The Aqsis Team (www.aqsis.org) has just released the first in a series of monthly challenges allowing you to win gifts for using their RenderMan-compliant renderer.
This month’s challenge is to render an outdoor ‘Summertime’-based scene - That’s it !!! 
If anyone’s interested you can find more info here - http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1177&forum=19
Enjoy.
Just a reminder, the challenge is now at the half-way mark… so if you’re interested in submitting stop reading and start rendering. 
The Aqsis September 2005 render challenge is now in it’s final week - All entries must be submitted before 13:00 (GMT) on Friday 30th.
For those that need to remind themselves…
http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1177
Again, good luck to all those who enter.
October’s challenge has just been announced, allowing you to win a great collection of RenderMan shaders for showing your darker side.
Those interested can find more info here - http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1195
Good luck.
wow neat…
I use Aqusis so SILO has a free rendering system… (I also use POVRAY 64bit version for silo)
I have been verry impressed with the Aqusis development, they realy are doing lots of work on the rendering engine.
I think the Blender team is useing it for a movie they are makeing also.
going to try out your links… thanks for the post 
EDIT:
WOW I misread your post…
Thankyou and your team for makeing this for us :), I may try the challange…
Can you suggest the best program to access all the aqusis shaders? I have only tried it with SILO and the Silo material system is quite primitive… I can only seem to get a white phong shader out of it…
I am a big blender fan, but they dont seem to support any native scripts for RIB export…
I see wings 3d has a rib exporter too that I may try later on today.
well anyways, TIA for any help
the shaders look verry impressive on the Aqusis gallery, and I would Love to start playing with them more :)
went to the Forum on Aqusis site and found a nice SILO tutorial 
http://www.keegan3d.com/tutorials/aqsis_silo/SiloToAqsis.htm
Looks like I have to manualy enter the shader names in Silo, I am going to go and get the Wings 3d RIB exporter and see if it allows me to choose shaders with a dropdown menu or something…
later I will try Blenderman, for blender
hey polaris fan of blender…
Thanks Aminuts
will give it a whirl in a few minuets.
Looks like there are lots of free shaders out there for renderman complient systems…
Going to do me some shopping 8)
This is a tricky subject but K-3D, on the open source front, probably fits the bill best - As it’s a RenderMan-based DCC tool (which I believe supports our new ‘Layered Shader’ feature).
I’m hoping to attract some interest in a RenderMan script at this year’s Blender conference, so we’ll see what happens - Though, ideally, a more flexible rendering architecture within Blender itself would be the ultimate goal.
Ok Thanks,
I tried K-3D a year or so ago. I realy liked the tutorial system. reminded me somewhat of Zscript tutorials in Zbrush
I Think I saw K3d in the debian64 bit apt repository too which is another plus in my world
Well Thanks Panther for your information, I am going to give it a shot in Linux and in Windows X64.
I found some nice Toon shaders Here:
http://www.highend3d.com/renderman/downloads/shaders/page1.html?numi=67
they look verry nice:)
This is very fun , I am chatting on #aqsis on irc.freenode.net right now… very nice people…
Think I have a theme for my contest entree also
Just a reminder, the October render challenge is now passed the half-way mark !!! - http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1195
Just to let you know…
The October render challenge is now in it’s final week, so if you want to submit something please be aware that the clock is ticking.
http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1195
Good luck.
dont have much time for the contest…
just wanted to say thanks to you and your team, I am going to be useing your rendering engine in the near future on a comercial priject…
I am terrable at makeing hair… so I am useing the MakeHuman, Make-Hair alpha script in blender… which in turn uses your nice rendering engine to make hairs for me…
I plan on giveing you guys a % in the donation bin upon my payment 
small_orange_diamond
Yeah, the MH projects are very nice indeed - The new ‘Standalone’ version will work with RenderMan renderers directly (no need for Blender/scripts).
Much appreciated !!!
New month, new challenge, new prize !!!
More info can be found here…
http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1215
Again, good luck to those interested.
It’s that time again, but this month’s render challenge is a little special…
December is a time of giving, so this month we have not 1, but 2 great prizes to give away !!!
http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1244
Up for the challenge ???
Just a reminder, the December (2005) challenge is now passed the half-way mark - http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1244
Time for a new render challenge, but one with a slight twist as the focus is on lighting/illumination rather than fancy modelling…
http://www.aqsis.org/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1287
Good luck to those interested.