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That’s a wrap for the Encounter in the Wilds Environment Art Challenge . From September 8 to November 8, artists from around the world took on the mission to create imaginative scenes inspired by the Wilds using our Industrial Infrastructure and Modular Corridors Asset Pack . Submissions ranged from desolate facilities to cave systems and cliffside villages, demonstrating impressive creativity, skill and originality. Continue reading below to find out who the winners are , what the judges had to say, and see all the incredible work created for our challenge. JUDGING First and foremost, we would like to thank our incredible judges for their time, expertise and careful evaluation of every submission: Alex Beddows, Doru Bogdan, Gabriel Cervantes, Inka Sipola, Javier Perez, Jon Arellano, Jacob Norris, Jonjo Hemmens, Robin Mariančík, Miroslav Baev, Niels Couvreur, Sebastian Bielecki, and Sarah Swenson. When reviewing submissions, they took into consideration the following: Creativity & Originality – How unique and imaginative is the environment? Does it stand out from other submissions? Use of Provided Assets – How well are the assets integrated and reimagined into something new? Composition – Framing, focal points, and overall visual balance. Storytelling – How well does the environment convey a sense of place, mood, and narrative? Technical Execution – Skillful use of assets and attention to detail. Presentation – Consistency of style and quality of final renders. CHALLENGE WINNERS We are proud to announce the winners of the Encounter in the Wilds challenge. Congratulations to: 1ST PLACE IRONVEIL SANCTUARY - DANI LATORRE Ironveil Sanctuary Submission Dani greatly impressed the judges with both his submission and the evident passion and care behind it. From early hand-drawn sketches to a full cinematic trailer, Ironveil Sanctuary was a pleasure to review and experience. Artist's Description: Beyond the rusted corridors and hollow bunkers lies the Ironveil Sanctuary... a place where steel and stone intertwine. Here, forgotten rituals echo through fractured machinery, and nature claws its way back into the wounds of industry. A shrine once hidden, now revealed, suspended between reverence and ruin. Judges Feedback: "Dani went ABOVE AND BEYOND and almost started to create an entire world for this challenge. The most impressive thing about it wasn't the scale of the environment, but that the full environment maintained such a high level of quality throughout all of it. That is such a tough achievement to pull off. This entry has a full story tied to it, world map layout, and highly creative uses of all of the modular set pieces here. Amazing work, great lighting, and I can't compliment this piece enough. Well done!!" "Wow, incredible submission! The cinema work is great and I love the mix of both exterior and interior shots!" "I thoroughly enjoyed all of the thought and storytelling that went into this. Also, the video was so perfect and made me impressed with the effort and love put into it." "A very well planned out environment that has quite a bit of storytelling elements. These elements reflect in the different parts of the environment, all coming together in one coherent piece that flows well. If this were to be a game environment where I could walk through, a lot of places would spark my curiosity, encouraging me to keep on going until I figure out what's really going on with this place." "I feel like even without the backstory or synopsis, I, as a player, would understand what's going on." Congratulation Dani for taking 1st place! 2ND PLACE CROSSROADS - NIBIR KHAN Crossroads Submission We loved how Nibir approached his environment project. He set ambitious goals from the start, while also building in backup plans to ensure he could finish and submit on time. He experimented with composition throughout, looking for the strongest way to shape an engaging narrative. Artist's Description: Days without food and water, lost in the forest. A single building stands in the middle of the clearing. In front of a building, a vehicle waiting in silence. Behind the building a mysterious purple light piercing through the dark, foggy night. In the far distance the shadow of a factory long abandoned. What will you do? Get in the car? Step into the building? Or will you give in to curiosity and see what is behind? Judges Feedback: "The demonstration of kits, scale and making a scene that at first glance is readable, interesting, and really well done. No one element stands out above the rest, making it an immediately believable space. They did a great job with this piece." "I Love all the work put in, including the vehicle." "Great facility, vehicle looks dope! Almost feels like a cool exploration game that I'd love to play!" Congratulation Nibir for taking 2nd place! 3RD PLACE: THE NEST - ANDREI PENCIU The Nest Submission Andrei did a wonderful job repurposing the assets to create a captivating post-apocalyptic environment. The use of color and lighting is very well done, adding to the mood and atmosphere of the scene. Artist's Description: Long after cities sank and the old world was reclaimed by the tides, survivors built The Nest. A cliffside refuge overlooking the endless sea. Crafted from salvaged containers and broken industry, it stands as both home and monument, a place where echoes of the past weave with the rhythm of the waves. In the rust and salt, life endures quietly as a memory that refuses to fade. Judges Feedback: "A very unique entry here and the assets were used in such fun ways! Creating such a colorful cliffside community here was never something I would have considered, but it worked perfectly. The composition of the environment with the atmospheric lighting show the skill that Andrei has in crafting an environment with storytelling and interest. Great work here!." "Very nice use of assets provided, built something realistic and grounded with them, with a nice variety in buildings, making every single part feel and look unique." "This concept was so lovely to see put together and done so well!! My favorite shot was the night version. Would love to see a video fly through of this environment! Loved the house kit breakdowns as well." HONORABLE MENTIONS We had too many incredible environments submitted, and would like to extend Honorable Mentions to two artists for their exceptional work. HONORABLE MENTION YUTING CHEN - CAVE Cave Submission Breakdown HONORABLE MENTION DAGMAWI TSEGAYE - UNEARTHLY DISCOVERIES Unearthly Discoveries Submission PRIZES Challenge winners will be receiving awesome hardware and 1-year subscriptions from our sponsors. See the full list of prizes . CHALLENGE SHOWCASE Every participant did great work with their submission and should be very proud of what they accomplished within a short time period and challenging requirements. Swipe through our gallery and check out the environments created for Encounter in the Wilds.

