Rising Talent Contest

The Handbag Edit

<p></p><h2 style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times new roman&quot;"><em>Discover how artists like </em></span><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artstation.com/ryanandrade"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times new roman&quot;"><em>Ryan Andrade</em></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times new roman&quot;"><em> use Marvelous Designer to elevate concept art—combining 3D cloth simulation with traditional illustration techniques to create dramatic, painterly visuals for games like Civilization 7. From dynamic character poses to time-saving workflows, Marvelous Designer bridges the gap between realism and stylization in modern game development.</em></span></h2><hr><div data-youtube-video="" style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0; position:relative;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kK_JrrP9m2U?start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" width="800" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" style="position:absolute; top:0; left:0; width:100%; height:100%;"></iframe></div><h1 style="text-align: center"><strong>Interview with </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artstation.com/ryanandrade"><strong>Ryan Andrade </strong></a><strong>| Civilization 7  | Lead Concept Artist at Firaxis</strong></h1><h1 style="text-align: left"><strong>Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your work on Civilization 7?</strong></h1><p style="text-align: left"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/77b9152e98a4438cad07da520233a33aCopy%20of%20FranceLP_Thumbnail.jpg" alt="77b9152e98a4438cad07da520233a33a" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="77b9152e98a4438cad07da520233a33a" data-width="1000" data-height="1000">My concept artwork has always had a heavy emphasis on 3D. I picked up Marvelous Designer back in 2014-ish when I was in college. I started using Marvelous Designer as a reference for painting more believable clothing folds for illustrations, and that’s essentially how I use it now on Civilization. </p><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left"><strong>Civilization 7 features a stylized look. What led you to incorporate Marvelous Designer into your workflow, and how did it support the artistic direction?</strong></h1><p style="text-align: left"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/bd2095716f384fda8836991994d459c6Copy%20of%20XerxesLP_Thumb.jpg" alt="bd2095716f384fda8836991994d459c6" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="bd2095716f384fda8836991994d459c6" data-width="1000" data-height="1000">Civ 7’s aesthetic is dark and moody, and our art director had tons of chiaroscuro paintings for us to reference early in production. Baroque and Renaissance era painters are masters of clothing folds (amongst many other things), and so I once again turned to Marvelous Designer to serve as my reference. Those old masters of course hired models to pose for days while they painted, later painters like Norman Rockwell would use photo reference of hired models for the same effect. For my purposes, I see Marvelous Designer as an evolution on that, allowing me to dress and pose characters which then inform my illustrations. </p><p style="text-align: left"></p><h1 style="text-align: left"><strong>Workflow &amp; Tools – Could you walk us through the key tools and software you used throughout the project?