Author Topic: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift  (Read 6692 times)

ZeaLitY

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March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« on: February 26, 2007, 07:08:55 pm »
The current contest is Spring's Gift. Please submit your fan art within this forum. There is no theme, as long as the subject matter remains related to the Chrono franchise.


...some things every artist should consider when making their entry:

1.  It will be judged as seen on a computer screen.

The exact size and type of screens used will be released at a later time. Images that are too big to be viewed on the screen will not be resized. (Edit: The judges will have screens that are at least capable of 1024x768, so you can feel safe with anything up to about 1000 pixels wide or 600 pixels tall. Also, read my original post below for more details on what this means for entries that aren't images, like plush dolls and what not. -- Ramsus)

2.  The work will be judged in isolation of the artist's identity, by judges of varying levels of familiarity with the Chrono series.

This means you can assume some common background knowledge of the Chrono series and use it in your works. I can't say the same for any subculture or slang references, since some of the judges may not be from the same country, or might not be familiar the online gaming culture. In other words, "O Rly?" or "pwned!" might not make sense to some of the judges. The same goes for SNL references.

3.  While technique is important, the perceived "difficulty" or "effort" of an angle, pose, or technique will not be a basis for judging any of the works.

This is an easy one to understand. If you try something challenging just because it's hard, but it doesn't make the work any more interesting or appealing (or you flat out failed with it), then all it shows is bad taste in entering it as an example of "your best" work. This isn't kindergarten, so we won't feel bad for you and give you points for trying harder. If you want to try something, find a feeling, theme, or story and try communicating it with your character's poses, the angle of the scene, the lighting, the colors, and the characteristics of the techniques you decide to use... That's much more important than trying a "hard to draw" pose.

After all, you wouldn't expect a master croissant chef, if given the opportunity to cook whatever he wants for a contest, to compete by making some new type of pie he's still trying to master.

While you should always push yourself as an artist, remember that you should also be mindful of what you show the world, and what you do for practice or experiment. A good photographer will often take thousands of photos only to end up showing people a few dozen.

So try a few things first (brainstorm -- draw lots of thumbnails and rough drafts, look at some references, experiment), use the techniques you've already mastered (even if they're still few in number) in place of the ones you're still learning to do your best work, hide it for a week, fix it, and then enter...

(Edit: Also, feel free to change, update, or remove your entry at any time, so if you notice a few problems or have a completely new and better idea, you can fix it before the deadline. -- Ramsus )

At the end of contests, existing entries will be judged, placed on applicable areas of the Compendium, and then relegated (the threads, that is) to a subforum for past entries.
« Last Edit: February 29, 2008, 10:15:51 pm by ZeaLitY »

nightmare975

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2007, 12:04:06 am »
May I ask what we should draw?

Chrono'99

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2007, 01:35:25 pm »
Yeah, is it the theme free? no forced theme like in the CCrisis art contest?

ZeaLitY

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2007, 02:56:09 pm »
I'd say so. Just something related to the Chrono series.

Ramsus

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2007, 03:53:05 pm »
Without knowing how the judges will be viewing the works, the artists are pretty much shooting in the dark at this point. It'd be better to release a few details about how each judge will be viewing the works (i.e. screen size, platform -- gamma on Mac and Windows are different -- and image viewing software or web browser), so that the artist can fully realize the context in which it will be experienced.

For example, if you're creating something for an art gallery exhibit in a narrow hall as part of a competition, you wouldn't make a painting that requires the viewer to step back 20 feet. Also, many artistic works are meant to be experienced in a certain environment, like a fountain statue in a garden. It's only fair to the artist if we let them know in advance that, regardless of how they make the image, it will be rated solely as it looks on the judge's screen.

We should also limit entries to digital images, so that a photo of a plush doll is a photo of a plush doll, and won't be judged by the quality of the plush doll (which would be unfair to the plush doll, since such a thing is meant to be held and felt). It's either that, or actually set up some way to send physical entries to the judges.

Furthermore, all entries should be kept completely anonymous from the judges. No entry should have any identifying marks or data on the image or in the meta-data. This makes it difficult to create to create a context based on who created the work, but it's necessary to prevent personal bias from interfering with the contest.