Alex Beddows Alex Beddows is an Expert Environment Artist at That's No Moon, and instructor at Sierra Division Academy where he teaches Crafting Environments: Career Kickstarter . With over a decade of experience in the games industry and mentoring artists, Alex has gathered valuable insights and best practices for juniors looking to break into the field. In this interview, Alex shares how he got started in the industry, what he wished he knew starting out, and the essential skills every junior environment artist should know to be able to stand out to recruiters. Are you self-taught or did you go the traditional route to learn Environment Art? It’s funny—none of the universities I applied to accepted me. At the time, I was juggling full-time rugby with trying to develop as an artist, which meant I just wasn’t at the right level. So instead, I became “self-taught,” learning through talks, tutorials, and the communities I found online. Most of my growth came from trial and error—project after project, each one an opportunity to pick up a new skill or workflow. It was definitely the hard route, but it’s what got me to where I am today. What was the transition like from studying to landing your first role? What do you wish you knew then? When I first started in the industry, I put far too much pressure on myself and became overly focused on being perfect. The reality is that every studio has its own workflows and nuances, which makes it impossible to know everything from the start. That never really changes—even as a senior, you have to stay open and accept that you won’t have all the answers as you adapt to each studio’s quirks. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t placed industry artists on such a pedestal. At the end of the day, people are human: they don’t know everything, they make mistakes, and that’s completely normal. By holding them to impossible standards, I ended up placing the same unrealistic expectations on myself. Project by Pablo Gimenez , former mentee of Alex Beddow s. What kind of resources helped you improve as an Environment Artist when you were starting out your career? One of the greatest resources for me was Discord communities—specifically the DiNusty community. In many ways, Discord became the new Polycount. While Polycount is still active and incredibly useful, I never engaged with it much. DiNusty, run by Jeremy Estrellado , was where things really clicked for me. Early on, Jeremy gave me a portfolio review that completely changed my trajectory. That feedback set me on the right path and ultimately led me into the industry. Looking back, all it really took was the right piece of guidance from an industry artist to help me see the way forward—and the rest is history. Insider Tip: Join the Sierra Division Discord to connect with other artists and get feedback on your work. Project by Ian Smith , former mentee of Alex Beddows. What common gaps do you see in aspiring environment artists? The two biggest issues I notice are: separating hard skills from workflows, and how artists approach learning. The first is that many artists focus on picking up cool, interesting skills, but don’t spend enough time understanding how those skills fit into a larger workflow. As a result, they often create projects that feel like a collection of disconnected techniques rather than a cohesive pipeline. This not only makes the work harder to produce, but also usually results in lower-quality visuals. The second issue is learning itself. Almost every student I teach tries to learn five or six new things in a single project. Instead of taking small, steady steps forward, they attempt one massive leap. From my own experience of making that same mistake, I can say it usually leads to burnout, frustration, and lower-quality art. W atch this course teaser to discover Alex Beddow’s pipeline for creating an Environment Art project. In this lesson, Alex walks you through the pipeline he uses at work, breaking down each stage and sharing what to keep in mind along the way. This approach gives you a clear path to follow and the confidence to take your project from start to finish. Which core skills do you think aspiring artists need to focus on early in their careers? Building on my previous point, what I really want to see in a scene is forethought and clear execution of a pipeline and workflow. That demonstrates planning and a holistic understanding of how to create art. I also look for the ability to analyze an image and break it down into a potential workflow, even if only verbally. This shows that the artist recognizes there are multiple ways to solve a single problem, and that they can not only choose an approach but also explain the reasoning behind their decision. Project by Frederieke Wagner , former mentee of Alex Beddows. We noticed you give a ton of feedback to your students. What do students need to hear the most? I love giving feedback. When you’re working on your own project, it’s often hard to see the forest for the trees. Having someone help refocus you can push a scene so much further. It’s also easy to get caught up fixating on a single element, like a cool material or prop, instead of considering the bigger picture. For me, the most rewarding part is pushing an artist’s limits—when they think a piece is finished, but you help them realize they’ve got another 15% in them. Watching them raise the bar for themselves is incredibly fulfilling. Project by Matt Nelson , former mentee of Alex Beddows. When you look at student work, what qualities stand out as signs that someone is ready for the industry? I think it’s a combination of multiple factors. A strong piece of art is the bare minimum, but what really sets someone apart is their workflow and their ability to articulate why they chose it. When done well, this leads to a cohesive scene where the artist can confidently discuss their process and justify every element in detail. Get more great tips from Alex Enroll today in Crafting Environment: Career Kickstarter to learn directly from Alex and step-up your game.

WHAT WILL YOU ENCOUNTER IN THE WILDS? You are an adventurer lost in the Wilds. Days without food or water have tested you, but now the trees thin, and light touches the earth giving you hope. What lies ahead? Safety, or danger? The Wilds keep their secrets, and only those who act shape their path. Take up your Challenge toolkit to build bunkers, raise ruins, shape mountains! Only your vision decides what lies ahead. YOUR MISSION Your mission is to create the most ORIGINAL and STUNNING environment no one has seen before, using ONLY a limited number of assets. For your challenge toolkit, you will be provided with a list of free assets, available to download from FAB . These asset packs are your means to shape the Wilds and bring your environment to life. A LOOK AT YOUR CHALLENGE TOOLKIT To build your environment, you will be need to use the following assets: The Sierra Division Challenge Pack - Industrial Infrastructure and Modular Corridors your essential pack, filled with assets from our Oil Rig and Underground Bunker collections. Every hard surface in your environment must come from this pack.   