</strong></h1><p style="text-align: left">The first step often happens in Blender where I’m blocking out loose composition ideas with simple geometry. From there I’ll use Daz for more articulated and detailed characters, and put those characters in Marvelous Designer for cloth simulation. Then it’s back to Blender for lights &amp; materials, and lastly is Photoshop for making brushy paint strokes. </p><p style="text-align: left"></p><h1 style="text-align: left"><strong>Can you share some standout moments where Marvelous Designer played a crucial role in creating iconic scenes or characters?</strong></h1><p style="text-align: left"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/c99c92dc2fe448bba83c11e3aaf6251aCopy%20of%20FranceLP.jpg" alt="c99c92dc2fe448bba83c11e3aaf6251a" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="c99c92dc2fe448bba83c11e3aaf6251a" data-width="5040" data-height="2160"><em>1) final painting</em><br></p><p style="text-align: left">The French layer painting for Civ 7 was one of my favorite use cases for Marvelous. The focal point is a woman in a dress hoisting a flag in really dramatic lighting, which would have been hard to paint from scratch without 3D. The great thing about Marvelous is when you’re able to re-use and tweak older assets for new projects, in this case I already made 90% of the stuff I needed, which saved a lot of time.</p><p style="text-align: left"></p><p style="text-align: left"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/c98c161f97374a2083f7e7b5eee0bd87Copy%20of%20FranceLP_Process.jpg" alt="c98c161f97374a2083f7e7b5eee0bd87" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="c98c161f97374a2083f7e7b5eee0bd87" data-width="5040" data-height="2160"><em>2) underpainting made using the 3D as a reference</em></p><p style="text-align: left"></p><p style="text-align: left"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/2896955048b4439482a53ee5c208dd8eCopy%20of%20FranceLP_Process2.jpg" alt="2896955048b4439482a53ee5c208dd8e" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="2896955048b4439482a53ee5c208dd8e" data-width="5040" data-height="2160"><em>3) raw render from Blender using Marvelous Designer and Daz for the figures</em><br></p><p style="text-align: left">The Xerxes illustration was a similar scenario, with tons of robed figures right up in front of the camera. Using Marvelous along with Blender gave me a solid foundation for my painting. </p><p style="text-align: left"></p><p style="text-align: left"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/30eeaee8c31546d7927a31174fba68fcCopy%20of%20XerxesLP.jpg" alt="30eeaee8c31546d7927a31174fba68fc" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="30eeaee8c31546d7927a31174fba68fc" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"><em>1) Final painting</em></p><p></p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/0c35626a8bb045d9913382c279c8ce43/images/5e8b394b4175451ab9611e17aff0a32fCopy%20of%20XerxesProcess.jpg" alt="5e8b394b4175451ab9611e17aff0a32f" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="5e8b394b4175451ab9611e17aff0a32f" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"><em>2) raw render from Blender using Marvelous Designer &amp; Daz for the figures</em></p><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left"><strong>What advice would you give to artists who want to use Marvelous Designer for concept art?</strong></h1><p style="text-align: left">Budget your time wisely, at least for professional work. Decide which characters in a scene will benefit most from detailed cloth sim, and which could make do without. </p><p></p><h1 style="text-align: left"><strong>How would you describe your experience working with Marvelous Designer on this project?</strong></h1><p>Marvelous is my go-to cloth simulation tool, I’ve used it for all sorts of personal and professional projects, and so far no other program comes close to matching its features. </p><h1 style="text-align: left"></h1>

