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The Boss Fight 3D Render Challenge is initiated by renowned 3D visual effects artist pwnisher (Clinton Jones) and is recognized as the world's hottest 3D rendering challenge in the CG community! It’s learned that pwnisher holds 3D community animation challenges twice a year, each with a different theme. The theme of this challenge is "Boss Fight", which is the seventh in the series. A total of 2,880 CG artists from all over the world submitted their works for this contest. In this interview with Fox Renderfarm, a leading cloud rendering services provider and render farm in the industry, we feature Koala OK, who secured second place in the challenge! He will share the entire process behind the creation of his winning piece, "MEOW~." Let’s take a look!Koala OKFreelance CG ArtistWith more than 9 years of experience in the film, animation, and games industry, Koala OK has worked in Original Force, Light Chaser Animation Studios, L Squared Studio, Tap4Fun, Digital Sky, and other companies.He has participated in the production of many animations, game CG short films, and PV, such as "Tea Pets", "Rakshasa Street", "One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes II", "Project DT", and "Breaking through the Sky", etc. The animated short "One Small Step", in which Koala OK participated as a freelancer, was Oscar-nominated for the 91st Academy Award for animated short films.He specializes in character models, assets, and comprehensive performance, and likes to study the Blender stylized workflow, including modeling, material, rigging, VFX, soundtrack, editing, and more.Fox Renderfarm: First of all, congratulations on placing second out of the 2,880 talented CG artists in the Boss Fight 3D Render Challenge! How do you feel?Koala OK: Thank you for all the attention and support, I'm extremely honored to receive the 2nd place award!The moment my work was submitted, I thought for sure I would be in the top 100. However, I didn’t think I would squeeze into the top five. Occasionally, I would see some other contestants' submissions on the internet, and I think I'm more stable. But generally speaking, there are a lot more talented contestants who either submit last or don't post on social media at all, so I try to stay calm and not think about the results."MEOW~" © Koala OKThe winner announcement livestream was at midnight and I did not watch it. It was the next day I learned about it through my students. My initial reaction was a mix of surprise and regret because when you tell people you came in second, their immediate question is who is the first? Then I went to watch the live stream replay. Over time, I definitely was more happy about my result because I saw that there were too many talented contestants in the TOP 100 who did so much better than me, both on the technical and the creative side.Anyway, the result is the result, the moment I submitted my entry, the way things went was none of my business anymore. It's all about participation. Also, this contest showed me a lot of other amazing creators!Fox Renderfarm: What was the inspiration behind this entry, "MEOW~"? What was the main software used for this entry? How long did it take to complete?Koala OK: For this contest, my first idea was to do Monkey King vs. Mighty Miracle God. However, it's too difficult to even get the basic model binding and layout of the BOSS done, I didn't want to do it anymore, it's better to leave it to the Black Myth Wukong. I give up!First Draft Idea © Koala OKLater during class, I demonstrated to my students a koala-hooded boy. I realized that simpler works tend to suit me better. I began to wonder if I could create something simple yet interesting, especially since I had already told my students and friends about my intention to participate in the competition—there's no going back on that promise now!My first thought was Steven Chow! I will always be a fan of his work! So I thought of some scenes from Steven Chow’s movies and a very randomly selected one from "Flirting Scholar", where Steven Chow encounters Ru Hua on the bridge. I altered the scene a bit, which formed the main story my entry is based on: a boy with strong skills, in a BOSS riot trying to save a beautiful human figure who looks like Ru Hua up close. Then suddenly, he turns to save a cat instead.Character conceptualization © Koala OKBlender: modeling, binding, animation, rendering; 3DCoat: hand-painted robot mapping; Da Vinci: post-production synthesis and the processing of materials; Midjourney: mainly used to create the wall textures of background buildings.The folder was built on Monday, finished on Sunday, and took about a week in total.Fox Renderfarm: "MEOW~" is only 5 seconds but it's very interesting. Can you tell us about your creative storyboard idea? How do you tell a fun story in 5 seconds?Koala OK: After determining the main direction of the story, I knew that my focus should be on the plot conveyed through the animated performance of the little boy. Once the main character is settled, then all the others are either supporting characters or