3dsense Alumni Make Top 10 at Lightbox Paint-a-Thon

The global digital art community recently witnessed one of its most intense and creatively demanding events, that is, the Lightbox 24-Hour “Fireside Fable” Paint-a-Thon Challenge. Teams from across the world were invited to render a complete illustration within a strict 24-hour window.

A team of four alumni from 3dsense Concept Art & Illustration Program secured a place among the Top 10 entries worldwide - Peter Hadiono (@egaouki), Kar Weng Lee (@zankuoart), Xinran Ning (@kingdaisies), and Jiajia Hua (@jiajia.hua).

This milestone highlights their personal abilities and collaborative effort, shaped by the training they received at 3dsense.

The team registered under the name of Dandelion Coregency. Their entry was titled “Requiem for the Artificial”. It addressed a timely and complex subject of the interplay between human artistry and AI-generated imagery.

Featured Art: Requiem For The Artificial by 3dsense Alumni Team - Dandelion Coregency

A 24-Hour Creative Marathon

The Lightbox Paint-a-Thon stands apart from typical competitions. It is meant to push artists to conceive and design an entire illustration within just 24 hours. The prompt is also revealed only a day before. This situation demands rapid execution and sustained focus.

The 2025 prompt was “It all comes down to this… the performance of a lifetime!” It encouraged teams to explore themes of drama and culmination, as well as the stakes inherent in moments of profound expression.

The judging panel included respected industry professionals. Angela Sung, Celine Kim, and Helen Mingjue Chen are all recognized for their work in animation and illustration. All of them are also recognized for their projects, such as KPOP - Demon Hunters. Their evaluation made sure that entries were measured by their craft as well as the narratives they conveyed.

The theme resonated on multiple levels for ‘Dandelion Coregency’. They interpreted the idea of a “performance” not as a stage act but as the practice of creating meaningful art challenged by the rise of AI-generated images.

The Concept of Requiem for the Artificial

The inspiration behind Requiem for the Artificial was both personal and professional.

AI-generated art has recently caused the creative community to be at odds. It is often trained on the work of human artists without their consent. And even though AI can create great illustrations, it still lacks the emotional depth and intent that only a human creation can embody.

The team of our alumni aimed to provide a visual representation of that distinction. Their concept presents a symbolic confrontation between artists and artificial counterparts.

The AI figures in the piece are deliberately unsettling, like humanoids but unnatural, like six-fingered hands. The masked faces symbolized artificial mimicry of emotions. These design choices draw influence from classic references, such as Tetsuo’s human-robots in Akira, to evoke discomfort and reflection.

As Kar Weng explained,

“We wanted to show that producing art is our performance, and that every day we, as artists, perform against forces that seek to replicate our work without understanding its meaning.”

The work, therefore, serves as a homage to human creativity as well as a critique of imitation devoid of intent.

Featured Art: Moodboard for Requiem For The Artificial

Collaboration Rooted in Training

Collaborative digital painting is complex. Variations in style and approach can easily fracture a shared composition. Thus, the process behind the illustration is equally noteworthy.

None of the team members had previously worked together on a single canvas. Yet their shared experience in the 3dsense Concept Art & Illustration Program provided a common foundation of rendering techniques and workflow methodology.

Xinran reflected on this foundation,

“Being classmates at 3dsense gave us a shared vocabulary and method, which was essential for maintaining cohesion. It was the framework that allowed us to work efficiently under pressure.”

The team began with a brainstorming session in Magma. They produced a series of rough sketches and thumbnails. As soon as the visual direction was established, responsibilities were divided equally. One artist focused on AI antagonist designs. Another handled the main human character. A third developed supporting original characters, and the last worked on the environment.

These tasks were executed in parallel, with live feedback via Discord. Layers were merged into a single PSD file for critique and adjustments every hour.

Featured Art: Thumbnails for Requiem For The Artificial

A Creative Response to the Challenge

The prompt encouraged exploration of the performance of a lifetime, and the team applied this concept both narratively and visually.

The Requiem for the Artificial shows human artists as performers on a stage, confronting artificial creations that mimic life but lack depth. The AI figures are masked and intentionally uncanny. This was meant to symbolize the limitations of imitation.

Peter Hadiono noted the value of the collaboration itself,

“Working on a single art piece as a team was an enlightening experience. We drew differently, yet could merge those approaches into something cohesive and impactful. It was a rare opportunity to learn from one another while creating something significant.”

Jiajia emphasized the team’s commitment under the tight timeframe,

“The process demanded complete focus. Everyone contributed ideas and energy, and the collaboration was exceptional. Reaching the Top 10 on our first attempt is a reflection of both effort and mutual respect.”

Process Highlights

The workflow adhered to standards of individual expertise and shared training.

1. Mood boards and reference gathering
2. Thumbnail sketches and composition planning to frame the narrative
3. 3D block-outs to determine perspective and spatial relationships
4. Character and environment design executed in parallel
5. Layer merging and iterative critique to maintain cohesion
6. Final rendering in preparation for submission

Featured Art: Process Shot for Requiem For The Artificial

Recognition and Impact

The entry’s inclusion in the Top 10 is a reflection of artistic skill and conceptual clarity. It stands among hundreds of global entries, selected for its technical execution and visual impact.

Other than recognition, the piece expresses a position pertinent to the state of the visual arts at present. At a moment in time where AI-generated imagery is reshaping the industry around us, their achievement reaffirms the depth and nuance of human creativity.

This ranking in the top 10 also reinforces what 3dsense Media School strives to impart, namely, a solid base in digital art, combined with intellect and workflow structure.

3dsense Principles Behind Alumni Success

Dandelion Coregency's achievement is a concrete instance of the lasting impact of 3dsense training.

Our creative school fosters problem-solving and industry-aligned collaboration. We cultivate artists who transcend technical skill alone. Our graduates are production-ready professionals who bring reliability and intelligence to creative discourse.

The success of our alumni in such a highly competitive and time-constrained global event attests to the efficacy of our educational model.

Looking Forward

Congratulations to Peter, Kar Weng, Xinran, and Jiajia from the entire 3dsense Media School community. Your achievement goes beyond technical mastery; it exemplifies artistic courage, integrity, and a commitment to authenticity in an industry where such values are increasingly rare!