Brainstorming an E4 Art contest, ideas? (UPDATE w/ Launch!)

General
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(Original post, to be kept for historical purposes :grin: )

@azulryu , I think it is a wonderful idea to talk about. If enough people are interested we could go from there, and if not, hey, we tried.

What are everyone’s thoughts on an art contest for fun, perhaps with minor prizes or some other mutually agreed upon results… (maybe just pride? :grin: )

Perhaps a seasonal thing, annual thing, sorta arranged like a Secret Santa thing by one of the members (I would be happy to be involved in the organization, wouldn’t be too demanding at all, especially considering there wouldn’t be that many participants I wouldn’t think)

My thoughts are any kind of illustration/painting/sculpture, we could create rules and what not, and if it blossoms it could evolve and go from there.

Ideas, thoughts, yay, nay?

****** FINAL SUMMARY UPDATE 2/20/2021 ******

CONTEST BEGINS MARCH 21st! MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!

Here are the final details, and remember, the official thread will have some new info–the purpose of this is to give basics of what to expect:

Submission Categories. To compete, choose one, but no more than 2 of the following categories to submit any form of art to:

  1. 3D/Virtual category. Any use or manipulation of preexisting Pokemon virtual or life-like media, be it any gaming franchise visual material, or real Pokemon objects. This is meant as a way to collage or take/make use of existing property and create something new out of it. We will provide all necessary detail upon the date so to make clear what this entails. It is basically anything that involves a pastiche of preexisting Pokemon outside of the TCG. Think of it like this–if it requires a computer, and makes use of already existing material, it likely fits in this category. There WILL NOT be a Classic Snap Category in this. See my latest post on this thread.

  2. Child drawing category. Think of the Illustrator contest back in the day in Japan, like for the vending cards. Just like that. For all skill levels. Any design goes. This is intended for those who don’t consider themselves a higher artistic caliber and will be arguably the most fun category and with the widest range of imaginative potential.

  3. Recreation category. Recreating an existing card art or stock art style. You have a favorite artwork by one of your favorite artists and want to copy it and show E4 how well you can reproduce it for your own wall/framing? This is for you. Widening the shot would be allowed (like drawing legs that aren’t there if the source was from a card in which it was a close up). You can also alter colors or backgrounds! This is meant for those who are uninterested or averse to coming up with things from scratch, or love to draw what others have done to improve or refine your skills, or simply enjoy the amazing work you can already produce.

  4. Original category. Any Pokemon, one or more allowed, and draw any original pose (and background for extra effort/points). You can design a trainer or Pokemon just like every other category. This category also includes any standalone original art. This sort of art would be treated as a trainer card if we went with the prize options below if you were chosen as winner. This is essentially the “adult” category. Child drawing is also original, but this is intended for the tougher competition. But it doesn’t have to be hand drawn. Multiple mediums can be realized. This is the broadest category. Literally anything original by the higher skill / artistic competitors.

Judging/Ballot. There will be a ballot made available in the official contes thread. Participants will be required to vote, but this ballot will be available to ALL OF E4, including those not entering in. Ideally we want all active E4 members (that care) to check out all the amazing art and give their opinions via this ballot. It will be ANONYMOUSLY SUBMITTED (PM style), so there will be no concern of popularity contests, conflict of interest, or any other such negative!

To get an idea:

*Child Drawing Category (scale of 1 to 10 for each)*

  1. Originality/creativity
  2. Effort.
  3. Is it child-like?
  4. Pokemon Personality/Impression. (How much it captures the spirit of the Pokemon).
  5. Fun/entertainment factor. (How much you enjoy it overall)

The rubric will have a simple breakdown of all judging criteria, just enjoy the fine art and have fun voting!

PRIZES.

We will be awarding digital cards, just like the prior Snap Contest last year. As Reina has stated, we will not be printing these for the winners for legal/copyright reasons. But we we award digital or “mock” copies of Winning Trainer 1, 2, and 3 cards to the top 3 contestants of EVERY category that launches! What those trainer cards contain is a surprise for all to look forward to! All categories will have a minimum requirement to launch–obviously we can’t do a category that only has 3 to 5 contestants. More on all this later!

There will also be an digital illustrator card for the WINNER of every category! Get your art made in into a digital card! Display on your profile or in your collection thread! (Same rules in regards to us printing them for winners being prohibited applies).

And that’s not all! We have a couple more modest secrets to unleash upon the launch of the thread. To spice things up! Stay tuned for the contest to find out.

You need only create one piece of art to submit to a contest. But everyone will have the option to pick 2 different categories to submit to!

Any questions? Contact Azulryu, Kingboo64, or myself.

I hope we have a great turnout and if so, this may just become a new annual tradition! Everyone get ready!!!

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Even though im not that artistic, it would be fun to try out! Maybe it could be like the snap contest from last year? Also maybe once the switch version comes out we can do a second one!