Download Quixel Megascans Packs To help your build stunning landscapes of the Wilds, you will be able to use assets from the following Quixel Megascans packs. Download them below: Dark Ruins Megascans Sample Medieval Village Megascans Sample African Slate Quarry 2-Month Free Access to Dash Our friends at Dash are here to support you on your mission. With Dash in your toolkit, you’ll streamline your workflow and bring your worlds to life faster. Dash is a plugin for UE5 that helps you create 3D worlds by removing the complexity of Unreal Engine. It includes tools for procedural scattering, asset management, procedural meshes, physics, and much more! For more information, check their website . Join our Challenge to get access. CHALLENGE JUDGES Encounter in the Wilds submissions will be reviewed by an incredible panel of 12 expert judges from Sierra Division and AAA Game studios. With years of experience across game art, design, and education, our judges will be on the lookout for Environments that stand out for their creativity, originality, technical skill, best use of assets, and presentation. YOUR REWARDS Impress our judges, and three of you will be rewarded with industry tools and learning to help you succeed in your Environment Art career. First place winner will get a free scholarship to attend the January cohort of Procedural Texturing for Game Assets with Robin Marianičk. This 8-week course is a great opportunity to improve your texturing skills with a neat motorbike to showcase in your portfolio. In addition to the Sierra Division Academy Scholarship, we will also have awesome prizes generously provided by our sponsors: Wacom , Dash , Adobe Substance 3D , Marmoset , Rizom-Lab , and ArtStation . Wacom Intuos Pro Medium See the full list of prizes: KEY DATES: Challenge Starts: Monday, September 8, 2025 at 10am PST Challenge Ends: Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 11:45 PST Winners Announced: Week of November 17 HOW TO JOIN To participate in the Challenge, start by joining our Discord server , which is required to log in to our submission forum . Once you're in and the challenge has started, head to the Encounter In the Wilds section and start a new Discussion for your submission. For the complete list of Deliverables, Guidelines, eligible countries and specifications please read our T&Cs

In this article, Sebastian Bielecki, Principal Environment Artist at Sierra Division, shares the inspiration, design process, and techniques behind the creation of the Sci-fi Mech Bay Control Console. Find more of the art for the Sci-Fi Console on ArtStation . What inspired the sci-fi console concept? We wanted to enrich our portfolio with some sci-fi work. Hard surface modeling and design are somewhat different from other artworks that we have in our portfolio . We wanted to show clients that we can do sci-fi work and do it well! It’s something that a lot of us on the team really enjoy, actually, but we haven’t had as much opportunity to work on it as a studio. So we thought it was finally time! The console is part of a bigger environment project that will come in the near future. For now, the console is just a teaser that allows us to establish the shape language which will be used throughout the whole project. How was the design phase approached? Design started from a brief of the environment and what props and assets it should include. We knew we wanted a console and charging station. With that in mind, we started by blocking silhouettes, some more, some less successful, until we locked in on a shape that worked for us. It had all the functional pieces that we needed, and it was designed as if it really could be found in the real world. It's important to define clear limitations early on; where the asset needs to fit, what it must include, and how large it should be (human scale, in this case). These decisions should be established during the brief stage, and your design should work within those parameters. Designing sci-fi is always challenging. You might think that you have unlimited possibilities because you can always make things up. On one hand, that looks like a perfect scenario, but without limitations it is very hard to design anything. Too many possibilities will only make you confused and make it hard to decide on something. Is this good? Maybe make it bigger, smaller, on the left, right, add more pieces of different shapes, etc. You might spend hours just running in circles without any decision taken. What is the best approach for finding references for fictional sci-fi props and environments like this? Finding clean sci-fi references is hard because you won't be able to find photos or images from the real world. They simply don't exist. When you do come across sci-fi images, someone has already processed them with their own style and ideas. To achieve a compelling design and unique shape language, it's best not look too much for references to avoid copying someone else. Begin by looking for real-world objects and props, as well as color schemes and detail distribution. Consider how you can incorporate these elements into the prop you're designing. Focus on understanding the function and purpose first, and the rest will fill in the blanks. Of course, you can look at other artists or artworks to help generate ideas, find inspiration for function or form, then put your own twist. I have a gigantic sci-fi pure ref board that I assembled over the years adding small bits to it. It is multipurpose when I look for inspiration. Sometimes it is great to even turn someone else's concept or artwork upside down and you can get something interesting. Reference board What are your favorite sci-fi games/ films/ books and did they inspire you when creating this project? I’m a huge fan of Blade Runner, and the film was a strong inspiration for me. I love the simple yet dirty texturing, large empty surfaces with clusters of detail, and how the design is both futuristic and functional. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) I also have a few of my favorite sci-fi artists that I look up to. For anyone looking for inspiration, the following artists are true masters of the craft (we’ll add links at the bottom of the Blog) Jan Urschel, Vitaly Bulgarov, Cki Vang, Alex Senechal, Andrian Luchian, Edon Guraziu, Sheng Lam, Mathieu Latour-Duhaime, Chris Doretz, Munkhjin Otgonbayar. I studied their designs on and off over the last few years and tried to establish a little bit of my own style, which also helped here. What storytelling elements were important for the sci-fi console design? We aimed for the asset to appear realistic, as if it were from a futuristic IP. To achieve this, we focused on texturing and lighting, ensuring the edge wear and worn, dirty areas of the textures were placed accurately. It was important to have the right proportions and to balance different areas of interest. We wanted to make something that could work in real life, so we carefully designed the console to look both realistic and functional. The environment where the console is placed in the scene is temporary. The proper story of why and what the console was created for will come in the near future. Texturing the console, and what tools or techniques helped achieve a realistic look: The console is too big to have custom texture, especially when we would try to maintain 13.65 Texel density. We had to use a mixture of custom texturing and trim sheets. Textures were done in Substance Painter and the rest of the magic (UVs/mapping) was done in Blender. The body and large flat areas are trims, the same as the edge wear and damages. In the second trim, there are smaller bits that were custom textured. The smaller pieces will be reused quite heavily in the whole environment, which is why we decided to make one separate trim/parts texture for it. It is 1/4th just with the console parts. The third texture is console-specific and contains the large screen, hand inputs, and a few smaller displays. The screen looks interactive. How did you create the animated or dynamic material for the Console’s display in Unreal Engine? The magic is all done inside the Unreal Material Editor with a special texture. Here is how it is done: We took our static screen and made a duplicate. From the original version of the texture we removed all the elements that are supposed to be animated - those areas are empty. We duplicated the mesh screen and cut off areas where the animation will be present. Then, we assigned a second screen texture in those areas. Now the second material could be applied to only the animated elements. After that, we created a panner texture. We took the cut off elements and created a second UV channel and mapped islands to the panner texture. Rest of the magic happens inside the Unreal Material Editor. Panner basically moved the texture and we get the animation visible. We have 3 color channels in the shader editor and 3 color channels in the panner texture. That let us control the speed and direction of the animation of certain elements based on where in the texture the UV islands were mapped. Red ones had fast speed, blue ones medium, and green the slowest. What software and tools did you use for this project? To demonstrate