background elements. However, it was crucial to connect the protagonist, supporting characters, and settings with a coherent plot that establishes their relationships. The competition requires the use of slow-mo, and slow-mo actually has better performance on aerial action. I made the boy jump in the air to save either of the two supporting characters. So why would the two supporting characters fly up? Maybe the Boss threw them or blew them up. Why did the Boss throw them up? Because they were linked by the ranged damage. The Boss actually wanted to attack the boy, so the connection between the boy and the Boss was already established. That's it, after about a few passes in my head, I finalized the plot design. By this point, I didn't even bother thinking about who the Boss was, I didn't think it mattered. That's right! Even though the theme of this challenge was Boss Fight, the Boss didn't matter at all in my eyes!Behind the scenes of "MEOW~":Fox Renderfarm: We noticed that the koala robot in this entry was often seen in older entries, are the other three assets created specifically for this competition? Can you share your thoughts on the character design?Koala OK: The little boy is a simple character demonstration that I showed my students. Seeing that he is a one-in-a-million martial arts genius, I decided to make him the protagonist the next day.Bad Boy Koala © Koala OKAt first, the supporting characters were only replaced with low models. When the animation of the little boy was almost done, I used some of my Dota 2 time to make the cat and Ru Hua quickly. Since they are supporting characters, it's okay if it’s a little rough.After the animations for the main and the supporting characters were done, I remembered that the BOSS hadn't been made yet, and I wanted to make a new character. But it happened to coincide with Dota 2’s 10th anniversary, by playing the game you earn free collector skins! I have to ensure that I can have two to three hours a day to play the game, so I didn’t really want to re-do a new BOSS anymore. From my past assets, I selected the large chunky koala robot. Considering the unity of style, I still used 3DCoat and re-hand painted its mapping, using the basic brush. As long as the overall feeling is right since it is far from the camera anyway.Koala Robot Mapping © Koala OKFox Renderfarm: Many viewers have praised the character animation in the comment section of "MEOW~" for being so smooth, as well as the slow-mo shots being extremely action-packed. Can you give us some tips on how to make the animation so smooth? What are some of the key movement design ideas?Koala OK: You are all too kind, and I do have some tips to share indeed.First of all, the tone I set for my film is humorous and witty, along with tension and twists. So I used the Blender crayon tool to draw the plot design directly on the official lens reference file. I don't need to draw very well here, but the basic poses have to be visible.Character Animation © Koala OKThe focus of my performance is on the little boy, so the supporting characters and the interactions in the scene have to cooperate with him. The rhythm of his animation basically determines everything. The key pose and time needed to be accurate, so how do you make it accurate? Here I referenced some of the concepts from Japanese anime, even the PPT needed to be very rhythmic. So first I made the key action of the little boy, but changed the animation interpolation to no transition, snap! Now which action appears at which time is clear at a glance.Character Animation © Koala OKOnce the basic rhythm was set, I started working on the animated transitions for the little boy. At this stage, it is important to note that when adding transition animation and preparatory buffers, it is important to keep the duration of the key poses and always make sure that they are clear to the viewer. The big fabric direction is also posed with skeletons and then I added the amazing replace modifier. The main effects of the characters are also done with models and modifiers.Character Animation © Koala OKOnce the main character’s animation is done, it is time to work on the supporting characters, since everything has to match the protagonist, including the rhythm and the composition position. The distance problem between the robot and the protagonist shows that there is no physical interaction, so the robot was designed to do a front kick of AOE skill, kicking some props along with the supporting characters to the protagonist’s side. Then, the koala robot performed a relatively static preparatory action, ready to attack the little boy. This point gave the space of performance back to the little boy. Finally, the koala robot was surprised and shattered apart by the boy's choice of movement.Supporting Characters Animation © Koala OKI added some small rebounds, such as the robot's structural vibration, and lens vibration, and added some small effects to the model such as deformation drawing, so that my work can be more tense.Supporting Characters Animation © Koala OKActually there are not many technical difficulties, it's