Go on a mythical journey with the 2023 Z Challenge and learn the art of digital sculpting from industry luminaries in-person or online, with extraordinary prizes for the taking.
Maxon, developers of professional software solutions for editors, filmmakers, motion designers, visual effects artists and creators of all types, is excited to share more details for its highly anticipated annual ZBrush Summit. Taking place from September 28th to October 1st, 2023, this 10th anniversary event will showcase the latest developments in digital sculpting and feature an array of fun but challenging activities for attendees, on location in Hollywood or online from anywhere in the world. More details and registration information.
The highlight of ZBrush Summit is the world's most prestigious digital sculpting competition, the Live ZBrush Sculpt-Off, which invites creators from all over the world to go head-to-head and showcase their artistic skills. The theme for this year's competition, which will be held on Thursday, September 28th, is “Sword and Sorcery.” Participants will be challenged to unleash their creativity and bring mythical creatures and epic characters to life. There are over $25,000 in prizes up for grabs. The winner will be crowned the Live ZBrush Sculpt-Off Champion and have their entry immortalized in bronze. The Live ZBrush Sculpt-Off continues to be an exhilarating and inspiring competition for artists from around the globe.
Maxon is also offering attendees the chance to participate in one of seven exclusive, in-person-only ZBrush workshops. These workshops will provide a unique opportunity for participants to enhance their skills and learn valuable techniques from some of the most talented artists in the field. Topics include: VFX for film; video game asset creation; character design; and tips and tricks for those who simply want to sharpen their ZBrush skills. Visit the Summit website for more details and registration for the workshops. A limited number of spots are available.
Workshop leaders include:
- Ana Carolina Pereira – Ana is a passionate artist and creator working with 3D art and sculpture, with years of experience in workshop teaching and mentorship. Her goal is to help others unleash their creativity.
- Henry Chervenka – Henry is the CEO of 3D Dynamic Studios, LLC, a studio focusing on the emerging field of AI weapon detection. Initially an automotive airbrush artist, he transitioned into the world of 3D, which paved the way for collaborations with numerous studios and university project contributions.
- Joseph Drust – Joseph is a lead character artist at Atomic Arcade, whose passion for the CG industry and character design has spanned over two decades. He is a seasoned expert in ZBrush, which has led him to create valuable tutorials, sharing his knowledge with aspiring artists worldwide.
- Michael Defeo – Michael is a sculptor whose specialty lies in translating 2D character designs into full-fledged 3D models. With his team at Blue Sky Studios he brought characters to life for the Ice Age Franchise, Robots, Horton Hears A Who, Rio, and Epic.
- Michael Pavlovich – Michael is the director of character, weapon, and vehicle art, specializing in iterative pipelines for Certain Affinity, the studio responsible for helping develop video game franchises including Halo, COD, and DOOM.
- Pablo Munoz Gomez – Pablo is a 3D concept and character artist whose work revolves around 3D sculpting, visual development, and a variety of mixed-media projects. He is the founder of the ZBrushGuides website, the 3d Concept Artist academy, and the 3DSnippets project.
- Patrick Foley, AKA Patrick 4D – Patrick is a 3D artist based in Atlanta, specializing in digital photo realism within the food and product space.
"We're thrilled to bring the ZBrush Summit back for an in-person experience this year, and we look forward to welcoming artists from around the world to showcase their creativity, learn from industry experts, and celebrate the art of digital sculpting,” says Paul Gaboury, ZBrush Product Manager. “With the addition of in-person workshops led by some truly inspiring artists we are excited to see the community come together to learn from and inspire one another."
For more information and to register for the ZBrush Summit, please visit www.zbrush summit.com.
About Maxon
Maxon makes powerful, yet approachable software solutions for content creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects and visualization. Maxon’s innovative product portfolio helps artists supercharge their creative workflows. Our product lines include the award-winning Cinema 4D suite of 3D modeling, simulation and animation technology; the creativity-on-the-go Forger mobile sculpting app; the diverse Red Giant lineup of revolutionary editing, motion design and filmmaking tools; the leading-edge, blazingly fast Redshift renderer; and ZBrush, the industry-standard digital sculpting and painting solution.
Maxon’s team is composed of fun, passionate people who believe in building and empowering a successful artistic community. From our popular, inclusive events to our free Cineversity educational resources, Maxon recognizes that developing strong connections with creatives and fostering their professional growth is integral to our ability to stay on top of industry trends and better serve customers.
Maxon is part of the Nemetschek Group.
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