the capabilities of Sierra Division to prospective clients, this asset was entirely our own creation, with no external assets or textures used. The modeling and UV mapping were completed in Blender, using some add-ons to streamline and speed-up the process. Texturing involved both trims and custom textures, achieved in Substance Painter. Final renders were done in Unreal Engine, with additional post-processing in Photoshop. What was the most challenging part in making this project? Hard surface design and modeling are always difficult when approaching them in a polygonal way. Doing it in CAD is a lot simpler, but the assets have that very perfect, artificial look, and that’s not how we wanted this asset to appear. Aside from modeling, I learned quite a few things with this project, such as: 2:1 texturing workflow, incorporating 2D designs from Affinity into Painter, working more inside Unreal since that is not my daily program, making the panner texture and animating the screen, animating the container lock, rendering videos, etc. Most of those things I was doing for the first time, so they were all small challenges! I also had to refresh my graphic design skills, as I hadn't used them in a while. They proved to be very useful when designing the screen and all the animated elements. This was a very interesting and fun project, and I really appreciate that the Sierra Division gave me extra R&D time to experiment and learn. If this were a client project, with tight deadlines and strict budget, what advice would you give on how to approach making this as efficiently as possible? Plan ahead and begin with the end vision in mind. That way, you have a clear goal and a straightforward path to achieving it. Don’t take shortcuts! Spend proper time researching, making blockouts, and coming up with a story for the prop. This way, you don’t lose time in the process, the end result will be coherent, and design will play well with the storytelling and visual appeal. Sometimes, when you try to speed things up and take shortcuts, you end up wasting even more time because you have to go back and rethink the process, redo certain sections, or make additional corrections and adjustments. If you had anything to add to this project what would it be? I wish I could have more time on it, obviously. There are areas that I'm not 100% happy with—I guess that’s how artists always feel. On the other hand, like I mentioned earlier, having a deadline helped me draw the line. Without a deadline, I would be changing, updating, and modifying bits and pieces for months until I found it to be perfect. The art doesn’t have to be perfect, though. That’s the thing I still struggle with, even after all those years doing CG. When you look at the end result, you might think, "Oh, this looks dope and nice." The reality is that I struggled with some parts. Even with the modeling, I made mistakes. I even had to redo many elements or re-texture. It has been a bumpy road from blockout to finished product. If you are a beginner and want to try your chances with design models like this, start small and be prepared for the fact that your first designs will suck. That is always the hard truth; if you embrace it, you won’t be disappointed, and you will have the strength to move forward with your next approach. Practice a lot, study a lot, be curious. Peace! Find some of Sebastian's favorite artists and links to their portfolios: Jan Urschel https://www.artstation.com/janurschel Vitaly Bulgarov https://www.artstation.com/vbulgarov Cki Vang https://www.artstation.com/krsld ( https://www.instagram.com/vangcki ) Alex Senechal https://www.artstation.com/acms Andrian Luchian https://www.artstation.com/andrian_luchian Edon Guraziu https://www.artstation.com/guraziu Sheng Lam https://www.artstation.com/shenglam Mathieu Latour-Duhaime https://www.artstation.com/matlat Chris Doretz https://www.artstation.com/cdodez Munkhjin Otgonbayar https://www.artstation.com/iif

It’s a pleasure to welcome Alina Varavva , our newest VFX and Tech Art intern! Alina greatly impressed us with her skills in simulation, VFX, tech art tools, and Unreal Engine. But more than that, it was her eagerness to learn and grow that stood out; a quality we greatly value when hiring new artists to join the team. Continue reading below for our Q&A with Alina, and learn more about her path into VFX and what inspires her. Check out Alina's Demo Reel Alina, tell us a bit about yourself and where you are studying? Hi! I’m Alina, a real-time VFX artist studying at Futuregames  in Stockholm in the Animation and VFX program. I guess I've always been what people call creative. I’ve tried a lot of things, from painting furniture to drawing, and creating embroidery patterns for my Etsy shop. Everything changed when I installed Blender. I was completely drawn into 3D. I started by learning a little bit of everything like modeling, rigging, and animation. Pretty soon I started focusing on effects more. After a few years of learning on my own, I found the Futuregames program nearby and decided to take the next step and study VFX more professionally. What attracted you to a career in real-time VFX for games? I enjoy it most when something makes my brain work so hard it feels like it’s about to overheat in a good way. Real-time VFX gives me exactly that feeling. There’s a creative side to effects that makes it not just challenging, but also fun and satisfying. That mix of pressure and creativity is exactly what attracted me. Also, effects are the first thing that visually attracts and mesmerizes me in games. Jump Attack VFX by Alina What type of visual effects do you enjoy creating the most? The first work I published on ArtStation was a northern lights effect. Even though I’ve learned how to create many different kinds of effects since then, I still enjoy environmental VFX the most, especially anything related to fire, smoke, and natural forces. These kinds of effects can add a powerful feeling to a scene and make the atmosphere feel more alive and emotional. Storm and Tornado VFX by Alina In your opinion, which games feature awesome VFX and why? It’s hard to pick just one game. I try to regularly review new games with a focus on visual effects. It helps me understand how other VFX artists think and what the current production standards are. One of the recent games whose effects I really admired was The Alters. It was pure visual eye candy. What are you most excited to learn during your time as an intern? Sometimes when I’m creating a new effect, I feel like something is missing like it needs that extra touch but I can’t quite figure out what it is. That’s usually a good sign to take a break and play something new. When I look at VFX in other games, I often realize what my own work is lacking. Seeing how other artists approach timing, color, or motion helps me understand what could make my visual effects feel better or more complete. I’m really glad to have this internship opportunity alongside such experienced professionals who care deeply about details, and to have the chance to contribute to the atmosphere they’re creating. I’m especially excited to learn what it takes to deliver high quality production ready VFX as part of a real development team. Being surrounded by talented artists is a huge opportunity for growth. Sword Slash VFX by Alina What goals do you hope to achieve by the end of your internship? My goal is to become more confident as a professional and to know that I can handle any task that comes my way. I also want to improve my workflow, learn how to work efficiently in a team and gain a better understanding of what’s expected in a real production environment. What's one piece of advice you would share with students looking for their first internship? It’s a stressful time. I’d suggest being open with people, talking to professionals and trying to enjoy the process and enjoy yourself too. At the same time work hard on your portfolio. Polish it, ask for feedback, and polish it again! We are always on the lookout for talented Artists and Developers to join our studio. Even when there are no openings listed, we invite unsolicited portfolio submissions through our Careers page here .

