation Capture with AccuFace
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Florian Salvesberger's submission to the "ROKOKO TV" Intergalactic Animation Challenge stood out for its innovative approach. Florian introduced a captivating twist by showcasing a flying chef bot alongside a meticulously crafted mechanical cook, replete with intricate details. He utilised Character Creator for the creation of the cook character, integrating it into his character workflow.
To infuse the character with even more vitality, Florian ventured into the realm of AccuFACE Mocap for the first time, and the outcome exceeded all expectations. The ability to receive live feedback in real-time, directly onto the character mesh within iClone, was akin to every CG artist's dream – a flawless 10/10 experience.
After experimenting with various equipment, Florian settled on recording the final performance using the front camera of an iPhone 12 Pro, as it provided superior performance capture data compared to his slightly older webcam.The culmination of these efforts resulted in a delectable video submission, inviting viewers to indulge in a culinary journey. To that, we say “Bon appétit!”.
Trained and studied in Austria, Florian is a freelance 3D artist with a focus on environmental design, worldbuilding, matte painting, and 3D modelling. For more of Florian's artwork, follow his Instagram @salve.vision.
ZBrush sculpting combined with iClone animation
Varuna Darensbourg participated in the "ROKOKO TV" Intergalactic Animation Challenge, submitting the entry titled "Void Detectives”. This entry features a black female detective in the lead role, supported by several robots. Leveraging extensive experience with ZBrush Character Sculpt, Varuna utilised the tool to seamlessly incorporate customised sculpting onto the main character.
As the deadline loomed, COVID-19 unexpectedly impacted Varuna, causing him to be sidelined for the final weeks of the competition. However, he persevered and accomplished a significant amount of work in the last two days of the challenge, attributing his success to the seamless real-time character workflow. What stands out in this video is the native render in iClone8 (using the native engine), where Varuna excelled in crafting the character's appearance and expressions.
Varuna Darensbourg, based in Toronto, Canada, boasts an impressive portfolio with contributions to several Hollywood blockbusters, such as "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" and "Alita: Battle Angel." For those interested in connecting with Varuna, they can follow his work on ArtStation under the handle @aria_redux.
Seamless workflow with Unreal Engine
This entry, created by Mohammad Khalikh, was submitted to the Pwnisher Endless Engines Challenge in 2023. Adorned with motion blur effects, the video has the audience immersed in a high-intensity car chase and gunfight sequence. Utilising seamless integration with Unreal Engine, iClone, and the Character Creator, Mohammad opted to incorporate the car chase characters in this entry, showcasing a seamless blend of creativity and technical skill.
Mohammad Khalikh, trained and educated in India, is a skilled previz artist renowned for his contributions to both live-action and animation projects. His clientele boasts prestigious names such as Lenovo India and Xolair, with one of his previz works notably featured in a war movie available on Amazon Prime Video India. For those interested in exploring more of Mohammad's artwork, they can follow his portfolio on ArtStation under the username @grizzlyartist.
Ro-Bob Ross teaches AI-generated Art
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Artist Nick Shaheen submitted this entry to the "ROKOKO TV" Intergalactic Animation Challenge. Reflecting on his upbringing during a time when cable or satellite television was not widely available, Nick recalls the simplicity of Saturday afternoon programming, which often featured bowling or the painting show hosted by Bob Ross.
Beginning with Character Creator in conjunction with ZBrush and Substance Painter, Nick successfully achieved the desired sci-fi appearance for the character. Following the completion of the body mocap with Rokoko suit, he further refined the body animation utilising iClone motion layer editing tools. The execution of the concept was commendable, resulting in a final outcome that is both impressive and gratifying.
Nick is a versatile professional, serving as a writer, director, freelance motion designer, and VFX artist. His portfolio includes the award-winning short film "Honey Romance" and the sci-fi-comedy M.A.R.C. For those wishing to connect with Nick, they can reach out to him via his Instagram account @nickhshaheen.
Best character pipeline for Blender
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Artist Jasper Hesseling interpreted the theme of "Eternal Ascent" for the Pwnisher contest by portraying a phoenix-inspired transformation. Jasper utilised his trusted tools from Reallusion – Character Creator and iClone – along with ZBrush and Substance Painter, to sculpt and texture the character. Furthermore, he employed Marvelous Designer for dress simulation and integrated Megascans assets to enhance the depth and visual appeal of the project.
Jasper's primary goal was to expand his skill set in Blender, and he is thrilled with the outcomes achieved. The CC Blender Auto Setup plugin played a crucial role in seamlessly transferring CC shader and PBR data to Blender, streamlining his character workflow within the software.
The depiction of clouds and fire, generated using imported OpenVDB volume data files, put significant strain on his computer, resulting in frequent crashes during rendering with Blender. However, Jasper found the render manager B-Renderon to be an invaluable tool for managing these challenges and ultimately achieving the desired final outcome.
Jasper Hesseling, based in Utrecht, Netherlands, is a freelance 3D artist specialising in character art and various other 3D creations. For those interested in contacting Jasper, please send him a private message via his ArtStation profile under the username @mastajappa.
Try the tools that these artists used
If you're interested in exploring the software and tools mentioned, you can visit the following product links to learn more about iClone and Character Creator.
All Reallusion products offer a 30-day free trial upon registration, with no credit card required. Feel free to test them out before making a purchase. Happy animating!