The Bi-Monthly Environment Art Challenge | March - April (95)

Pinkfox · Mar 3 2025

Welcome one and all to the 95th edition of the Bi-Monthly Environment Art Challenge for the months of March and April!

This challenge is a way for real-time 3D artists to test their skills and create a piece of work based on concepts provided. It's open to those of all skill levels and we do our best to provide meaningful feedback along the way so everyone can come away from the challenge with actionable points on which they can improve their craft!

Anyone is welcome in this challenge no matter your skill level! It's a test of your own ability not a competition between members. We're all here to improve as artists and learn from each other.

- ENVIRONMENTS -

HARD SURFACE ENVIRONMENT:

Staircase by Jordan Grimmer
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/AZyAz5

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/0s/ix3f8gl37no5.jpg

STYLIZED ENVIRONMENT:

Project Unicorn environment : inverted tree by Sylvain Sarrailh
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rlDbKJ

- PROPS -

HARD SURFACE PROP:

Starfield - Shattered Space - Concept Art - Assets by Veljko Krivokuca
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8BZKDm

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/hk/g00w27xkib2x.jpg

STYLIZED PROP:

Production Building by JiaYing Liang
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/eR9eeG

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/1i/dj1jtnozdxt8.jpg

- RULES -

Please read all the rules before starting:

Try to post at least one critique for every post that you make. This will make for a better learning environment and help us all grow as artists.
Try your best to finish as much as you can in the time frame provided, but remember even if you don't finish by the end of the challenge we encourage you to keep pushing and finish your piece!
Post what you are working on in this thread so that way it's a more centralized place for advice and critique. Please avoid creating a new thread as we don't want to spam out the forums.
It is recommended to use a game engine to present your work. Unreal Engine, Unity, and Godot are very common engines that can be used but feel free to use any alternatives that you want. (Marmoset Toolbag for example.)
Feel free to change up your chosen concept a bit if you want! Interpret these concepts to your liking, especially if your aim is to add storytelling elements.
If you finish your project and decide to post it to something like Artstation, make sure you give credit to the concept artist in the form of a link to their profile. Additionally, it is recommended to ask a concept artist for their permission to post a 3D piece based on their work before doing so.

- RECOMMENDATIONS -

When you are just starting out making a scene, it can seem complicated or imposing. Take your time planning and blocking out, it will set you up for success later on.
Think about how you can re-use assets, re-use textures, break it down as simple as possible and plan it out. A lot of people will break it down in their own way when they start out their challenge. Gather some reference images as well for different parts of the scene, don't be afraid to make it your own.
We strongly encourage you to go and look at other games and see how they make their assets as well as get concept art to give it your own feel.
The goal is to learn and grow both artistically and in your ability to both give and receive critique, but don't stress about it and remember to have fun!

Good luck everyone!

Klawd · Mar 7 2025

Very nice concepts! Tempted to do the hard surface env, I think the scene lends itself so a lot can be achieved by playing with lighting.

Badgoing · Mar 8 2025

Been wanting to join in on the challenge for a while now, decided to go for the hard surface environment. Currently building out the rough blockout to get an idea on the dimensions and the modular pieces I'll need. Also building up my ref board as I go. Luckily I found a victorian staircase (Kimmel Hall Staircase) that matches the concept a lot. Going to include elements from that staircase into my scene.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/qd/p8wjw3ja1klm.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/7o/04w5fj7fwb60.png

Paxwort · Mar 9 2025

Didn't do the last one because none of the prompts really stuck out to me. This time they all do 😭

Dvin_ · Mar 10 2025

Hello!
Been a lurker here, so finally decided to hop in and try to do the monthly challenge

I've been learning Unreal and Substance Designer, and taking a bunch of environment art courses on gumroad and udemy. So, I wanted to test myself by creating something on my own rather than just blindly following tutorials. So far, I've made a rough blockout out of basic shapes and tried to match the camera to the concept

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/0i/f94ghgzw2met.jpg

virtualman · Mar 11 2025

Hi everyone, I'm excited to join this challenge with all of you. I'm completely new to this field, and this is also my first time working on Environment art – along with Unreal Engine 5! I hope this first step turns out well and that you all like it. If possible, please comment and give me some feedback on my work.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/1j/1cd2d940xapc.jpg

vladorales · Mar 11 2025

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ur/x8lrc8ed8itp.png

Hello everyone. I've participated in some of these but intend to finish this one. Here's my blockout for this scene!

cturbo · Mar 11 2025

does it have to look the same as the stair concept, or can we add our own ideas to it?