Sierra Division Academy is now live and accepting students! This is your chance to learn directly from the artists behind our studio, alongside seasoned experts from leading studios. At Sierra Division Academy , you'll sharpen your skills, gain valuable industry insights, and build the competitive edge needed to advance your 3D art career in Games, Animation and VFX. Is Sierra Division Academy for You? Many junior artists are talented and passionate, but often lack direction, practical skills, and real-world insight. We've heard from countless students who worry about their current skill level and whether they’ll be able to find work. While some schools provide solid training, too many fall short of preparing students to be truly industry-ready by the time they graduate. That’s where we come in. Sierra Division Academy was designed for artists who know the basics of 3D art and want to upskill with expert guidance. Whether you're self-taught, currently in school, or already working in the industry, we will be there to guide and teach you the techniques and best practices to create high-quality, production-ready work. 3D Art Training Offered For our inaugural Summer term, you will find training designed to help elevate your skills in 3D Environment Art, Texturing and Tech art, along with career coaching. All training is conducted online, allowing artists from around the world to participate and grow within our global learning community. To accommodate different learning preferences, we offer two distinct formats: Courses and Mentorships. Additional subjects will be introduced later in the year, expanding opportunities for growth in Game Art, Animation and VFX. Learn from Industry Experts Every instructor and mentor at Sierra Division Academy is actively working in the CG industry, and has extensive experience working with major studios. They possess first-hand knowledge of what studios seek when hiring 3D artists. With their guidance, you will be able eliminate a lot of the guesswork and gain valuable insights into industry expectations. Meet our Instructors Niels Couvreur 3D Environment Artist, Sierra Division Robin Mariančík 3D Artist, Sierra Division Alex Beddows Expert 3D Environment Artist, That's No Moon Meet our Mentors Jacob Norris CEO and Creative Director, Sierra Division Jon Arellano Senior Environment Artist, Santa Monica Studio Jonjo Hemmens Senior Environment Artist, That's No Moon Victoria Lyons Senior Tech Artist and Unreal Engine Educator, Freelance Gabriel Cervantes Senior Environment Artist, Naughty Dog Join a Vibrant Community When you join Sierra Division Academy, you become part of a supportive community of students and professionals. Grow your network, make new friends, and find the support you need to help you achieve your art goals. Attend Our Info Session You are invited to our very first Academy Info Session, where you'll have the chance to meet some of our instructors and mentors, and learn more about Sierra Division Academy. We will also be there to help answer any of your questions. Where & When: Discord - May 13 at 10am PT / 7pm CET

The Apocalyptic Weapons Challenge has officially wrapped, and we’re truly impressed by the outstanding submissions received. Running from March 10 to April 17, the challenge brief had participants designing the ultimate weapon for surviving an apocalypse. The submissions showcased remarkable skill and creativity that left our judges thoroughly impressed. We can confidently say that we are ready to face whatever the apocalypse has in store, thanks to such badass weapons! We would like to thank our judges for taking the time to carefully review each submission: Javier Perez, Jon Arellano, Alex Beddows, Jonjo Hemmens, Robin Mariančík, Inka Sipola, Miroslav Baev, Niels Couvreur, Jacob Norris, and Doru Bogdan. We would also like to thank our prize sponsors for offering awesome prizes to our winners and making this challenge extra special: Dash, Adobe Substance 3D, Rizom UV, ArtStation, Marmoset and Fox Renderfarm. Take a look at our challenge announcement here to see what awesome prizes each winner will receive. THE CHALLENGE WINNERS 1ST PLACE: Shady Hamza - Shell Shock Shady’s challenge submission centers on an apocalyptic water world—one submerged in chaos and ruled by water and scavengers. To capture the essence of this harsh environment, Shell Shock reflects on the brutality of the setting and the desperation of those struggling to survive. In addition to crafting a striking apocalyptic weapon, Shady presented his submission with exceptional organization and attention to detail, making his work-in-progress a pleasure to follow. Judges Feedback: "A very well thought out, clear and unique concept. Combining organic shapes with hard-surface elements and bringing it together in harmony. The renders showcase the asset in its natural habitat, and provide some more context about the inner workings." "Incredibly creative concept, well executed textures with interesting materials, interesting world building, and very impressive beauty renders." "This one is an easy choice for me, very impressive presentation. Great and unique idea, great textures, awesome presentation environment. Even the unique Shell Shock logo is awesome." Congratulation Shady for taking 1st place! 2ND PLACE: Maya Ivanova - The Ender of Tuesdays Maya’s submission explores the idea that an apocalypse will strike without warning, leaving you to scramble and build a weapon from whatever you can find on a random Tuesday. Grounded in realism, her weapon is crafted from everyday garage items such as pipes, valves, cables, a flashlight, car parts (like a compressor and steering column), bolts, soda cans, wooden planks, zip ties, and various other bits and pieces. For The Ender of Tuesdays , Maya used Photoshop for concept planning, Autodesk Maya for the blockout, ZBrush for sculpting, and Substance Painter and Designer for texturing. Judges Feedback: "Really nice silhouette and an intricate design to create a unique pistol. Lots of small details like stickers and loose wiring that really play up apocalyptic theme." "A complex design with lots of components working together. Combining different materials such as wood and metals to form one whole. In a post-apocalyptic world, it feels like it's been put together by someone who knows his sh*t. The renders showcase the asset nicely. On top of all of this, the asset is nicely optimized and would work well in a real-time environment." "The combination of metals, wood, tape, and stickers of different material types makes this weapon a lot of fun to look at. From a technical perspective it works really well and show a strong understanding of the artistic elements throughout the weapon. Really great idea and executed on a high level!" Congratulation Maya for taking 2nd place! 