SickleYield Iray Render Challenge Index

This is an index of all previous render challenges in chronological order so that I have an easy place to send people for ideas on the new ones! 

So far the one with the most entrants is the 2015 birthday challenge at 31, but that one was open to all engines; the one with the most IRAY entrants is still Sci Fi Nude Males at 30.  I don't count my own sample renders into the final count.

Iray Render Challenge: Nude Men In DoorwaysUpdate: 27 total entries to make everyone's Monday brighter!  More people decided to join in than I expected.  Maybe I should do one of these once a month!  More appreciation for the male body and this render engine can only be a great thing.
Suggested by vwrangler in his blog post!  Post yours in the comments and I'll add it.
With Iray now officially the main engine of DAZ Studio 4.8, new products coming out for it, and lots of people interested in using it, there are already copious female jubblies bouncing about the various threads and deviantart accounts.  Let's have something for those who fancy the fellas!
Entries so far:
Relaxing in the doorway by DigitalMalePinUpsNaked by kittenwylde  Iray Render Challenge: Villain Dating ServiceUPDATE: We got a lot fewer entrants this time, so maybe next time we'll go with something a bit simpler again.  Thank you to the participants! 
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The first Iray render challenge went so well that I've decided to do another one.  The theme this time is the Villain Dating Service!  Take a render in Iray of your villain or henchperson and write up a profile as shown in these samples.
       
Then post a link to the comments and I'll add it to this post!  We got some really fun entries last time, and I'm eager to see what we can do now that we've all had a little more time to play with this great engine.
The only hard and fast rule is that it has to be done in the Iray render engine.  Otherwise, they can be from any setting, whether fantasy, science fiction, comic Iray Render Challenge: Sci Fi Nude MalesAnd this concludes our Render Challenge at 30 entries!  Thank you to everyone who participated!  If you're in progress on a render right now go ahead and send it, I'll still add it.  Scroll down for all the lovely boys.
If these challenges keep expanding like this I may have to start offering a prize of some sort.  Maybe if we ever get to 50 entries.
Based on the results of this vs. the other two, "naked man plus X" is a much more popular theme than the more complicated one I tried with the Villain Dating Service.  Going forward I'll try to choose something simple enough that people can throw it together relatively quickly.  Naked men will probably continue to feature prominently.  I am not sorry.
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It's time for another Iray Render Challenge!  The rules:
1.  The render must have a nude male.
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine.
3.  It must be in a science fiction setting.
4.  It mus  Birthday Render Challenge: Male Rhapsody In GreenWell, if you're working on a render right this minute I'll still take it today (Friday), but in general I'm going to declare the challenge closed at 31 entries.  Thank you to everyone who participated.  I had a very happy birthday!  Be sure to go down and take a look at everyone's images - there have been some really fun entries this time!  Funny, classy, naughty, pensive or thoughtful, people really brought out the creative ideas for this challenge!
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Today is my 34th birthday!  Thank you very much to everyone who has left birthday greetings!
So, because it's my birthday, today I'm going to celebrate with a render challenge about two of my favorite things.  And in honor of my friends who use all of the other engines out there, just this once, the challenge is engine-neutral.  3Delight, Iray, Reality, Firefly, Octane, or users of any other engine or program are free to join!
To enter the challenge, create an image that fits these criteria:
1.  