Stylized Concept Art Meets 3D: How Marvelous Designer Enhances Illustration in Civilization 7

Freelancer

Designer

Pattern Maker

<h2 style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times new roman&quot;"><em>Ever wondered how a highly detailed Lolita dress is made in 3D?</em></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times new roman&quot;"><em>From layered frills to hand-crafted bows, 3D Character Artist Honghui Qiu shares how he brought "Mariée de Kumya" Lolita dress to life with Marvelous Designer — and the challenges that came with it.</em></span></h2><hr><div data-vimeo-video="" style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0; position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1046712379?#t=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" width="800" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write" style="position:absolute; top:0; left:0; width:100%; height:100%;"></iframe></div><h1 style="text-align: center"><strong>Interview with </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artstation.com/qhhkkkk"><strong>Honghui Qiu</strong></a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artstation.com/florencianespola1"><strong> </strong></a><strong>| </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artstation.com/artwork/q"><strong>Mariée de Kumya Lolita Dress</strong></a><strong> | 3D Character Artist</strong></h1><hr><h1><strong>Please introduce yourself to the Marvelous Designer community.</strong></h1><p>Hello everyone! My name is Qiu Honghui, a 3D character artist from China. I've been working in the game industry for two and a half years.</p><p>I was first introduced to 3D during a university course and found it incredibly fascinating. That initial spark led me to dive deeper into self-learning. However, I soon realized that 3D creation was far more complex than I had imagined. After graduating, I spent six months in a professional training program, which helped me gain the skills needed to enter the game industry.</p><h1><strong>What inspired you to create this piece? Could you share the story behind it?</strong></h1><p>The inspiration came from a Lolita fashion show I stumbled upon on Bilibili. I was struck by how exquisitely detailed each outfit was, which sparked my interest in learning more about Lolita fashion.</p><p>This particular design is based on the 2023 “Mariée de Kumya” (Bear Bride) dress by Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. I was fascinated by its rich design elements — lace, embroidery, pearls, and satin, especially the intricate layering around the neckline, cuffs, and hem. I felt that recreating it in 3D could truly highlight its elegance and craftsmanship.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/c21e02d300f54369a28c86285d8a2696%E7%86%8A%E7%86%8A%E8%8A%B1%E5%AB%81%E8%8D%89%E8%8E%93%E5%9B%AD%20%E5%AE%9E%E7%89%A9.jpg" alt="c21e02d300f54369a28c86285d8a2696" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="c21e02d300f54369a28c86285d8a2696" data-width="480" data-height="720"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/471ec7e5defd440fa8d7944aaa3f1c7f%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA12.jpg" alt="471ec7e5defd440fa8d7944aaa3f1c7f" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="471ec7e5defd440fa8d7944aaa3f1c7f" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"></p><h1><strong>This Lolita design includes many intricate details such as layered patterns, bows, and lace trims. How did Marvelous Designer help improve your workflow or enable unique design effects?</strong></h1><p>When working with multiple layers in Marvelous Designer, I use the <strong>Layer</strong> feature to define the hierarchy of each pattern. I also rely on <strong>Deactivate</strong> and <strong>Freeze</strong> functions to adjust layers individually.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/eaa475663865471daf92400dd1591168MD%E6%88%AA%E5%9B%BE02.png" alt="eaa475663865471daf92400dd1591168" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="eaa475663865471daf92400dd1591168" data-width="2511" data-height="1911"></p><p>Creating lace trims is also very efficient in Marvelous Designer. I typically adjust the pattern length or modify the <strong>weft/warp shrinkage ratio</strong> to achieve lace-like effects, and sometimes use the <strong>pleats and fold</strong> tools to create textures similar to pleated skirts.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/3fec3db6c7054d3389cbc9bfe34e7e76MD%E6%88%AA%E5%9B%BE01.png" alt="3fec3db6c7054d3389cbc9bfe34e7e76" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="3fec3db6c7054d3389cbc9bfe34e7e76" data-width="2515" data-height="1914"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/e76341eebdbd4bad8c3dcaa39ce22032%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA03.jpg" alt="e76341eebdbd4bad8c3dcaa39ce22032" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="e76341eebdbd4bad8c3dcaa39ce22032" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/b5f1aae341e34b93918128849a3db362%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA07.jpg" alt="b5f1aae341e34b93918128849a3db362" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="b5f1aae341e34b93918128849a3db362" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"></p><p>The bows featured on the Lolita dress were all made using Marvelous Designer. One major advantage of using the software for bow creation is the flexibility to quickly model different styles based on your needs. I often use the <strong>Fold Arrangement</strong> tool and fine-tune details by adjusting the <strong>fold angle</strong> along internal lines.