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@brendantheclayboy, I’d be happy to help organize it, I’ve got some ideas. We could have the top 3 winners get their art made into a card, and maybe have some modern product or a cool promo as prizes

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I’m definitely in favour of this! I don’t think prizes should be anything costly, but @ @kingboo64 's idea of turning the artwork into a card would be cool.

If sanctioned by Scott or an admin this little forum badge could be given to the winners from the gift page.

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I would love to see them but I’m not drawing for a contest simply because I’m horrible at it! Check my Phyduck for reference.

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I’m down to do this, think a prize would be cool

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Im for a contest like this but likely with several judging categories to prevent the more professionally artistic users sweeping it. Something like original design, use of medium, popularity, and the joke PSA11 (For those of us without talent) categories. Of course that depends on how many people would even be interested in it.

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Fantastic idea, @brendantheclayboy ! I’d be down to it!

This should also be done 100%! Loved all the entries!

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Well, there goes my strategy

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Oh yes please, I’m so down for this

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I agree with this and I also would help contribute to a prize or w/e as well :blush:

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I think this is a fantastic idea, not sure if I’d participate due to my lack of artistic ability but I think it’d be really fun for those who do!

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@brendantheclayboy , thanks for taking the reigns on this! Glad to see so many people are interested! I think you could easily have different sections like:

  • Best “childlike” art
  • Best overall art
  • Best 3D art
  • etc

Like having 3 categories or something per contest, something along those lines, that way it lets the majority of people feel like they can participate to some capacity.

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Im gona sound like a major soccer mom here but i would also like to see participation badges, seeing how i want to draw but dont want to feel like im a complete loser when it comes to badges

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I’m down to give it a shot, but there is no way I’m winning in a 1:1 skill competition with some of the super talented artists I’ve seen on here. I think it would be cool if there were different categories to compete in.

Maybe we could have a category where the template/canvas is a blank Pokemon card? We could have the option of doing the traditional card layout, the amazing rare layout, Full art, or something new? Bonus creativity points for the artistically challenged?

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Love this idea. Sounds like a lot of fun. We have a lot of talented people here, just wish I was one of them:(

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This sounds like a great idea!

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Excellent, Scott’s blessing is all I need to really push it haha. And of course within just a couple hours there’s already quite a few people who seem interested enough, in addition to more over time as exposure increases.

So far I like the idea of categories or art styles.

Skill level might be hard to implement, so we might just consider voting allowed by all forum members, in addition to participants.

To mitigate it just being a case of clearly the most raw talented person wins every time, we would have, in addition to multiple placing and categories, a judge criteria full of categories, like:

  1. Attention to Pokemon personality
  2. Effort
  3. Background or Atmosphere
  4. Style
  5. Originality

And so on, as examples. That can be hashed out once we complete brainstorming and every interested member has had a chance to throw in ideas or suggestions.

I think we let this ride out for enough time that everyone has seen it, maybe a week or 2, whatever… then we take all good ideas and forge a grading/rules rubric.

Then not long after that we can create a signup! Participants can vote for each category, with the judgement categories that are the same across all submission categories. Savvy?

Making a card out of winners would be great!

@azulryu you’re spot on. Agree. Lofi art? Love the childlike art category. Amazing idea. That would have to be in every “season” or contest. That’s it, that’s our way of dealing with the challenge of not discouraging any and all people. Love it!

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And oh my, the snap idea is SICK!

Okay, so submission art categories, then grading/judging categories to cast votes based on, a simple system based on realizing a score that will be added up for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place of each submission category.

I love the idea that a “photography” category be made available! I am ready with my N64 Pokemon Snap!!!

Another thought needing to be hashed out would be if participants are limited to only one submission category. But of course, the first contest and more is perfectly fine being a trial and error to me. But that doesn’t mean we can’t really narrow it down to what seems like a community-refined, solid first go at it!

@kingboo64 I’d be happy to have you, me, and even one other person be the organizers!

Participation badges are a fun idea too! We’d wanna see everyone who participates have the badge for that season, awesome idea.

Love Gus’s idea of adding that submission category as well.

Replication category for cards, mimicking a current existing style of any kind.

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Oh and another idea, if we hash everything out and it looks good, when the time comes, we will still need a minimum entry number of participants. That will be essential. Normally I’d say signup would be something like a month, just like Secret Santa, but if in the event we are short on that minimum, we could extend it. Not sure what it would be, like an extra week or 2, but obviously no one would find much enthusiasm in there only being 15 or so participants for example.

But I think with several awesome submission categories, we could really make it work. If one or even two (child drawing and snap photo of any 3D game) submission categories were available, we would effectively widen the interest and temptation to enter. I personally just love the idea of the snap one. That HAS to go in. And anyone can do that. All skill levels.

Please, everyone that is interested, keep throwing in ideas and build up the cause!

I encourage even those who wouldn’t think of entering to give ideas, suggestions, for rules, entries, prizes, etc. Because in the end, all members would be able to enjoy the art thread of submissions and furthermore, be able to vote for each category.

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