Challenge accepted!

The setup has always been pretty straightforward. Just a few words to ignite the imagination, interpret them as you wish, along with some models from CommonPoint supplied for consistency.

With these ingredients all you need to add is your magic and poof! – along comes a collection of 140 images and animations submitted, with at least 40 on top that will certainly catch your eyes, and imagination! Because if there’s anything that is overflowing in these returning challenges, is the abundance of amazing thoughts, visions and imaginations, to go along with the technical skills. Cause let’s face it, these images have to speak to more than just the viewers sense of pretty colors, compositions and moods, they really need to convey a feeling or emotion that resonates on some level with most of us!

Davide Poggio

Brick Senior 3D Artist Davide Poggio grabbed an impressive 2nd position in the challenge this time, with an image that truly was conceived outside the box.

Presenting the devastating psychological effects of trying to assemble a remarkable IKEA product, the “Löstundföund“, Davide went all in with catching a photo-realistic interior scene that most of us can relate to, including the frustration!

 “There is a time in every person’s life when we find ourselves assembling different pieces to make up a new one. It doesn’t always go as we hope…
Actually, it never goes as we hope!“

– Davide Poggio, Senior 3D Artist

The jury’s conclusion:

“This image really stood out. It’s perfectly executed and so imaginative! We all really loved it. On the one hand it’s a typical archviz but also it has this relatable character, funny story and all those Easter eggs lying around. So much creativity and effort must have gone into it. Just finding the type face of the IKEA and all the details that go along. It not only extremely well done, but also a pleasure to watch. Just amazing.”

Mohammed Radwan

In Brick 3D Artist Mohammed Radwan’s contribution, with the title slightly altered to “Lost & never found”, a caption is added in contrasting, yellow letters. Helping the viewer a bit along the way, it describes the human behaviour and that no one can know how good or bad he/she is, until they get tested, and only then will their true self be revealed. Guided by Kerouac’s words while creating the image:

“…listen to the silence inside the illusion of the world, and you will remember the lesson you forgot…”

– Jack Kerouac, “Selected Letters”

The jury’s conclusion:

“A very strong composition, very dreamy, very hopeful. All the colors and values build a nice cinematic look on the verge of being painterly. And this yellow caption adds up to the effect. Your mind automatically fills in the gaps, creating something different for each viewer. Excellent idea.”

Rustom Tamayo

Rustom is a brilliant Brick 3D Artist with plenty of experience and success from previous D2 Challenges. This time, “Tom” stripped it down to the essentials, finding that sweet spot of something so simple, yet managing to be compelling enough to grab the viewer’s attention in the piece titled “Nevermore”.

 “The concept was derived from the natural body movement of human figures in silhouette or shadow outlines, moving upwards towards the lights. Combined with the fog and vertical lines, separating the subject from the background.”

– Rustom Tamayo,  3D Artist

The jury’s conclusion:

“This one is indeed very simple yet very powerful. There are only the provided assets. Lighting is simple. Color palette is almost monochrome. And yet, there’s so much substance. You can almost feel the smoke and cut it with a knife. The treatment of color creates depth and volume, It definitely takes a really good eye and a real artistry to create such a great work with so little.”

Inspirations for “Nevermore”

András Káldos

Last, but certainly not least, another veteran connected to the D2 Conferences is Brick CEO András Káldos, revisiting an earlier concept of his making, in his submission titled “Leçons de ténèbres Vol.2.”  Visually sampling from Gustave Doré’s images of lonely ships in distress, Vincent Ward’s 1998 film “What dreams may come” served as part of the inspiration behind some of its elements.

“This piece is the second part of a series inspired by a band called Elend. I thought these assets were perfect for this theme, so I decided to make a sequel. Strictly without AI and with very little Photoshop”

– András Káldos,  Brick CEO

The jury’s conclusion:

“This is one great example of how to capture both attention and emotions in one image. It clearly conveys the idea of what’s important. Working both as a thumbnail and in every little detail, when you go deeper into it. You just want to explore this story. Because this image is not just about the pixels. It’s about what kind of past experience you have and where it drives you when you look at it.”

Details from “Leçons de ténèbres Vol.2.”

Future D2 Challenges will no doubt be part of the norm for some Brick’s artists, once the projects at work are laid to rest for the day, but the desire for creativity is still bouncing around in our heads, needing an output, then these inspiring competitions are truly one of the best ways to try out new, original ideas, techniques, conveying thoughts and creating some stunning worlds. To make sure you don’t miss out on these events, visit the challenge pages at D2 and CommonPoint!

https://vienna.d2conferences.com/d2challenge
https://thecommonpoint.com/tribute2