Spectrum 20 Deadline

[bcarman]

Just my annual reminder to enter Spectrum 20 by January 25, 2013. It's the 20th anniversary with poster done by Iain McCaig. And then there's the whole gala Spectrum Live 2 in May to announce award winners and party. Here's the link to the entry info: http://www.spectrumfantasticart.com/entry_info.php

[Vay]

I always tell my self to paint something good for Spectrum, but then I ended up procrastinating by painting still lives and doing anatomy studies. Maybe this time? Only time can tell.

[bcarman]

There are a few weeks left. You have the chops to do the work. I think that page in your sb with the sword dripping blood on flower could make a beatuiful painting.

[bcarman]

Don't forget. I'll keep bumping this and me just generally annoying.

[Andrew Sonea]

So I didn't want to start a whole new thread for this, but I was wondering if anyone could give advice on which image(s) I should enter for this Spectrum. I tried last year and didn't get accepted, and expect the same to happen again, but I may as well enter my best images and hope I get accepted. Problem is I can't really judge my own art very objectively...anyways, if people could look at my site and let me know which I should submit I would be very grateful:
http://andrewsonea.com/

[Shorinji_Knight]

Andrew. I like the armoured rino the best for story telling, unique idea, and composition. However, I think it may need some touching up as it is probably a little too loosely rendered for spectrum.

[bcarman]

You never know what the jurors will be drawn. I really like the bird head thingy on your site and also the imaginary portrait on your blog. You know the white head with horns. The hooded robed figure above that is also a strong piece. They all are a little unique which can help a lot in separating from the crowd. It's hard to stand out on that table full of artwork.

[Andrew Sonea]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I might try to enter the rhino piece and the birdman piece then. I don't really feel like the imaginary portrait with horns is all that strong or original, so don't want to spend the extra money to submit it. And unfortunately the robed figure was actually a photo study I did as practice and I can't use it as a personal piece of my own since it would be breaking copyright (I only made up the face, the rest is pretty close to the original photo).

[Velocity Kendall]

"So I didn't want to start a whole new thread for this, but I was wondering if anyone could give advice on which image(s) I should enter for this Spectrum"

That might be a good thread.

[Waipunga]

Mine goes in today.

[Vay]

I didn't submit anything. I lazed off and did more still life paintings instead.

[bcarman]

You have until Friday Vay. Add a floating narwhal to one of your still life paintings. Oh wait, that's my schtick.

[bill618]

Bcarman--thanks for the heads-up. I sent something off last Friday.

BTW, your work is outstanding.

[QueenGwenevere]

I'm kind of miffed that most of the things I really want to submit were done in 2011 or 2010, and I didn't think to submit them then... Bah! Oh well. I've got one from 2012 that might be worth submitting, I'll send that. Just in case, ya know.

This does motivate me to try and crank out some Spectrum-worthy pictures this year, though.

[bcarman]

Queenie, I don't think they will really care unless they were published then. I have submitted things from earlier with "minor" changes in the submission year.

And thanks Bill, good luck.

[Andrew Sonea]

So I just mailed off my entries! Got my fingers crossed now and am hoping for the best

[Mike Tenebrae]

Best of luck to you guys.

Well, luck's the wrong word, but you know what I mean.

[Andrew Sonea]

Best of luck to you guys.

Well, luck's the wrong word, but you know what I mean.

Well luck does play a role--depending on who is judging each year what gets accepted will be different. I once had the opportunity to chat with Lucas Graciano about Spectrum and I mentioned how I entered last year and was rejected, at which point he told me that he once entered an image and didn't get accepted...the next year he entered the very same image and not only was he accepted, but he was nominated for one of the awards for that category. Just goes to show what a difference judges can make!

That being said, good luck to everyone entering! It always brings a smile to my face to see familiar names make it into each issue

[bcarman]

Well luck does play a role--depending on who is judging each year what gets accepted will be different. I once had the opportunity to chat with Lucas Graciano about Spectrum and I mentioned how I entered last year and was rejected, at which point he told me that he once entered an image and didn't get accepted...the next year he entered the very same image and not only was he accepted, but he was nominated for one of the awards for that category. Just goes to show what a difference judges can make!

That being said, good luck to everyone entering! It always brings a smile to my face to see familiar names make it into each issue

So true. The make-up of the jury is such a factor and one of the things that keeps this whole business exciting for me. Getting to a place where everything is heralded and awarded would get boring right? No mystery or "what's around the next corner?". Greg Manchess wrote something great for Muddy Colors about shows. He won a gold medal at the LA Society of illustrators show and didn't even get it in to the NY Society of Illustrators show. Things like this have happened to me too. Keep entering and getting better and annual doors will open.

[QueenGwenevere]

When I was a student, I assisted at one annual contest where the judges were decidedly drunk by the end of the judging process (hors d'oeuvres and cocktails were being served throughout.) I have to wonder if that affected the judging.

[Velocity Kendall]

grading anything consistently is very difficult, multiplied by different peoples tastes = chaos.
im 30 now i reckon 10 years work and ill have a go entering! 40 bucketlist!

[Candra H]

I'll probably need another twenty years before I'm good enough to enter something.

Anyway, good luck to everyone entering. Or break a leg or whatever. Just not the judges' legs.

[Izi]

everyone tells me entering these book "contests" is a bad idea - like crowdsourcing and pyramid scams the only people who buy the book are people who enter?

true/false? flim flam?

[QueenGwenevere]

There are the prestigious awards annuals that you definitely want to get into... and then there are rather less prestigious books where the cost probably doesn't justify the value. And then there's the ones where you pay to be featured in the book and anyone who pays gets in, no jury at all - those are pretty much dead useless.

Trust me, if you manage to get into Spectrum, that is a GOOD thing.

Like, go out and party with crazed glee kind of good.

[Andrew Sonea]

There are the prestigious awards annuals that you definitely want to get into... and then there are rather less prestigious books where the cost probably doesn't justify the value. And then there's the ones where you pay to be featured in the book and anyone who pays gets in, no jury at all - those are pretty much dead useless.

Trust me, if you manage to get into Spectrum, that is a GOOD thing.

Like, go out and party with crazed glee kind of good.

This sums it up basically. It's definitely one of my big dreams to get into Spectrum...

[bcarman]

everyone tells me entering these book "contests" is a bad idea - like crowdsourcing and pyramid scams the only people who buy the book are people who enter?

true/false? flim flam?

Who is everyone? That should always be you first question. Ask people really in the know. Actually as a whole this is at least something you should keep in mind. There are a lot of people out there looking to make a buck off of hungry young artists. Getting published or winning something seems like a no brainer. It's just not true anymore. But getting published in the right books, magazines, and sites can start and build a career. So asking if a contest is a bad idea is the right thing to do, but ask the right people. Spectrum has been doing this for 20 years and each book has gotten better. One of the best determiners of worth is to look at whose is published in the book. Do you want to be alongside those people on a printed page?

I enter a few things a year. Spectrum is always there, Society of Illustrators, and if I have something particularly funky and editorial American Illustration or CA. These are all stalwarts of the illustration industry. But it is never bad to get as much info as possible. I've had too many students fooled by promises of fame.

[AldoKatayanagi]

Just shipped my entries. Last minute is the best minute. For anyone interested and unaware, the deadline for American Illustration 32 is Feb 25th. And today's the last day to enter the Society student show.