[Elliott]

Golden Sun Syndicate Forums Artwork Contest

----------------------------------------------------------

To encourage activity on the forums, I have decided to hold an art contest for all forum members (including moderators who won't be judging and Max). The contest will be divided into 4 separate categories, which are listed and described below. I hope these categories will provide an area for every member to show their skills.

----------------------------------------------------------

CONTEST CATEGORIES

Pixel Art & Sprites
Entries submitted into this category must be done using programs that can create artwork pixel by pixel. Examples are MS Paint, Photoshop, and Fireworks. Examples of this style of art are graphics for GBA or SNES games. Entries here will be judged on concept originality, level of detail, and aesthetics.
Modifies sprites are allowed, but you must provide the original


Poetry & Stories
This category is for all text based artworks such as poetry, stories, articles etc. Submissions into this category must be 100% text based. Entries here will be judged on concept originality, grammar/spelling, how closely they follow the subject (stories), and vocabulary. That subject is: Fantasy (thanks Neo)


Graphics & Photo Manipulation
This category is for artworks done using programs that can create 3 Dimensional, Vector or raster graphics. Some examples are 3D Studio Max, Photoshop, Illustrator etc. This is a very broad category, and is open to many genres. This category also caters for photo manipulation. The photography does not have to be your own, but you must make sure you ask permission for photos, or get them royalty free. Original photos must also be posted so the judges can see to what extent they have been manipulated and edited. Please use common sense when submitting to this category. Entries here will be judged on concept originality, level of detail, image quality, and aesthetics.


Drawings and Paintings
This category is for works that are done by hand on paper or canvas. You may submit any kind of traditional sketch, comic, painting etc. into this category. Entries here will be judged on concept originality, level of detail, and aesthetics.

----------------------------------------------------------

CONTEST RULES

- All submissions must be your own work, with the obvious exception of stock photos in the photo manipulation category.
- Any member found submitting work that is not their own will be disqualified, and warned (33% increase).
- All entries for each category will be judged on a scale of 1 through to 20; 20 being the best possible score, and 1 being the worst.
- Each judge will rate each piece out of 20, and then the average of the 3 will be given a a final score.
- Each member may only submit 1 entry per category.
- Judges may not submit entries for obvious reasons.
- Judges may not guide or aid members in any way shape or form.

The contest will open July 15th, and entries will close July 31st. When I say entries close, I mean that each topic will be simultaneously locked, meaning no more entires will be looked at. The judges will be given a period of 7 days to review each submission, give their individual ratings, and then I will work out the averages, and post the final scores on the 7th day. Further submission details will be found in the opening post of each topic (these topics will be started by me). Anyone found creating their own topic for their submissions will be verbally warned, then officially warned if repeating the offence.

Submit your entires into the corresponding pinned topic on the off topic forum; 1 post per topic, per member. No discussion will be allowed in those topics, and any member found posting twice in any one topic will be verbally warned, then officially warned if repeating the offence.

Post any questions regarding the contest in this topic.

----------------------------------------------------------

The judges for the contest will be:
nick1presta
Agatio
Sheba

This works it out to having 1 administrator, 1 moderator, and 1 regular member on the judges 'panel'. This system I felt was fairer, and the people chosen will not be in any way bias to any member or their submission.

----------------------------------------------------------

Good luck and have fun

- Agatio

[Shadowed Freedom]

Sounds like a plan, this way y'all will have a good look at why I haven't been posting and what my new design company is all about lol! Graphics here we come!

[Neo]

A very good idea, Agatio. it will surely increase the activity, and members will actually have to push themselves for once in their lives.
I do have a question though;

In the Story part, maybe it would be better if the judges decide a subject for the story, and then the ones which have volunteerd must write a story about that subject. (the subjects can be quite broad; like WWII, Fantasy etc)

[Wiflewood]

I agree. That would make it easier to compare entries, which in turn would make the competition fairer.

[Elliott]

Good idea Neo. I will edit the main post some time today with a subject that the story has to follow, and perhaps a word limit (we don't want to read 10 4000 essays you know). Thanks.

[Neo]

And do you also have a word limit? I don't want to start typing 10 pages, to find out it's not suitable :agitated:

[Elliott]

I guess nothing over 400, but it depends really, I doubt we will get a LOT of stories, just do what you need to, but consider that 3 people will have to read it, as well as everyone else's.

