Shinobi - X-9791 3D Render, Digital Artwork by VESPER

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Shinobi - X-9791

3D Render by VESPER

This was an entry into the Art of Light Contest.
https://www.renderhub.com/forum/7234/shinobi-x-9791

Abstract & Story

This Female Android Shinobi was meticulously crafted using Blender. The characters originated from Genesis 8 base meshes and underwent significant modifications in Zbrush. A large portion of the modeling and setup was also executed in Blender with the light compositing, while final edits and refinements were accomplished in Photoshop to enhance realism.

X-9791 is a highly specialized mech character skilled in Ninjutsu. Her opaque skin enables her to seamlessly blend into the shadows, providing effective camouflage. Once her mission is complete, she deactivates her camouflage, revealing a translucent shell that exposes the intricate biomechanical components within. X-9791 possesses a fully functional brain and is exclusively owned by KUZIO Enterprises, a clandestine mercenary organization specializing in high-level assassination missions.

Scene:
In this scene, X-9791 is tasked with eliminating the young heir to the Yakuza clan, Watanabe Osuke, during his meditation. With absolute silence and precision, she decapitates him using her gleaming carbon blade leaving him in his own pool of blood. Remorselessness lies on all the Shinobi - X assassins after their kill.

I find immense joy in playing with shadows and highlights, relishing the contrasts they create. Light must appear subtly and selectively. In this artwork, the main character and her victim are sharply defined, with the blood splatters on both enhancing the interplay of light and dark, emphasizing the dramatic tension of the moment.

Leave your thoughts here or on my contest entry I would greatly appreciate the feedback.
https://www.renderhub.com/forum/7234/shinobi-x-9791

Vesper

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PugovkaTue, May 28, 2024

Karma: 198

Damn, where can I get this suit? What's its name? Is it for Genesis 8 or 9?

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dwindtWed, Jun 19, 2024

Karma: 5,151

Wow, bit of controversy surrounding this stunning render. You have it in Blender. Just prove it's yours and do a few more renders with your character.

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VESPER

Karma: 1,374

Wed, Jun 19, 2024

There's been some controversy, but the issue is clearly outlined in the thread. The judges and support team suddenly decided that post-processing no longer includes digital painting or what they wrongly perceived as "Photo Manipulation". I've been a digital painter for over 15 years. I created a base render and then I manually re-painted the faces in Photoshop to enhance realism along with a littany of other edits. The real challenge wasn’t the Blender rendering; it was the intricate week-long post-production painting.

I can rotate the character or scene, but that would require repainting everything, including faces and backgrounds and that is not my my best interest. The misunderstanding stems from the sudden change in rules that excludes digital painting from post-processing. Ironically, people mistook my work for AI rendering, ironically I should feel flattered, which speaks to my painting skills.

The judges assumed I was deceptive because I edited the wireframe to match the final product. Naturally, I modified the base render significantly in Photoshop which is why I edited the wireframe also to demonstrate that this was built in 3D, I can see however why they see that as wrong. It’s absurd to think that I distinctly wront that I spent a week in Photoshop, what did they think I was focusing on? Adjusting lighting? Absurd!

This situation is marred by others mistaking my Photoshop skills for Ai generation. I’m speaking with the Renderhub owner tomorrow to discuss their verdict, which was influenced by their unclear guidelines on post-processing in the first place. They abruptly changed the rules on the fly to disallow "Photo Manipulation." when that was never clearly articulated in the rules.

Firstly, these aren’t photos; they’re digitally painted faces. I didn’t use someone’s image or AI. Where in their rules does it say I can't do that in post-processing?

Secondly, if the guidelines had clearly specified, for example, that only lighting adjustments or no geometric changes were allowed, I would have approached the situation completely differently.

I’m not contesting their decision or the prize money, that's their choice, albeit a wrong one. My concern is their use of the term "Deceptively" when no deception occurred. I adjusted the wireframe to the final product and uploaded the raw wireframes to prove it was 3D generated. If I was dishonest, I would have doctored those images and wireframes, but I didn't.

I hope the owner understands my perspective during our call tomorrow. This will help me decide if I want to be part of a company that takes responsibility for their unclear terms. I’ve worked with studios for years on concept art for video games, architectural renders, vehicle concepts and more, always integrating 3D and Photoshop post production. I entered this contest to challenge myself, with the money and the first prize win as bonuses. Now I face accusations because of unclear rules. Let’s see how the owner responds to my professional background. I hope the company will take responsibility for their lack of clarity and amend their accusation.

The owner featured my work in his Renderhub book vol. 1 for crying out loud, which I’m proud of. How did he think I achieved these realistic figures? It’s always been a blend of 3D and Photoshop ( look at the comment below this to see). Now, I’m labeled deceptive for following the rules and being a skilled illustrator? The issue lies in their vague guidelines full stop.

Vesper

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VESPERWed, Jun 19, 2024

Karma: 1,374

Me in Vol 1 of Renderhub Book. Something I am really proud of!

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