So some things every artist should consider when making their entry:

1.  It will be judged as seen on a computer screen.

The exact size and type of screens used will be released at a later time. Images that are too big to be viewed on the screen will not be resized.

2.  The work will be judged in isolation of the artist's identity, by judges of varying levels of familiarity with the Chrono series.

This means you can assume some common background knowledge of the Chrono series and use it in your works. I can't say the same for any subculture or slang references, since some of the judges may not be from the same country, or might not be familiar the online gaming culture. In other words, "O Rly?" or "pwned!" might not make sense to some of the judges. The same goes for SNL references.

3.  While technique is important, the perceived "difficulty" or "effort" of an angle, pose, or technique will not be a basis for judging any of the works.

This is an easy one to understand. If you try something challenging just because it's hard, but it doesn't make the work any more interesting or appealing (or you flat out failed with it), then all it shows is bad taste in entering it as an example of "your best" work. This isn't kindergarten, so we won't feel bad for you and give you points for trying harder. If you want to try something, find a feeling, theme, or story and try communicating it with your character's poses, the angle of the scene, the lighting, the colors, and the characteristics of the techniques you decide to use... That's much more important than trying a "hard to draw" pose.

After all, you wouldn't expect a master croissant chef, if given the opportunity to cook whatever he wants for a contest, to compete by making some new type of pie he's still trying to master.

While you should always push yourself as an artist, remember that you should also be mindful of what you show the world, and what you do for practice or experiment. A good photographer will often take thousands of photos only to end up showing people a few dozen.

So try a few things first (brainstorm -- draw lots of thumbnails and rough drafts, look at some references, experiment), use the techniques you've already mastered (even if they're still few in number) in place of the ones you're still learning to do your best work, hide it for a week, fix it, and then enter.

Anyway, good luck to the artists who want to enter. I'll try to find some good judges.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2007, 04:12:16 pm by Ramsus »

saridon

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2007, 02:00:51 am »
are we allowed only a single entry or a few?

Clovis15

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2007, 03:46:57 pm »
I would like to submit the image I finished halfway through February (that's easily within the month limit): http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/48826782/ (the image is clicked for full view). But you're not entirely clear as to how I submit it through this forum, especially since it's not supposed to be known who submitted it (how do I make a post without it being known that's it me, not that my name really carries any swaying power art wise as I don't do much around here)? I just hope I'm not going to get chewed out for asking this.

Ramsus

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2007, 07:53:43 pm »
That's a good point. Some possible solutions:

- Drop the whole anonymous entry thing.
- Use judges who don't even visit the site.
- Have entrants PM or e-mail their entries (Use this for now, if you can. You should be able to attach images to PMs just like regular posts.).
- Provide a subforum that allows anonymous posting, with attachments, and create a thread for making submissions.
- Write an official submission form (most likely method).

Anyway, sorry for the lack of clear entry procedures. I'll  make sure Zeality extends the deadline to be at least 2 months past the date we finalize entry procedures and judging rules. In the meantime, don't worry about it and focus on getting your entry as finished as possible.

Clovis15

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2007, 03:34:13 am »
It stills says to subit through the forum, so does my post count as a submission or is there a specific way I have to make a post here for it to be a submission (I haven't yet seen any other submission posts)?

Specter

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2007, 01:36:42 pm »
I have a question regarding the type of material that may be submitted for this contest. Does "fanart", in this case, encompass such things as Chrono-themed Flash movies or is it limited strictly to drawn mediums?

Ramsus

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2007, 11:00:13 pm »
The only physical limitation is that your entry must be a static digital image of typical display size. This eliminates flash movies, but implies nothing about drawing. The only catch is that it has to be your own work.

To enter, just send your entry in a PM or an E-mail to Zeality with the subject of Spring's Gift and your contact information. You can also post here, but please don't. If you want verification that your entry was received, just PM Zeality about it.

MrSleep

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2007, 01:35:14 am »
I can't figure out how to post an image....

EDIT:nevermind, well here's a submition, you folks want more? can i submit more? too chibi?

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: March 21, 2007, 01:37:31 am by MrSleep »

MrSleep

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Re: March - May 2007 - Spring's Gift
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2007, 03:46:00 pm »
Here's another

[attachment deleted by admin]