Re: Novation is now open for submissions from March 24, 2026 through June 9, 2026, with the submission cutoff set at 15:00 GMT. Judging starts June 10, 2026, and the winners are scheduled for announcement on June 24, 2026.
The core setup stays delightfully unforgiving: Everyone starts from the same base 3D building model. The job is to transform it into a finished scene that sells an idea through architecture, environment, and lighting. That can mean changing the purpose of the building, reshaping the facade, adding or removing floors, and building a world around it. The original structure still needs to remain recognizable, so this is a renvoation, not a witness protection program. There are great prizes and strong sponsor support: multiple prize categories, a cash component for top placements, and additional sponsor awards.
The rules focus on process, not just pixels
Participation starts with process proof. Artists are asked to publish a work in progress thread on a personal website, blog, portfolio, or social media page that clearly identifies them as a 3D artist. The first post needs to include the participation tag text for the challenge and a clickable link to the contest page or an at mention on social platforms. The intent is to show the work began during the challenge window and to support originality checks. The base model comes via a short form used to request the download. The model arrives in multiple formats: FBX, OBJ, 3DS, C4D, MB, and LWO. No premade Gaussian Splats, yet.
Scene freedom comes with a few hard stops. The rules allow third party assets such as vegetation, furniture, human figures, kitbash elements, and other asset library content. Post-production is allowed, but photobashing and paintovers are not. The final image must not show third party advertising, watermarks, or branding other than the provided sign that needs to appear visibly in the scene. The rule set also bans adult content, including blood, violence, eroticism, and politics.
The competition bans AI. The image must be created with 3D modeling software, and the rules also frame the work in progress requirement as part of verifying entries are original and not AI-generated.
Animation arrives, with guardrails
This edition introduces a dedicated Animation Category. Animation is optional, but entering it requires a still render submission as the main entry. Animation entries must run at least 15 seconds and must show the architectural scene, meaning the building and its environment.
The submission method routes animation through hosting platforms. Artists publish the final video on YouTube or Vimeo and provide the link with their submission. The minimum resolution is 1080p.
The animation must match the same scene as the still render. Work in progress recordings, timelapses, and screen captures do not qualify as animation entries. The animation rules also tighten the no AI stance further by banning AI-generated animation, motion capture from AI tools, and AI-assisted camera paths.
Animation judging criteria include camera work, pacing, lighting and mood transitions, storytelling, and technical quality. The broader judging criteria for the overall contest include visual appeal, concept originality, presentation, technical complexity of the model and scene, and overall execution quality.
Deliverables, specs, and the stuff that gets you disqualified
A finished submission needs a final render plus a clay or wire render of the scene. The render must be at least 1500 pixels on the longest side and must be delivered as JPG or PNG. File size should not exceed 5 MB.
The rules reject single-color background renders, test renders, unfinished work, pixelated or low-quality renders, screenshots, and models placed on wallpaper or photos. The rule text also states the contest model is for contest purposes only and cannot be used for other projects beyond the Re: Novation entry.
Entries can be updated during the contest, but the idea cannot change or be modified drastically, with only reasonable changes allowed. Artists can also correct the description and the tools list after submission by contacting the team.
One extra procedural detail matters for anyone trying to game the calendar. After sending the work via the contact form, a confirmation email is expected within one business day and includes a link to the gallery page. If that email does not arrive, participants are instructed to contact support.
Prizes and what is actually specified
The prize structure spans multiple categories: three main winners, one Animation Category winner, plus special sponsor award winners.
The top placements include cash prizes. First place lists a $1000 cash prize. Second place lists a $500 cash prize. Additional prizes include software licenses, subscriptions, training access, and render credits, along with challenge-time bonuses and discounts tied to participating sponsors. Some prizes may not be available in all regions.
The full details, rules, and sign-up sit on the official page at Re: Novation, and the organiser is 3DModels.org.
