CgCoach.com is focused on teaching and helping artists learn from one another so all entrants must participate in the Critters and Creatures Forum area.

All entrants will be required to create their own thread in the Critters and Creatures Forum, beginning with a concept sketch as well as a descriptive paragraph about the Critter or Creature. If you're not confident enough to draw your own Critter or Creature simply find a concept drawing online that you like. Permission must be granted from the owner of the concept in order to proceed.

Note: Your entry will only be judged based on the finished 3D model, not the concept art.

Presenting your forum thread for the community to participate in and read will allow everyone to follow the progression of your work. Members of the cgCoach.com community are encouraged to participate in each thread by offering constructive feedback and encouragement.

Entries that only show a concept and then a final work will not be accepted. This is a community-based project and allowing the community to learn and follow your progress is the key to a successful final result.

1. Any 3D software packages may be used for this competition.

2. The thread's title must be: "Amateur/Pro – It's Name" eg: Amateur – The Rancid Rabbit

3. The first post in the thread must show a concept sketch of the "Creature" or "Critter", and a one-paragraph description of what it is and where it lives. Please refrain from entering obvious humanoid characters, entries of this nature will automatically have a reduced maximum voting capability. Our judges are looking for something more original and creature based.

4. The first post must also include the artist's full name (first and last)

5. Entries that do not meet requirements 3-5 will be immediately deleted. In such an event, it is permissible to enter again once all entry requirements have been met.

6. Submit your WIP images on a regular basis. Examples of WIP images include test poses, samples of character elements as they're completed, character turnaround movies, etc.

7.Progress updates must be no more than one week apart.

8. It is highly recommended that you participate in the cgCoach.com community by critiquing other challengers' works in the respective threads and responding to the comments of others in your own thread.

9. Final entry will be in two parts:
a. A still render of your Creature or Critter model – (simple shader only, no textures allowed)
b. A turntable movie of the posed character (more details given closer to competition completion)

10. Submit your final entry before the end of the challenge. Absolutely no late entries will be accepted.

11. Failure to present WIP images and interact with the cgCoach.com community (including other entrants) can result in disqualification, preventing the artist from being included for judging.

1. One thread per entry.

2. No team entries are permitted.

3. Employees of sponsors and CgCoach.com may participate in the initial phase of the challenge, but are not eligible for the contest. Such participation must be labeled as "Non-Entry" in each post in which an image is shown.

4. The emphasis of the Contest is on creating a digital sculpture that can be easily printed with Moddler Printing Technology.

5. Pre-fabricated models are permitted for the base mesh. Keep in mind, however, that the Contest is being judged by industry experts and your peers. Your character will achieve better impact if you create all elements from scratch than if you resort to using anything that is prefabricated.

6. The use of copyrighted elements is not allowed.

7. Any character deemed to be the same or similar (in whole or in part) to one currently published by yourself or any other artist will be disqualified.

8. Any image deemed to contain content that depicts explicit acts that are overtly violent, sexual, cruel or brutal will be disqualified. Such entries may, at CgCoach’s sole discretion, be closed during the initial phases of the Contest.

9. The Contest runs for thirteen weeks, from April 24, 2009 until midnight on July 24, 2009. The final post for your entry must be made no later than July 24, 2009. No late entries will be accepted.

10. Community involvement is a key aspect of this competition. For that reason, entrants are not allowed to wait until the last weeks of the Contest before entering. The deadline for making your initial post is June 7, 2009.

11. Panelist judging begins July 25, 2009 and ends July 31, 2009.

12. Winners will be announced on Monday, August 3, 2009.

13. All dates are based on the US Pacific Time zone. Entry and voting deadlines are at 11:59 pm on the date in question.

14. To be eligible for prizes, all winning contestants must provide detailed tutorial articles for the CgCoach website. These articles must be provided to CgCoach between the dates of July 31, 2009 and August 17, 2009. Instructions for their delivery will be made available to the winners at that time. Failure to submit a tutorial article by the deadline will result in your prize being awarded to the next runner-up.

15. The sponsors of this Contest may use final or winning artwork for marketing purposes in the context of the challenge, and agree to clearly credit the artist if any such artwork is used.

16. Please note that the digital prints from Moddler are approximate sizes. The longest length of the model will be used to determine the overall size of the print.


CgCoach reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any entry that does not adhere to the spirit of CgCoach and the Contest rules. If you do not agree with all of the above terms and conditions, please do not enter the Critters and Creatures Contest.


We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Have fun and we look forward to seeing some HUGE digital prints come to life with the help of our key sponsors. We couldn’t do this competition without them!