[Nick Presta]

Personally, I don't have a problem with long stories. I enjoy lengthy stories and don't mind reading an entry for a long time.

However, I cannot speak for Agatio or Sheba, so please use discretion when creating a story.

[loz]

normal stories that they make us do in our school is either 450+ words or 750+ words...but it all depends on the subject also some are hard to write alot and some you cant get a good story when having to write it short.

[Neo]

Agatio, on Jul 9 2005, 12:00 AM, said:

I guess nothing over 400, but it depends really, I doubt we will get a LOT of stories, just do what you need to, but consider that 3 people will have to read it, as well as everyone else's.

I guess you mean 4000 words... because I can't do nothing with 400... I have 492 words now, and I just made the Intro.

[lifeform287]

Sprites? This sounds like something I must enter....time to see what I can make a good edit of...

[Andross]

I guess you all know what I'm doing . . . now that GV is out of my way and all, I can do something else in 3DSM.

[Wiflewood]

Aha, a competitor in the sprites department I see. Great idea Agatio, should be good fun at least.

[Eugine]

I could attempt... But I have no skills what so ever in any of those computer graphics programs. :agitated:

[lifeform287]

Wiflewood, on Jul 9 2005, 01:11 PM, said:

Aha, a competitor in the sprites department I see.

For me Sprites over Pixel Art. I'm goin for a tough edit...
Oh and do Sprite Edit Animations count?

[Elliott]

Yes, Sprite edit animations count. Anything that is done pixel by pixel can be submitted into that category. But you must show the original when doing an edit.

[Luna]

nick1presta, on Jul 8 2005, 06:28 PM, said:

Personally, I don't have a problem with long stories. I enjoy lengthy stories and don't mind reading an entry for a long time.

However, I cannot speak for Agatio or Sheba, so please use discretion when creating a story.

I am a bookworm. Or should I make myself clearer? :D

I don't mind if it is long.

[Neo]

There is only a slight problem at the moment... my computer is broken T_T

I'll try getting it fixed as soon as possible... but the computer won't even start up one of the HD, and won't make contact with my monitor... Guess I'll have to open up my computer, and try to put in an empty HD, and connect a new monitor.

[Elliott]

The contest has begun, see off topic forum for submission threads.
Threads are for submissions only, NO discussion whatsoever.
Questions and discussion to still take place in this topic.

[Nemphtis]

I may submit some crap into poetry and stuff if I'm bored later today, considering I'm not tired after I get back from work actually.

[lifeform287]

I would submit poetry if I were you Anubis. You would have a good chance of winning.

Nicest thing I'm gonna say. I swear.

[Someone Else]

Why isn't there a photography section..?

[Elliott]

Because I didn't want one in the competition, quite simply.

[Nemphtis]

That's not fair, I always thought I was good at taking nude pics of people secretly from outside their windows. I deffinately would have got first prize in that one. :lol:

[Ravenblade]

Are you allowed to post artwork that you have previously put up in your art topic or do i have to attempt to persuade my scanner to work and submit something new?

[Elliott]

Post artwork old or new as long as it is your own.

[Wiflewood]

Can I just ask why the Artwork contest isn't in the Artwork forum?

[Luna]

Cause people look more at Off-Topic? Cause Agatio said so? :D I don't know. The point is. It's SOMEWHERE. And people submit stuff. D: *wants more people to submit stuff*

[Wild Fox]

So there is no set word limit for the story section? Because I can't write poop with a word limit. I'm halfway through the story and it's 4992 words. :smile:

[Neo]

You Judges are so lucky!! I wanted to enter my 17 pages long story, but my computer crashed as you know!...
Now I have to write a new one :smile:

[Luna]

I LIKE READING. Writewritewrite. Now.

[Elliott]

Post some stuff people.

The drawnings and painting section is going be be totally empty. All 3 topics will be locked monday morning for me (I don't know what time that is for you, but I'm sure it's past the deadline). Sorry you only have a couple more days to get your entries in. After that allow 7 days for the 3 judges to go through the entries and come up with winners.

And yes, I do realise this was a total flop, no need to tell me.

[Nick Presta]

This was a total flop.

[Andross]

nick1presta, on Jul 30 2005, 01:23 PM, said:

This was a total flop.

Yup. There were barely any entries :/
Why will it take 7 days to go through 'em? Just do it in one, there aren't that many items.

[Elliott]

Nice set Nick :)
Ok, maybe I'll shorten the judging period to 2 days =/ .