Iray Render Challenge: Men In RedMy work computer has been down for more than a week now, in between troubleshooting, waiting for parts, troubleshooting again, waiting for more parts, and so on.  While I sit around biting my knuckles, here's another render challenge!  I had to do the inspiration render on my internet laptop, which was an... interesting experience.  (Whimper.)
Rules:
1.  The render must have a male in it. 
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
3.  The male must be touching something red (having red skin or hair counts).
4.  It must be created on or after 07/17/16. 
5.  Postwork, doing sims in other programs, etc., it's all fine as long as the render itself is done in Iray.
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Post a link to your image in the comments and I will add it to the journal post.  I'm going to call this wrapped up at 20.  Thanks to everyone who participated!
   Iray Render Challenge: HalloweenLooks like we're wrapped up at 16 images (excluding mine).  Thank you to everyone who participated!  Be sure and have a look at everyone else's images!
Rules:
1.  The render must be somehow related to Halloween, Dia De Los Muertos, All Hallow's Eve, Samhain, or some other darkness-adjacent festival or holiday.
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
4.  It must be created on or after 10/21/16.   
5.  Postwork, doing sims in other programs, etc., it's all fine as long as the render itself is done in Iray.
6.  NSFW is fine, but please make sure you set your image as Mature if it contains nudity, sex, gore, lethal violence, or something unusually terrifying, like someone doing their tax paperwork. 
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Post a link to your image in the comments and I will add it to the journal post.  I'll open with a couple of sample images to get you started!
Iray Render Challenge: The Bitter Cold FINISThis challenge is now closed.  Thank you to all 19 participants - we beat the Halloween challenge for entries, which I wasn't expecting!  Everyone please go back and have a look at everyone else's artwork.  It's always a great time seeing what we all did, and I really saw some great entries this time.
Happy New Year to all!
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Rules:
1.  The render must be somehow related to winter or the cold. 
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
4.  It must be created on or after 12/14/16.
5.  Postwork, doing sims in other programs, etc., it's all fine as long as the render itself is done in Iray.
6.  NSFW is fine, but please make sure you set your image as Mature if it contains nudity, sex, gore, lethal violence, or something unusually terrifying, like a product going on sale two minutes after you bought it. 


---------------------------  Render Challenge Iray: WeirdWell, this one didn't go over as well as some previous challenges have.  Oh well, we live and learn!  Be sure and have a look at the other entries, and thanks to those who participated!
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I think it's time to pull myself out of the February doldrums that have been hanging on and start another render challenge! 
Rules:

1.  The render must be somehow related to the concept of weirdness.  I don't care how.  You can also go with "wyrd" if you prefer.
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
4.  It must be created on or after 03/17/17.  I will close the challenge on 4/1.
5.  Postwork, doing sims in other programs, etc., it's all fine as long as the render itself is done in Iray.
6.  NSFW is fine, but please make sure you set your image as Mature if it contains nudity, sex, gore, lethal violence, or something unusually terrifying, like someone doing their tax paperwork. 
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Iray Render Challenge January 2018: DanceFINAL EDIT:
The challenge is now closed with 26 entries, not counting my two sample images.  Thank you to everyone who contributed, and please everyone have a look at the other entries - we had some amazing ones this time!
Rules:
1.  The render must be somehow related to dance or dancing. 
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
4.  It must be created on or after 01/16/18.  Challenge closes on 2/1.  There's not a prize, we each get to have our work seen and see some fun images from others on the same theme!
5.  Postwork, doing sims in other programs, etc., it's all fine as long as the render itself is done in Iray.  It doesn't matter what figures or models you use either.
6.  NSFW is fine, but please make sure you set your image as Mature if it contains nudity, sex, gore, lethal violence, or something unusually terrifying, like being awakened at midnight by the sound of a cat knocking over a vase.
Post a link to Iray Render Challenge June 2018: The DarknessThank you to everyone who participated!  I now declare the Challenge closed at 29 images excluding mine.  That's a great turnout.  Be sure and have a look at everyone's entries before you go!

Rules:
1.  The render must be somehow related to darkness.  It can be at night, but any sort of darkness will do.  If you're not sure how to light a night scene in Iray, here's some help.

2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
4.  It must be created on or after 06/17/18.  Challenge closes on 07/01/18.  There's not a prize, we each get to have our work seen and see some fun images from others on the same theme!
5.  Postwork, doing sims in other programs, etc., it's all fine as long as the render itself is done in Iray.  It doesn't matter what figures or models you use either.  You don't have to list anything about how the render was made, but it's always interesting to see wha   Iray Render Challenge Oct 2019: The FallThe challenge is now closed at 17 entries not counting mine!  The winners I choose are:


Thanks for offering to do a journal feature, BubbleCloud !
Be sure and look at all the entries, everyone!  There was some great work on display.
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It's been an awfully long time since my last render challenge, so I think it's time for another one.  October is my favorite month, and autumn is my favorite season, when the long hot nasty summer is finally over and the air begins to be cool and crisp again.  So this month's render challenge theme is Fall!
Rules:
1.  The render must be somehow related to the season of autumn (harvest, Halloween, falling leaves, etc.) or the act of falling (or any combination). 
2.  It must be rendered in the Iray render engine. 
4.  It must be created on or after 10/01/19.  Challenge closes on 11/01/19.  There's not a prize, we each get to have our work