3RD PLACE: Daniils Bobers - Ol' Loudmouth Set in a post-apocalyptic Texas overrun by the undead, Ol’ Loudmouth is a gritty, improvised grenade launcher built by the unhinged and fearless Mad Uncle Shoo—a stubborn farmer with no concern for safety. Crafted from scrap parts like a sewer pipe barrel, cooking pot drum, and a gas pump handle stock, the weapon fires nails and gunpowder. Brutal, unstable, and loud—just the way Shoo likes it. Daniil’s project stands out for its strong focus on storytelling and character-driven design. By building a detailed backstory for Uncle Shoo and his chaotic world, Daniil gave the weapon a distinct personality and purpose. The result is a design that feels authentic and strongly connected to the narrative it supports. Judges Feedback: "I liked the approach to this weapon, looking at how traditional guns are made for production and using that to motivate choices. I think this was a really fun spin on an old classic that I enjoyed looking at the details of." "This asset has some great elements, and you discover more the longer you look at it. It really feels like it's been put together with everyday items that you'd find in a post-apocalyptic setting. There's elements you would find on a regular weapon, such as a grip, buttstock, etc.. making it a believable, functioning weapon. The textures bring everything together!" "The combination of different types of props and elements found throughout a post apocalyptic world is hilarious and amazing. This is exactly the type of creativity we were hoping to see with this challenge and the quality produced from the concept idea. High fidelity texturing details with a good understanding of material types, storytelling, and setup." HONORABLE MENTIONS We’re thrilled to give Honorable Mentions to three additional artists whose exceptional work truly stood out. Honorable Mention: Jacek Barabasz- Master Key Master Key is a beautifully crafted weapon by Jacek Barabasz, previous 1st place winner of the Himalayan Treasures Challenge . Wrapped in tape and cloth straps for a secure grip in any situation, the weapon is reinforced with keys, nails, and metal scraps to enhance its durability. Congratulations Jacek! Honorable Mention: Maksym Danko - ApocBlade ApocBlade is a machete-style weapon crafted from scavenged materials in a post-apocalyptic world. Designed for survival, it features a reinforced handle and sharp edges, making it both practical and deadly. Congratulations Maksym! Honorable Mention: Rafael Murta - Shock Factor Rafael drew inspiration from games like Dead Island and Bloodborne , leading to the creation of a makeshift halberd designed for both one- and two-handed use. Equipped with a sturdy battery and copper wiring, the weapon can deliver electric shocks to any enemy it strikes. Congratulations Rafael! CHALLENGE SHOWCASE Our Showcase is a celebration of all the outstanding artwork made for the challenge. Make sure to check it out! Join our Discord  to congratulate participants, and be the first to know about upcoming activities at Sierra Division.

These days, finding quality resources online can be challenging. Between AI-generated content and low-quality products flooding search engines and marketplaces, word-of-mouth often feels like the only reliable way to find what you are looking for. At our studio we're always asking one-another for suggestions and references, and want to share these with you, too! This blog provides artists with a list of quality resources from reliable sources. We've chosen to focus on Texturing, a specialization we're passionate about both in our internal projects and client work. With the resources listed below, you will be on your way to creating stunning textures for props and environments. Check them out below! References: Texture Ninja By Joost Van Houtte Texture Ninja is an excellent website offering over 5,000 free reference materials. You'll find a wide range of options, from common materials like wood and concrete to more unique references, such as fingerprints and blood splatters. References: The Met Collection By Met Museum Helmet. Met Collection. The Met's online collection is an invaluable free resource for finding references of historical objects. Its search and filtering options provide a quick and easy way to find what you are looking for. We particularly love it for finding cool props with worn textures, like the helmet in the picture above. Tutorial: Substance Painter: Pushing Your Texturing Further By Jason Ord This free ArtStation Learning course is perfect for mastering intermediate-level texturing techniques in Substance Painter to create photorealistic, game-ready 3D assets. Substance Designer Survival Kit By Vincent Derozier A must-have for anyone exploring Substance Designer. The Survival Kit offers straightforward node recipes by Vincent. Everything is presented in a single graph with clear explanations to help you grasp the fundamentals. Part 1 is available for free, and you can also get the Survival Kit Part 2 which is focused on Stones, Soils, Woods, Metals and Patterns. Tutorial: Mastering Materials: Noise by Malte Resenberger-Loosmann This is a great, easy to understand tutorial if you are struggling with understanding Noise. Learn the importance of noise and its role in enhancing material and texture quality for games and movies, when and how to use noise effectively, as well as when it's advisable to avoid it. Tutorial: Usage of Normal Map in Substance Painter By Adrien Roose In this tutorial, Adrien explains the key difference in using the normal map, its advantages for microdetails, and how it provides sharper results, especially for micro surface damage and scratches. He also covers how to use the height to normal filter, which provides the ability to convert details from the height channel to a normal map in real-time in Substance Painter. Tutorial: Creating Real-Time Props in CAD - Texturing By Niels Couvreur for Sierra Division For Niels, texturing is the most rewarding part of the pipeline. In this tutorial, Niels demonstrates how to add realistic textures to a Vintage Camera using Substance Painter. Alphas: Texturing Essentials Vol 1 to 4 Substance Painter By Ayi Sanchez These Alpha packs for Substance Painter are made to ensure your assets look as real as possible. Ayi himself uses them daily for his projects, and we can't recommend them enough. Nature Textures Bundle - 4 in 1 By PurePolygons Created by Sierra Division's Creative Director, this pack includes high-quality organic textures for Tree Bark, Grass Mud & Puddles, Rock with Moss, and Stone Ground. With this pack you will be able to create some outstanding natural environments. BWTools 2.1 - Substance Designer Plugin By Ben Wilson Stay organized with BW Tools, a plugin pack for Substance Designer designed to streamline graph organization tasks. This package integrates seamlessly into Designer's UI, allowing users to set hotkeys and customize settings for various tools, ensuring a smoother workflow. Fill+ for Substance Painter By Doru Bogdan Made by our Lead Environment Artist at Sierra Division, this tool has helped us on many projects. Fill+ is an improved fill filter for Substance Painter. It has built in controls for levels, blur, sharpening ,clamping, and some other nice bells and whistles! Dete Art Resources By Daniel Thiger We simply could not settle on a favorite product, so we are sharing Daniel's entire store. You will find high-quality Substance resources for studios, professionals, and individuals. These include everything from Tutorials, Nodes, Textures and Graphs. ZBrush - 250 SF Trim Brushes By JROTools If you are working in ZBrush, you should check out these brushes by JROTools. This set contains 256 SF trim brushes for ZBrush. Great for sculpting details and textures on assets. PSD, Tiff, Jpeg alphas are also included. We trust these resources will enhance your texturing projects, and be sure to dive into the portfolios of the artists listed above for inspiration and pro insights.

