The April 2010 Fan Art Battle

I got some crayons ... but what stoping someone from running there art though a color crayon filter?? ... is anyone gonna be able ta tell if someone cheated and used a photoshop filter or not???

Honestly, I was all ready to make a post dropping from this competition. I joined for fun, and I have come up with some stuff inside and outside the competition that I really like. I've felt that I've come a long way since I started. I never expected much, but when voting rolls around, it's no longer fun to still be near dead last with practically no votes.

I kind of hope this month wasn't only done for those of us at the bottom who joined even without being near the very talented artists that hang out here in order to level the playing field so to speak. I also hope this doesn't put off those same artists, and I'll be sticking around at least one more month. Good luck everyone, and keep those refrigerator magnets handy for afterwards!

Just remember, then status symbol is the box of 64 crayons with the sharpener in the back!!

Or at least it was back when...

The sharpener made you COOL. Meant your mom could afford to pay an extra DOLLAR!! A *DOLLAR!!!* Dude, that was so much money!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dispari I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.

I want to make it TOTALLY clear that this theme is in no way for those of you who are more casual artists or something. Its to really push the boundaries of fan art and to see some very different sorts of entries. Like I said, I've had this theme under my hat for quite a while, well before we knew who the entrants were. This was actually rather inspired by LD's stained glass entry of last year's battle. I wanted one media-specific month that would get everyone out of their comfort zones and into something that's a real challenge to pull off.

JK- Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe those sidewalk chalk images are done using the children's sidewalk chalk. I've only gathered that from the images I've seen where they have the box of chalks next to them, and they're not those big, fat Crayola ones. The big, fat Crayola ones were what I meant when I said children's chalk.

Its not that I want to see a whole bunch of bad art, I want to see what you creative and artistic people can do with weird and whimsical children's tools. The reason that I'm not allowing marker, pencil, charcoal, etc. is that those are items commonly used for professional artwork, and won't lend themselves to being an interesting challenge. I'm sure there's someone out there on the internet who's made the macaroni and glue Sistine Chapel, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to allow that material. If someone DID the macaroni and glue Sistine Chapel using CoH/CoV characters... that would be a pretty damn awesome way to use such a weird material.

Yes, Play-Do (Doh? Dough?) is acceptable, but use that or its generic equivalent. Don't use Sculpey. As awesome as Legos would be... I'm going to say no because I see them somewhat more of a toy than an art material. Just strikes me as slightly not quite fitting, but if someone can give me good, solid reasoning as to how it fits perfectly, I'm willing to hear them out.

As mentioned in the opening post, any subject is acceptable. You do not have to stick to child-like themes (though you do have to keep it PG-13 or under). This is kind of what you each have to decide as to how you think you'll make the strongest entry. Do you think you can make an insanely detailed glitter and glue creation, or will your entry strike an emotive chord by being simple?

Hehe, I was thinking Lego the moment I saw this thread. Anyone remembers the Lego fan video for the first anniversary I think it was? Too bad it's not allowed, not that I have a thousand pieces lying around.

So the challenge is about using the lowest quality material to achieve high levels of refinement? Like using crayons to do something similar to the simple yet amazing pastel paintings in earlier Pixar "Art of" books?

The above Lego examples are swaying me more towards keeping them out. Specifically the MC Escher re-creation. I'd really REALLY not want to see the little figures used for this one, even if they're made to be CoH characters. I think the Lego stuff would be a theme almost in and of itself.

LD- The level of refinement is the problem the entrants will have to solve. That's part of the way you execute to achieve your best result. Using crayon to make a highly detailed and tightly rendered piece would be a great way to make a strong entry... but so would pairing the simple materials and a simple image with a complex subject. This has been par for the course thus far, as some people go for fully detailed entries with full backgrounds, while others pull off their ideas with clean design.

The theme qualification this month is based on material (in addition to the overall contest rules). How you best solve the challenge of using the approved materials is what we vote on.

Another approved material to use (which I'm currently using):

Popsicle sticks (aka craft sticks).

If I don't see at least one piece with glued on dried pasta, I'm gonna cry.

( I used fusilli for you, Jerry, because you're silly!)

I'm tempted to do this challenge even though I didn't enter. Although the media begs the subject to be about kids, which makes the hot chick stipulation a hurdle.

Coloring books seem very kindergarten to me... I don't think just buying one and coloring it in should be ok exactly but what if the artist wanted to make their own? Or at least one page? It seems to me the best way to do it would be to do the bold outline of such in black marker and then color it in... Would this be an acceptable use of marker even though they're not allowed? I ask since it seems the rule is intended to prevent "pro quality materials" but this use seems to me to be merely as a tool to make the template kindergarteners often use...

Also, how strict is the no pencil thing? Would it be acceptable to make a sketch and then color over with crayons so thenpencil is not seen at all? If it's not noticable at all it would be next to impossible to enforce but I like to follow rules whether they can be enforced or not

And final question - would a collage of cut out images and such be acceptable?kids do have access to scissors and glue . And if acceptable, any restrictions?(such as must also include some non cut out elements or cannot include printed off screenshots but only actual printed/published materials?)


And regarding Bubbawheats comments - being probably the lowest vote getter so far, each month and cumulatively, I must say I do not view this as an easy month in any way... Perhaps as a month where I may have a chance since it's more about ideas and vision than execution but so much of art is ideas and execution that I think the "real" artists still have the advantage...

I definitely see where you're coming from as far as coloring books, so I almost want to say yes... but the thing about that is coloring linework is kind of what we've been doing all along. To me, that's another type of material that is too easy to use to circumvent the point of the challenge. So no, using unapproved materials to make a coloring book is not allowed.

Let me think on the collage idea a little. That's a harder call for me to make right off the bat because there's more stuff involved. It may just be limited to specific material.

And yes, you can use pencil for your base sketches/construction. If I get assigned to work in acrylic, its still assumed that I'll have my basic sketch on the board lightly in pencil first. So if you use pencil/pen for your BASE SKETCHES, GUIDELINES AND CONSTRUCTION, that's fine. But these materials can not in any way be a major element of the finished piece.

Can I do this one just for fun, since I'm not elligible to compete... I bought a box of crayons last year and have yet to crack them open, but am dying to... please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please...

Hehe this sounds fun I might try it just for the fun of it

Yes, please participate if you're feeling inspired! You won't be included in the voting thread or dA group gallery, but far be it from me to keep you from also enjoying the theme =)

Hey it was either that or "Kickin' it Old Skooool!!"

One --> Artz Giveaway <-- To Rule Them ALL!

I will settle this. ORANGE FTW! - Ex Libris