This is a lot of overwrought Sturm und Drang about somebody having a contest to draw their character. I really can't see how one person doing so has any real impact on the development of the current generation of up and coming artists. I think the trend in general is kind of silly but if the character is appealing and you have some free time, why not?
Personally, I have no interest in it because I find the situation both too specific (has to be someone's character) and too vague (what are they looking for in a winning entry?). If I'm going to devote the time, I'll do a cgtalk challenge where my chances of winning are virtually nil, but the prizes are huge and there's a forum set up to follow the progress of the entries and provide feedback as they are developed.
If someone is going to be somehow damaged by taking part in a small-scale contest--they shouldn't be seriously thinking about art to begin with. Really, too many people pick up a pencil and draw something they think is magical and then wither when it doesn't get praised or some crass fellow says it sucks. Usually when it DOES suck. Beat these people down Caemgen! Beat these people down with your art contest of doom and take the losers out back and shoot them lol.
Is Caemgen a scumbag for offering such a contest? Is this an evil capitalist scheme to scam a bunch of free art? Well, if your motivation for doing art is money, the question is moot because you WILL work for greedy scumbags, or else you're not going to make it far in that business venture.
If you're idealistic and don't like seeing the hard work of the artist cheapened by the thuggish machinations of proto-art *****, then you best fly fly away from the evil caemgen and don't let your pencil cross his path. Stay far away from commercial art in general.
If you like the characters and feel like drawing something, knock yourself out. Maybe you'll win some moneys!
tldr version:
If you want to do it, do it. I don't see a big issue here.
Blacklisted
"I'AM SATANS FAVORITE CHILD!!"
lol....
(for the record, at no time when I was considering a contest did I ever consider shooting the losers! Though the idea did work in Stephen King's The Long Walk.)
Im just gonna agree with BW/FD here
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Originally Posted by FrozenDeath
This is a lot of overwrought Sturm und Drang about somebody having a contest to draw their character. I really can't see how one person doing so has any real impact on the development of the current generation of up and coming artists. I think the trend in general is kind of silly but if the character is appealing and you have some free time, why not?
Personally, I have no interest in it because I find the situation both too specific (has to be someone's character) and too vague (what are they looking for in a winning entry?). If I'm going to devote the time, I'll do a cgtalk challenge where my chances of winning are virtually nil, but the prizes are huge and there's a forum set up to follow the progress of the entries and provide feedback as they are developed. If someone is going to be somehow damaged by taking part in a small-scale contest--they shouldn't be seriously thinking about art to begin with. Really, too many people pick up a pencil and draw something they think is magical and then wither when it doesn't get praised or some crass fellow says it sucks. Usually when it DOES suck. Beat these people down Caemgen! Beat these people down with your art contest of doom and take the losers out back and shoot them lol. Is Caemgen a scumbag for offering such a contest? Is this an evil capitalist scheme to scam a bunch of free art? Well, if your motivation for doing art is money, the question is moot because you WILL work for greedy scumbags, or else you're not going to make it far in that business venture. If you're idealistic and don't like seeing the hard work of the artist cheapened by the thuggish machinations of proto-art *****, then you best fly fly away from the evil caemgen and don't let your pencil cross his path. Stay far away from commercial art in general. If you like the characters and feel like drawing something, knock yourself out. Maybe you'll win some moneys! tldr version: If you want to do it, do it. I don't see a big issue here. |
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I read this story when I was 15 and it was absolutely amazing to me...
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Originally Posted by Caemgen
Stephen King's The Long Walk.)
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Some things to consider.
1) Contests are completely voluntary.
2) The chances of winning are not in your favor.
Sounds like a given but unless there are only two entrants (50/50 odds) or your level of talent far exceeds all others participating or unless the contest is somehow rigged the odds will always be against your pulling off a win. You have the same chance anyone else does but I think most any reasonable person understands this going in.
3) Despite all the "bad things" to do with a contest and knowing they will more than likely not win, people still enter them... in ever increasing numbers no less.
4) If collectors running contests with the sole intent of raking in tons of art for little money become too common people will just stop entering those kinds of contests... and then they will cease to be common. Death by apathy.
5) The well of commissionable artists will not dry up because someone ran a contest. The numbers may change and evolve over time but they will do that anyway regardless of any one person's contest or actions.
6) BW I think that may be one of your best posts ever. Superlative comedic sarcasm (and some good points too 
)... minutes have passed and I'm still laughing at it. +1
There is no such thing as 'local' for 90% of the time a digital file...
Wassy did bring up a good point though, fan art forums and open to everyone forums like deviantArt are really bad about propping people up to expectations they can't fill...I have seen a lot of people post they are open for commissions either with really sub par art, or vastly overcharging for their skill vs others because everyone has encouraged them to do it, and when they get no takers wonder what went wrong. Contests very well might have a negative effect of the equivalent of a get rich quick scheme, try to win a contest instead of earn commissions on some artists....