Paxwort · Mar 11 2025

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ai/mt0jdp6zwhsz.png

Sculpting is a big weakness of mine, and I feel this concept absolutely calls for sculpted elements - so this is going slowly and painfully.

MRpnut · Mar 11 2025

Hi,

long time lurker here. First time taking part in the challenge and really excited about all these concepts.

I am working on the hard surface prob and have the basic model down. Maybe already lost myself in some detailing

At the moment I am trying to find a good balance on textures, trimsheets and tileables as I intent to make it a game ready asset.

Since this is to showcase in my portfolio I would like to get the best result but with an industry standart approach.

Would love to hear a recommandation on texture layout. Maybe I should give everything a texture map, like 6 maps, without trims / tileables?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/x2/wbovnzv1r6lw.jpg

For the feedback part:

@cturbo: In the rules is a bullet point about adding your own touch and ideas.

"Feel free to change up your chosen concept a bit if you want! Interpret these concepts to your liking, especially if your aim is to add storytelling elements."

@vladoralis: I would recommend taking a closer look at the height and scale of the room. The ceiling on the ground floor seems really low, like 2.5m, compared to the reference probably like 3.5 - 4 ish. If thats what you intend to do sure go ahead

The stairs feel quite flat too because of how low the ceiling of the ground floor is.

@virtualman looks really cool already. really nice mood you got going already. not much to add really

@Dvin_ looks good. Maybe the stairs a touch to wide but thats just nitpicking really... :P

@Badgoing really like the references you gathered. they fit very well with the concept. I can recommend the Hitman level dartmoor if you need more.

cturbo · Mar 12 2025

I just started the blockin for the past 1 hour and here is where i am at.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ye/r4ynxd7e5gkb.jpg

Dvin_ · Mar 16 2025

Didn't do that much this week, but I've been working on the blockout meshes and playing with the scale. Will have to work on some floor and wall modular variations, and start planning trims and tileables for them. Also, not sure about how to approach the debris? is it better to simulate it or just make some pieces and then place them by hand and export as a single mesh? Any suggestions are welcome.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/24/xrq4pwo1hsoh.jpg

Paxwort · Mar 17 2025

MRpnut said:

...

Since this is to showcase in my portfolio I would like to get the best result but with an industry standart approach.
Would love to hear a recommandation on texture layout. Maybe I should give everything a texture map, like 6 maps, without trims / tileables?

Looking good! I'm not industry, but I'd say the specifics of how many and which textures you use are always going to come down to quirks of the specific project. For your portfolio, the approach you've chosen would demonstrate knowledge of efficient texture layout. If you're really focused on that, it might be cool to make use the same trim sheet for some extra props!

Klawd · Mar 17 2025

MRpnut said:

Since this is to showcase in my portfolio I would like to get the best result but with an industry standart approach.
Would love to hear a recommandation on texture layout. Maybe I should give everything a texture map, like 6 maps, without trims / tileables?

It actually depends on what your target is. This concept art is from a videogame, and given the size of the object it would never require that many texture sets, even if it was a hero prop game asset. If it was for a vfx it might be acceptable for very high detailed closeups. As a game prop I would imagine the lead to ask at most 2 texture sets and a trim sheet. But it mostly depends on the technique you are going to use (or that would be used in this game project). Like, for example, if the entire project is using a layering system with tileable materials, decals, and midpoly models, then it would be a slightly different story.

Paxwort · Mar 17 2025

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ro/wjb7i51iy8x9.png

I think that's all the sculpting done, though I'm not really happy with the barbeque masonry, so I may come back at that from another angle. Otherwise, time to get baking!