We are pleased to announce that our studio will be returning to the Game Developers Conference, GDC , this year. This is an exciting opportunity for us to meet face-to-face with our valued partners, friends, and members of the Sierra Division Discord community. For those attending, we will be conducting portfolio reviews and meet-and-greets. Whether you would like to introduce yourself, receive feedback on your work, or discuss business opportunities, we welcome the opportunity to connect. Come say hello and we hope to see you there. May you all have a great GDC experience this year, stay safe, have fun, and meet new folks! ATTENDING FROM THE TEAM: JACOB NORRIS CEO, CREATIVE DIRECTOR SIERRA DIVISION Gregory Robb COO SIERRA DIVISION Email to schedule a meeting We will also be joined by our good friend and mentor at Sierra Division Academy, Jon Arellano. JON ARELLANO SR. ENVIRONMENT ARTIST SANTA MONICA STUDIO Mentor at Sierra Division Academy GDC PORTFOLIO REVIEWS Jacob and Jon will be doing portfolios reviews at GDC on a first come, first served basis. If you'd like your portfolio reviewed, please make note of the details below. Portfolio Review Information Location: To be announced the day of on Discord (limited spots) Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025 Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm PST

Weapon art by Niels Couvreur (Sierra Division - Inferno's Edge) It's time to get ready for battle! From March 10th to April 17th, 3D artists from around the world are invited to join the Apocalyptic Weapons Challenge, to design and build the most impressive battle-ready weapon fit for a post-apocalyptic world. This is your chance to push your skills in modeling, texturing, and presentation, while creating a weapon that looks as deadly as it is functional. With feedback from a panel of expert judges, this is the perfect opportunity to showcase your talent, learn, and win great prizes. Head over to our Challenge Lobby on Discord to meet other participants until the launch. CHALLENGE PRIZES Sierra Division Academy is launching this Spring, and we are excited to announce our grand prize for this challenge will be a scholarship to any one of our Substance Painter texturing courses. More details on courses to come soon! In addition to Sierra Division Academy Scholarships, we will also have awesome prizes generously provided by our sponsors: Adobe Substance 3D , Marmoset , Dash , Fox Renderfarm , Rizom-Lab , and ArtStation . CHALLENGE JUDGES: The Apocalyptic Weapons Challenge will be reviewed by an incredible panel of 10 expert judges, including Sierra Division artists, Industry pros, as well as mentors and instructors from our upcoming Sierra Division Academy. With years of experience across game art, design, and education, our judges will be on the lookout for standout apocalyptic weapons that excel in modeling, texturing, presentation, and functionality. Show them your best work—these are the eyes you’ll want to impress! KEY DATES: Challenge Dates: March 10 - April 17 Winners Announced: Week of April 21st APOCALYPTIC WEAPONS DELIVERABLES: Work-in-Progress:   Throughout the challenge, you are required to actively share your process. This includes regular updates showcasing key stages such as reference gathering, blockouts, sculpting, texturing, and final detailing. Screenshots and brief descriptions are encouraged to document your progress. Beauty Render :  Submit a high-quality final render of your Apocalyptic Weapon (one weapon only!). This should present your weapon in the best possible lighting and composition, highlighting its design, materials, and overall presentation. (Optional) - Beauty Render w/Stats Card: Provide stats for your weapon describing its Damage, Range, Durability and Attack Speed. Wireframe View:   Provide a wireframe render of your weapon to demonstrate your modeling techniques. Breakdown View:   Include a detailed breakdown of your textures and materials. This should showcase your texture maps (such as albedo, normal, roughness, etc.) Specifications:  Minimum resolution of 1920x1080px in JPEG format. All submissions must include your legal name, the title of your work, and Challenge logo. Download template & logo here . HOW TO JOIN To participate in the Challenge, start by joining our Discord server , which is required to log in to our submission forum . Once you're in and the challenge has started, head to the APOCALYPTIC WEAPONS CHALLENGE section and start a new Discussion for your submission. For the complete list of T&C, eligible countries and specifications please go here .

Once again, the end of the year dawns on us and provides a timely opportunity to reflect on our studio's accomplishments. Despite industry challenges, our studio’s strong work ethic combined with the support of our clients, community, and friends pushed us forward. In 2024, our studio grew steadily and we were able to continue making outstanding art we all enjoy. Thank you all for your support and for believing in us! Here are some of our studio’s 2024 highlights: Team Growth This year, we were able to staff much-needed positions to lead our art teams and studio operations. It is with great pleasure to introduce Gregory Robb, Director of Business Development, and Doru Bogdan, Lead Environment Artist. In addition to working with incredible contractors, we also had the opportunity to hire our very first intern, Daniil Gerber . Store Launch For a long time we’ve been wanting to set up our own store where we could host all of our asset packs and give our clients the best possible deals. Since the launch of our store in March, we now offer close to 30 products that include everything from props, environments, decals, materials, and more. The plan is to continue to add many more asset packs next year, as well as different varieties such as reference packs and tools. Store Partnerships We currently have an awesome partnership with Dash, a handy world-building plug-in for Unreal Engine. Until the end of December, get 25% off yearly and perpetual Dash plans to claim 25% off any of our asset pack sold on our Gumroad. Get the offer . Community Since founding Sierra Division, our founder, Jacob Norris, envisioned the studio as an inviting space where artists of every level could connect, learn, and support each other. In 2024, we turned this vision into reality. Launch of Community Discord Server Our new Discord server has surpassed 500 members! It has become a lively community where artists can connect, showcase their work and receive feedback. We've already hosted several events like AMAs, portfolio reviews, and art challenges ( Himalayan Treasures and Viking Village ) , and we're excited to plan even more activities in the future. Game Developers Conference (GDC) Back in March, we attended GDC and co-hosted our very first artist mixer alongside our friends at Sentient Art Studio. It was such a blast, that we only have a blurry picture to remember the good times! Education At our studio we are committed to producing outstanding 3D Art and are also dedicated to helping other artists achieve the same high standards. Mentorship Launch Alongside Senior Environment Artist Jon Arellano , we launched our Mentorship program. Through personalized sessions, mentees can learn AAA techniques and workflows to improve their skills in Environment Art Creation and expand their portfolio. We've already had a few of our mentees complete their mentorship, and seeing their progress has been truly remarkable! Artwork by mentee Jacek Barabasz made during Mentorship. Tutorial: Creating Real-time Props in CAD Sierra Division Environment Artist, Niels Couvreur, created this 4-part tutorial where he walks you through his process for creating a real-time prop. Niels demonstrates how to model, optimize, texture, and present a game-ready 3D asset using a CAD to polygon workflow in Fusion 360. It is available to watch for free on YouTube. Check it out! Sierra Division Academy We've been busy working on a new project. In 2025, we will be turbo-charging our educational offerings. If you are interested in learning with us, we invite you to complete this short Intake Form . New Art We are excited to unveil the assets our team created for our client, Valve. It has been a true privilege to develop assets alongside Simon Fuchs and the incredible team at Valve, for the iconic Train Map in Counter-Strike 2. We hope everyone has been enjoying the game as much as we have! Find more renders on our ArtStation Portfolio . See how the assets look in-game. Although much of our client work is ongoing and covered by NDAs, we've been focusing on our personal studio projects as well. If you subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media, you've likely seen The Underground Bunker as well as our Street Food Carts from our Night Market Series. These personal projects give us the opportunity to work on fun ideas and showcase our studio's expertise. Interested in reaching out to us regarding any of our Marketplace Packs or availability for new Client work? Contact us here . We hope you have enjoyed our 2024 Highlights. Here is to another successful New Year!

