Blizzard Student Contests

The 8th Annual World of Warcraft Student Art Contest is open now until January 31, 2019 at 11:59pm.

Environment Art Contest

Unleash your creativity and ability to work within the World of Warcraft art style to create a small environment diorama that would fit well in the game world. Your quest: Concept, model, and texture an environment piece that you could imagine stumbling upon during your travels across Kalimdor, the Eastern Kingdoms, Outland, Northrend, Pandaria, the Broken Isles, or Argus.

Required elements are trees, rocks, grass, and props, plus a small structure (such as a shrine).

Your final piece should have a structure similar to the example provided below. We’re looking for lower poly-count models (e.g.: around 1,500 polys for a mature sized tree), so keep that in mind when creating your environment.

The final submission should be a high-resolution JPEG file no larger than 5MB.

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Character Art Contest

For this contest, we’re challenging you to concept, model, and texture a non-player character (NPC) or creature within the World of Warcraft art style that you could imagine roaming the plains of Durotar, exploring the depths of Deepholm, or just sitting in the Pig and Whistle Tavern knocking back a mug o’ Thistle Tea.

Required elements are the character or creature, along with some sort of clothing or armor. Feel free to go further by adding weapons or other accessories.

The final piece should have a structure similar to the example provided. Stay within a budget of 6,000 polys with one 1024×1024 texture for the finished character.

The final submission should be a high-resolution JPEG file no larger than 5MB.

FX Contest

Showcase your creativity and imagination by creating a player ability within the World of Warcraft art style that could be added to the kit of one of our existing classes. You could conjure up anything from the power of the void for a massive flying ball of death, call upon the elements of nature to ensnare an entire mob, or wield the power of the Light to rip a giant fissure through the ground.

Required elements:

  • Buildup of the ability, impact of the ability, and the aftermath.
  • Feel free to go further by adding characters, creatures, props, or other 3d assets if needed.
  • No frame length required.
  • Submit a movie file (format can vary) as your final submission.
Animation Contest

Show off your animating chops by creating a unique combat animation within the World of Warcraft art style from one of the three choices listed. Imagine entering a dungeon and battling against the Lich King and his undead army or traveling deep beneath the Firelands to take down Ragnaros.

Required elements:

  • Weapon (rig) of your choice, can be a character or creature.
  • Feel free to go further by adding weapons, additional characters/creatures, or other accessories.
  • Provide video(s) from 3 different angles: side view, back view (player view), 3 quarter view.
  • Must be animated at 30 fps and set to meters.
  • No frame length required.
  • No motion blur or camera movement.
  • Submit a movie file (format can vary) as your final submission

Animation Choices: Please choose one

  1. Two hit (combo) attack
    • Must start and finish in the same pose.
    • Model can end away from starting area if need be.
  2. Weapon spell attack
    • Must start and finish in the same pose.
    • Should include a charge up/precast and release/spell cast.
    • Model can end away from starting area if need be.
  3. Summon and transition
    • Example: Emerging from the ground or entering a room.
    • Should transition into a passive or combat stance.
    • Should have lots of personality.
Environment Visual Development/Concept Art Contest

Let your imagination run wild and create a new zone or area for a new culture in the Warcraft universe while staying within the World of Warcraft art style. What would the natural environment elements (mountains, tree, flowers, etc) look like in this area? How would this culture create their architecture? What sort of story elements and motifs would they use on their everyday object and props?

Required elements are a full color painting. Focus on selling the story, mood, and atmosphere of this area in the Warcraft universe. How would you showcase your vision for this environment to art leads?

Include call out sketches (does not have to be full color) for at least 1 natural element (tree, foliage, rocks, etc), 1 piece of architecture, and at least 1 prop object. Think of the callouts as something that would be handed off to a 3D Artist to build the in-game version of.

The final submission should be complied into 2 high-resolution JPEG files no larger than 5MB (1 full color painting and 1 compiled sheet of call-outs).

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