mainly just about expressing yourself as a director and an actor. However it is easy to become really invested in the process, and now looking back at it, the animation is a bit too complex. So if I were to make it again, I'd definitely make it a lot simpler.Fox Renderfarm: I noticed that you mentioned the use of Midjourney to generate a city landscape. Was the scene created with AI assistance? Was it just for reference or was it integrated into the workflow? Have you tried some of the AI plugins supported by Blender? What are the results?Koala OK: The scene is pure laziness because I gave all my energy to the characters, especially the protagonist. So I planned to make the scene simple, leaving less than half a day to finish. In the beginning, I used some cubes to build a general sense of the composition and perspective. Then, I used Midjourney to generate mapping material: Chengdu/Singapore in the style of Tekkonkinkreet, the description is so simple. Then I took some randomly generated images that are useful and put them all together in a single 4K map.Scene Reference © Koala OKThe models are piled up by simple boxes, so I just need to retain the basic architectural features and assign them to a single material map. Just need to use the model’s UV to map the texture and that’s it.Scene Building © Koala OKI usually use Midjourney to produce some small drafts for inspiration, so it's simple and useful enough for me. This time I used it to generate some perspective maps, which I don't think really fits into my workflow, which isn't exactly standard either.I haven’t used the Blender AI plugin since I don't have a need for it at the moment. I choose a job or technology based on what works for me and what is easy enough to use. Most of the time I learn after I have a clear need for it. For example, this time I used the keyword facade, and I only just learned now that it can generate front maps.As for other AI application scenarios, I don't know, I've never used it. So I don't have any opinion about its future yet. Fox Renderfarm: How did you use Blender stylization for the effects in this work?Koala OK: I added the special effects at the end. I don't know what kind of effects I want to do at first, but I know what effects I shouldn't do. It's too stiff to use models for special effects, it will steal away the character's complexity. It's also too difficult to use special effects software to create fluid. The hand-painted style should be the best, but I don't know how to draw it. I can use real video footage but it may be too realistic that it destroys the style. So I thought I might as well turn the realistic into the stylized! I subjectively extracted some of the characteristics of stylized special effects, flatness, removing some useless details, edge sharpening, less transition, and less frame rate. So I put this logic directly in DaVinci with the post node connected and the effect is not too bad!Special Effects Node © Koala OKFinally, take the processed video and export it into a sequence of frames, and patches put into Blender, and re-adjust the special effects triggered by the time, speed, and the unity of lightning. If you do not know how to unify the color then you can use the same color.Fox Renderfarm: How many lights are used in the whole scene? How do you deal with the lighting layering of a complex scene (explosion scene)?Koala OK: There is no layering in the explosion scene, everything is rendered directly. I started with just a ball, added a procedural texture and scaling animation, and then rendered it out with motion blur on. The rendering was unexpectedly good! The halo of light is mainly accomplished through Blender's real-time compositor, first adjusting a rough picture, then using DaVinci for color and lighting correction.Explosion Lighting © Koala OKI counted 24 lights, but only three or four actually matter, the others don't affect the big picture even if they're turned off. I've kept the scene very simple since the goal of this rendering is to serve the main character! I set a backlit night scene so that the silhouette of the protagonist is clear. This is the result of working hard for a few days on the animation for it to be visible. First, turn up the main light to see the maximum light direction plus the volume fog, and then add three or four supporting lights to fill in or to illuminate the layers of the distant scene, then the overall effect is set.Lighting © Koala OKAll the other lights are small fixes, such as the character's silhouette light, the impact of special effects on the surrounding objects, and also the spotlights on the koala robot. I tied the spotlights to the skeletons. This step, in fact, is more like drawing, according to my own sense of art to draw with light. I'm not good at drawing, but I'm okay at sketching, so for the color, I used cool tones first and then added warmer tones. Everything else is derived from the relationship between the sketches. Dark foregrounds and bright backgrounds, it's kind of the most misused technique of the artist, but it work very well for me.Lighting © Koala OKFox Renderfarm: In