The Viking Village Challenge has concluded, and we could not be more in awe of all the incredible submissions we've received. Running from October 16 to December 6, challenge participants had to create a diorama, or small environment, of a Viking village scene. Despite the challenging scope and demanding requirements, many participants pulled through and greatly impressed our judges with their skill and creativity. We would like to thank our judges for taking the time to carefully review each submission: Javier Perez, Jon Arellano, Alex Beddows, Yan Shu, Robin Mariančík, Inka Sipola, Miroslav Baev, Niels Couvreur, Sebastian Bielecki, Jacob Norris and Doru Bogdan. We would also like to thank our prize sponsors for offering awesome prizes to our winners and making this challenge extra special: Dash, Adobe Substance 3D, Rizom UV, ArtStation, Marmoset and Fox Renderfarm. To find out what each winner will receive, take a look at our Challenge announcement here . THE CHALLENGE WINNERS 1ST PLACE: Kris Catteau - Lífþrasir Lífþrasir Shield Submission Breakdown When starting this challenge, Kris was very organized and set out clear goals and timelines. His main objective was to create a diorama heavily reliant on kit pieces and modularity, with a strong focus on historical accuracy. Judges Feedback: "This environment has it all! Storytelling, Viking lore, great composition, thoughtful understanding of the process and scoped in a way to help finish it in the timeline, well planned out, and beautiful final renders. Really awesome work and fun environment" "Beautiful shot and an interesting looking environment, pleasing composition. I want to explore it more. Cool glowing runes also." "This one is number one for me, because the overall look here feels most unified. The composition, lighting and story telling here is done very nicely. It makes me actually curious what this place is for, where does it lead and why do those stairs lead into a wall and a tree, does it have a purpose? Is there a secret entrance? Or is the entrance at the bottom and the building was made on top of an existing structure. I don't see this much in other submissions, so this is the reason why this one is most captivating to me." Congratulation Kris for taking 1st place! 2ND PLACE: Anthony Zhang - Snowy Viking Village Snowy Village Submission Breakdown For his submission, Anthony wanted to "incorporate the aurora borealis. After a long day of hard farming, sailing, or fighting, staring out at the winter night sky just sounds like a nice time. That is feeling I want to capture." Judges Feedback: "The artist utilized a variety of advanced tools and techniques throughout his project, including Gaea for natural landscapes, Blender for blockouts and modeling, and custom RGB masking and master materials for intricate textures. The ability to harmonize these techniques into a polished scene is a testament to expertise and creative adaptability." "I think this piece has the best demonstration of quality individual assets that came together to create one harmonious piece. there is balance in the composition and lighting that allows the scene to read, it didn't get bogged down trying to show off individual elements, instead it allows the environment to be the star of the show." "The main building is set up in a modular way, it is a nice focal point of the entire scene with some great techniques to give it some material variation." Congratulation Anthony for taking 2nd place! 3RD PLACE: Johnathan Rios - Ancestral Howl Ancestral Howl Submission Breakdown For this challenge, Johnathan focused on creating unique assets and modular pieces. Lighting was also important to create a nice contrast of blues and oranges. Judges Feedback: "This diorama has a nice solid design to it. Combined with well crafted ornament designs that read clearly and greatly emphasize the theme of the challenge." "Really cool sculpted details on this one, some nice banners and snow clumps too! I really like that you added some broken roof pieces as well to try and break up the symmetry a bit, that's a great detail!" "Epic looking building. I can see Viking warriors gathering here to plan a raid." HONORABLE MENTIONS As we could only select 3 winners for prizes, we are awarding Honorable Mentions to two artists for their exceptional work. Honorable Mention: Dagmawi Tsegaye - Berserker Dragon Shield Berserker Dragon Shield Submission Breakdown Judges Feedback: "I have no idea how Dagmawi completed so much in the timespan for the challenge. Watching the thread and the updates as the environment came together felt like witnessing the impossible. Each update brought so many new things to the scene and the environment feels so alive. Really fun artwork and I can see the passion and excitement that went into each aspect of the scene. Awesome!" Honorable Mention: Linnea Hallenbom - A Snowy Day A Snowy Day Submission Breakdown Judges Feedback: "Linnea appears to have a strong understanding of the work being completed on the environment. Not only in the well executed sculpts of the wood and details, but also with her use and technical knowledge inside of the engine. The snow looks great and the piles blend really well into the ground. Also the foliage came out awesome! Those trees add so much to the scene. Fantastic work!" SUBMISSIONS SHOWCASE Our Submissions Showcase is a celebration of all the outstanding artwork made for the challenge. Make sure to check it out! Join our Discord  to congratulate participants, and be the first to know about upcoming activities at Sierra Division.