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/14f125bf835b490290623c56a906957e%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA09.jpg" alt="14f125bf835b490290623c56a906957e" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="14f125bf835b490290623c56a906957e" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/06538a62d14646b0b3221f9a87b649d8%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA11.jpg" alt="06538a62d14646b0b3221f9a87b649d8" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="06538a62d14646b0b3221f9a87b649d8" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/16e16f7698d648d19916443025e6c80c%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA10.jpg" alt="16e16f7698d648d19916443025e6c80c" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="16e16f7698d648d19916443025e6c80c" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"></p><h1><strong>Did you encounter any challenges during the creation process? How did you overcome them?</strong></h1><p>The main challenge I faced was with the <strong>skirt</strong>. Due to its large surface area and the layering of multiple pattern pieces, the CPU simulation became quite laggy. Additionally, it was difficult to achieve the exact volume and shape I had envisioned for the skirt.</p><p>To resolve this, I worked on the skirt separately in a dedicated project file, and went through <strong>multiple iterations</strong> adjusting the structure of the <strong>petticoat</strong>. I also fine-tuned the <strong>fabric properties</strong> for each layered piece individually. These steps eventually helped me reach a satisfying result.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/d0f30adc247d4eee8d4ca45c24d7848d%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA01.jpg" alt="d0f30adc247d4eee8d4ca45c24d7848d" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="d0f30adc247d4eee8d4ca45c24d7848d" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"></p><h1><strong>Could you briefly walk us through the tools and software you used during this project? Was Marvelous Designer well integrated into your workflow?</strong></h1><p>I began with <strong>Marvelous Designer</strong> to create the garments during the modeling phase. The assets were then imported into <strong>Blender</strong>, where I performed <strong>retopology</strong>, added <strong>edge bindings</strong>, and created accessories.</p><p>For the texturing process, I used <strong>Substance Designer</strong> to craft the fabric patterns and materials. Final rendering was done in <strong>Blender</strong>.</p><p>Overall, the workflow between Marvelous Designer and Blender was very smooth and efficient.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/ef14418d53db452cac24563c97a54f23%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA13.jpg" alt="ef14418d53db452cac24563c97a54f23" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="ef14418d53db452cac24563c97a54f23" data-width="3840" data-height="2090"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/3c3f6403046e49508b51cab8dff65573%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA17.jpg" alt="3c3f6403046e49508b51cab8dff65573" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="3c3f6403046e49508b51cab8dff65573" data-width="3840" data-height="2090"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/63f5e08df7a94c6192087e05d0fe6160%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA14.jpg" alt="63f5e08df7a94c6192087e05d0fe6160" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="63f5e08df7a94c6192087e05d0fe6160" data-width="3840" data-height="2090"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/074d8dd9ebd8403697a84b59b61c0a9c%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA15.jpg" alt="074d8dd9ebd8403697a84b59b61c0a9c" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="074d8dd9ebd8403697a84b59b61c0a9c" data-width="3840" data-height="2090"><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/b05303d935dc4714b822857f9c9583f5%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA16.jpg" alt="b05303d935dc4714b822857f9c9583f5" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="b05303d935dc4714b822857f9c9583f5" data-width="3840" data-height="2090"></p><h1><strong>Do you have any advice for beginners who want to create a Lolita-style outfit using Marvelous Designer?</strong></h1><p>My first piece of advice would be to <strong>use a higher-spec computer</strong>, as creating detailed Lolita garments can be quite demanding on system performance, especially when dealing with multiple layers and heavy simulations.</p><p>Also, it’s very helpful to collect <strong>high-quality references</strong> of Lolita designs. I’d like to recommend my mentor, <strong>JueFei Kay20000</strong> — you can check out his ArtStation portfolio here:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://kay20000.artstation.com"><u>https://kay20000.artstation.com</u></a></p><h1><strong>How has your overall experience with Marvelous Designer been? Are there any improvements or new features you’d like to see in the future?</strong></h1><p>This piece was created in 2023, when GPU simulation optimization hadn’t been introduced yet — so the process was relatively slow.</p><p>However, with continuous updates, Marvelous Designer has made <strong>significant improvements</strong> in performance. I recently saw the feature highlights for <strong>Marvelous Designer 2025.0</strong>, and I’m especially looking forward to the <strong>redesigned UI</strong> and the <strong>quick-access asset store</strong>, both of which I believe will greatly enhance workflow efficiency.</p><p><img src="https://storagefiles.clo-set.com/public/community/202506/fc8a1ec901504001bda74fd0f890409b/images/8f6558a981fe405691b3dc24aa1f9122%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81%E5%B1%95%E7%A4%BA04.jpg" alt="8f6558a981fe405691b3dc24aa1f9122" class="custom-image original-size" data-id="8f6558a981fe405691b3dc24aa1f9122" data-width="3840" data-height="2160"></p><p></p><p></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artstation.com/qhhkkkk">Artstation</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://space.bilibili.com/19462987">Bilibili</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.xiaohongshu.com/user/profile/5db3019f0000000001006cba?xsec_token=ABNyM9g_1t4qNIZ7P48FA3UICMa9L426P9VlDHeQffIdI=&amp;xsec_source=pc_note">RedNote</a></p>