recent years, there have been more and more cel shading works, is there any stylized work that you like? What do you think is the advantage of Blender in making stylized short films? Koala OK: Actually, I want to vomit if I see too much of any style. I think stylization is not the same as cel-shading. I have preferred fragmented personal works in recent years, watercolor, pencil, cartoon, or low-poly, with different materials with different themes and animations. Anyway, I think the charm of stylization is variety and moderation. If the whole world does cel shading, then the realistic becomes stylized, doesn't it?I think it's good that people can now conveniently accomplish full-process personal work, including myself who went personal and wild with Blender, but I'm still in awe of the traditional animation process and the people who are the most professional. Most of my experience I gained from projects and co-workers during my years of doing animation.Fox Renderfarm: A lot of Blender’s new users will be torn between Cycles and Eevee when they get started, which of these two renderers is better to use? Can you share the performance of these two renderers?Koala OK: I mostly use Eevee and probably less than 1% of the time I would use Cycles. Eevee performs mild realism, scene atmosphere, and stylization very fast, but there is not one convenient software that does it all. Eevee renders fast, but try to make a realistic piece of glass.People may say Eevee can connect a bunch of nodes at once! But Cycles can render it out with a single click, so which one is faster? I can't give a definite answer. For newbies, the difference in renderers doesn't change the quality of the work. That's why I recommended learning both renderers, you'll realize there's really no essential difference.Fox Renderfarm: It's rumored that more and more studios are using Blender as their main production software, what do you think about this? What do you think is the future trend of the animation industry?Koala OK: I hold a conservative attitude, my friends who are still making standard 3D animation projects barely use Blender as the main process structure. Though, the game community uses it often to create concept maps and early assets, as well as some small studios use it to create short commercial films. It does not matter since the work stays the same, but the team will certainly choose a workflow that is fast and good and can meet the team's own staff placement. The choice of a process tool needs to be tested by the project and time, this is unavoidable, so take your time, there is no rush.I can not predict the future of the animation industry. A lot of my friends who worked on animation together in the past have transferred to game companies, including myself.Fox Renderfarm: Finally, let's give three suggestions to those who want to enter or have just entered the CG industry.Koala OK: Ok three suggestions:No matter what kind of tools, they are all used by people.Do not try to create out of thin air, observe more of your daily life, watch movies, and listen to music, what you create is a reflection of something else.More practice, talk less online, also listen less to what others have to say online, like this interview with Koala OK, there is not much to learn really, might as well spend this time making more models.Koala OK’s Social Media:Twitter: https://twitter.com/KoalaOK_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@koalaok3968ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/koalaokInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/koala.ok/

We are thrilled to announce that talented artists Mrinank and Kay John Yim’s artwork has been chosen for the FGT Art campaign! Their artistic visions and creative prowess stand out, presenting unique stories that resonate with audiences. Join us in celebrating their achievements and watch the creation processes of these inspiring artworks. We're excited to see the impact of their contributions to the FGT Art community!THE TRAITOR © Mrinank Borah 3D software used: BlenderBewitched © Kay John Yim3D software used: Houdini, iClone, Character Creator, Redshift, Marvelous DesignerWatch the breakdown of "Bewitched":John’s description of "Bewitched": Three witches reunite in hellfire, embracing their power as the souls of their persecutors bear silent witness.As a leading cloud rendering service provider and render farm in the CG industry, Fox Renderfarm’s FGT Art campaign offers a chance for Fox Renderfarm users to showcase their artwork and win render coupons. By submitting a piece rendered with Fox Renderfarm, you could win a prize of up to US $200 in render coupons! Additionally, your work will be featured in our FGT Art Gallery and across our social media platforms, along with a chance to have an exclusive interview with us. To participate, simply share your artwork and tag us @foxrenderfarm on Instagram or @foxrender on Facebook, and use the hashtag FGTART. Please check out our FGT Art Campaign page for more details. All Fox Renderfarm users are welcome to participate, and we can't wait to see your amazing renders!

