‘Expansion’ by Alen Gajšek. This neon-soaked depiction of a futuristic DeLorean was created using Cinema 4D and Octane Render
Also known as outrun and retrowave, synthwave is first and foremost a style of electronic music, heavily indebted to the electro-synth sounds of the 1980s. As the genre rose to prominence throughout the 2000s, achieving more mainstream success in the 2010s with cultural touchstones like Drive and Stranger Things, it became associated with a particular visual style.
This visual style is similarly indebted to the 1980s, with purple and magenta neon, chrome, gridlines, and VHS effects, to name just a few of its recognisable tropes. It’s a style familiar to any artist working today and after more than a decade, its popularity doesn’t appear to be fading. 3D World felt the time was right to get the inside track on this popular style. Where did it come from? What is its lasting appeal? How can 3D artists create their own neon-soaked vistas? We have assembled the experts to answer all these questions and more.