3D interior design has completely changed the way spaces are portrayed and visualized in the fields of architecture and real estate. It makes it easier for clients to visualize how a room will look before construction starts by enabling designers to produce lifelike representations of interior spaces.In addition to improving the design process, this saves time and money by assisting in the making of well-informed judgements. In order to assist you in finding the best tools to realize your vision, this article will examine some of the most widely used 3D interior design software solutions.Important Qualities of 3D Interior Design SoftwarePrioritizing certain qualities is crucial when selecting software for your projects:User-Friendly Interface: For novices in particular, a simple and easy-to-use interface can make a big impact. Without being overpowered by intricate controls, it enables you to concentrate more on the creative process.Selection of Modelling, Texturing, and Rendering Tools: Seek out software that offers a wide range of powerful tools for producing and modifying 3D models and producing excellent photographs. Your designs will be more detailed and realistic with greater tools.Compatibility with Other Design Software: Since many designers utilize a variety of tools, it's critical to select software that integrates with other programs with ease. You can save a great deal of time and work by being compatible.The Best 3D Software for Interior DesignSketchUpOne of the most popular programs for 3D interior design is SketchUp. It is renowned for having an intuitive user interface that even novices in 3D modeling can easily master. Among the many capabilities offered by SketchUp are modeling tools, texture applications, and the capability to render your designs.SketchUp's vast 3D Warehouse, which allows users to download and utilize models of furniture, fixtures, and other interior components, is one of the reasons it is so well-liked by interior designers. Because designers don't have to model everything from scratch, this saves a tonne of time. SketchUp's usefulness is further improved by its interaction with other plugins, which enables designers to produce intricate and expert designs.AutoCADFor many years, AutoCAD has been a mainstay in engineering and architecture as a comprehensive design tool. AutoCAD is a flexible option for interior design projects since it provides strong 3D modeling tools in addition to 2D drawings. AutoCAD allows users to precisely visualize interior areas, model 3D objects, and create complete floor plans.The smooth integration of AutoCAD with other Autodesk programs, such as 3ds Max and Revit, is what makes it unique. A more efficient workflow is made possible by this integration, particularly for experts working on intricate projects requiring cooperation between many design disciplines. Because of its many features, AutoCAD is a great option for anyone wishing to design precise and intricate interior layouts.BlenderBlender is a free and open-source 3D program that has become well-liked among designers due to its robust toolkit and versatility. Blender is well-known for producing animations and visual effects, but it can also create intricate 3D interiors. With the help of its sophisticated modeling tools and top-notch rendering engines like Cycles and Eevee, designers can produce lifelike interior space visualizations.Blender's large online community is one of its best features. Numerous tutorials, forums, and resources are available to users, which facilitates learning the program and resolving any problems. For individuals who are just starting out or are working on a limited budget, Blender's open-source nature means that there are no license fees.Additional Software That You Should Know About3ds MaxProfessional interior designers will find 3ds Max, a high-end 3D program with an extensive feature set, to be excellent. Its sophisticated lighting, texturing, and animation features enable it to produce realistic renderings and intricate models. Despite having a more challenging learning curve than other programs, 3ds Max is unparalleled in the caliber of output it can produce. 3ds Max is the preferred tool for experts who must create excellent visualizations.Sweet Home 3DFor novices in search of an easy-to-use platform for interior design, Sweet Home 3D is a great option. It provides a simple method of visualizing interior layouts by enabling users to generate 2D floor plans and transform them into 3D models. Although the software is free to use, those that desire more sophisticated features can purchase additional features. Sweet Home 3D is ideal for short projects or when you need a straightforward, user-friendly solution to make your ideas a reality.HomeByMeAnother easy-to-use program for people who need to quickly visualize interior areas is called HomeByMe. Even people with little to no experience with 3D modeling may use it because of its drag-and-drop interface, which streamlines the creation process. Users may add realistic decorations and items to their ideas using HomeByMe, which gives them a clear idea of how the finished room will appear. It's a great option for professionals who need to create visualizations fast, do-it-yourselfers, and homeowners.Selecting the Best Software for Your RequirementsA number of factors influence the choice of 3D interior design software:Budget: Blender and Sweet Home 3D are two free or inexpensive solutions that can be your best choice if you're on a limited budget. Higher-end programs like 3ds Max or AutoCAD, however, can provide more sophisticated functionality if you're prepared to spend the money.Learning Curve: Software with an intuitive user interface, like SketchUp or HomeByMe, can be simpler for novices to pick up and use. Professionals may discover that the breadth of functionality offered by programs like AutoCAD or 3ds Max makes the time spent learning them worthwhile.Specific characteristics: Think about the features that are crucial for your initiatives. Do you want software that works nicely with other tools you use, or do you need powerful rendering capabilities? To determine which program best meets your needs, be sure to compare its features.To Conclude?Whether you are a hobbyist or a professional designer, selecting the appropriate 3D interior design software can have a big impact on your projects. Depending on your goals and budget, there are several solutions available, ranging from high-end tools like 3ds Max to flexible and user-friendly options like SketchUp. Spend some time investigating various programs to determine which one best suits your workflow.Do you want to render more quickly? For cloud rendering services that can help you create high-quality 3D designs more quickly, check out Fox Renderfarm, the industry’s leading render farm. Use a $25 free render coupon to get started and start realizing your interior design ideas!