Topic: Calendar Theme Discussion 2013 (Read 41857 times)

Windrider · « **on:** May 09, 2012, 05:56:35 PM »

Editing this first post for those who are just joining us for the voting! See below for more detailed descriptions of the theme choices

Its that time of year again! Even though I have officially retired from running the Calendar Contest, Maggie asked if I would do the honors and start off the theme discussion for the 2013 calendar. I think what has been decided is that even though we have a weekly planner calendar all the way until the end of 2014, those here are still interested in a 12 month calendar to go along with it.

So let's get talking about a theme!

To get you started thinking about themes, here are the past ones:

Past Themes:
2012 Pinups
2011 Hidden Moments
2010 Finding One's Place
2009 The Magic of Elfquest
2008 Favorite Moments
2007 Home and Family
2006 Elf Art Through the Ages (Art History with an Elfin twist)
2005 Beloved Dead
2004 Then and Now
2003 Celebrations
2002 no theme

Themes on the current ballot:

Contrasts: Day & Night, Young & Old, Good & Evil, Warriors & Healers, Starsong & Wolfsong - the Elfquest saga offers many studies in contrasts.

Elfquest Goes to the Movies: Very much like Elfquest through the Ages, except our favorite elves do Hollywood; iconic movie characters and/or movie posters or scenes. (This would be an awesome theme to have if and when an EQ movie comes out)

Every Picture Tells a Story
Elfquest is a comic - comics mean telling a story with art (maybe words, too) in panels. Why haven't we done that for a calendar!?

So.... each entry would be a single image made up of at least three, but probably no more than six panels. They can be arranged anyway you like but the total image must conform to the usual calendar size (or whatever size is chosen). The story: any theme you like because the theme is telling a story! What kind of story - well, it doesn't have to be (and probably shouldn't be) too complicated. Just a little interaction between characters: something funny or sweet or violent or action-packed.

Otherness, inter-species relations: When the High Ones crashed on the WOTM, they were forced to relate to other species in a way they never dreamt of before. Humans, Trolls, Preservers, Bond Beasts, the Neverending. Throughout their history, the relationships have ranged from enemies, hunter/prey, to god/worshipper, to friend, and many in between.

Teachers and Leaders: A tribute to those who provide(d) guidance.

mistmaker · « **Reply #1 on:** May 12, 2012, 03:05:26 PM »

My personal favorites are definitely EQ goes to the movies and contrasts- I'd love to do a Winnowill/Leetah or Cutter/Rayek piece for the latter (I'm so unoriginal...)

Afke · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2012, 12:49:13 AM »

Didn't hear of Otherness before, but I like it! I still think Contrasts is a good idea too.

Treefox · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2012, 01:53:46 AM »

First: thank you for doing this, Windrider! It is really, deeply appreciated.
My favorite is Otherness and I also like the contrast theme.

Startear · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2012, 03:19:21 AM »

Me, I'd love to give light to the wildcards and rouge's.

DestinysGift · « **Reply #5 on:** May 14, 2012, 05:23:30 PM »

My top three are Teachers and Leaders, Courage, and Contrasts.

Wolfrider · « **Reply #6 on:** May 20, 2012, 12:42:54 PM »

Goes to the Movies sounds fun!
Actually, I had recently done an EQ sketch based off the Casablanca poster...

Windrider · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2012, 11:46:30 AM »

Okay guys, those in school (or teaching) should be on summer break by now or close to it - so let's get this theme discussion rocking! We've got to come up with a slate for voting so artists have the summer to plan their entries (who am I kidding - I've never had entries submitted before October LOL).

So far no one has contributed a new theme (please feel free to), but we've got some votes for having a couple previous ones back for another round:
Contrasts - 4 votes (definitely on the slate)
Teachers and Leaders - 1 vote
Courage - 1 vote
Rogues and Wildcards - 1 vote
Otherness - 2 votes (on the slate)
EQ Goes to the Movies - 2 votes (on the slate)

Maggie and I were chatting a bit and she expressed a wish for a theme that was "actiony" and involved storytelling. I agreed, especially as a change of pace after all the pinups, which were mostly character studies. Of course, any theme can be interpreted in a narrative action-packed way, but some themes demand it. As far as the theme listed above, I think Choices and Courage both require storytelling and likely Otherness would too. But in our chatting, I was commenting to Maggie that illustration is by definition storytelling, and I love our local illustration art gallery, called "Every Picture Tells a Story." So I got to thinking, what would a theme by that title be like? Here's my idea:

Every Picture Tells a Story
Elfquest is a comic - comics mean telling a story with art (maybe words, too) in panels. Why haven't we done that for a calendar!?

So.... each entry would be a single image made up of at least three, but probably no more than six panels. They can be arranged anyway you like but the total image must conform to the usual calendar size (or whatever size is chosen).

The story: any theme you like because the theme is telling a story! What kind of story - well, it doesn't have to be (and probably shouldn't be) too complicated. Just a little interaction between characters: something funny or sweet or violent or action-packed. An example would be Lorraine's submission to Warp for the Wild Hunt job (that was published wasn't it? I don't think I just saw that in person) - a single page with three panels (I think it was): Ember being thoughtful but someone's boots sneaking up along a branch behind her - then Skywise summersaults out of the tree and lands in front of her - her reaction.

An example from our own gallery here by Eregyrn (love this one):
http://www.elfquestfanart.com/index.php?action=media;sa=item;in=2665

What do you think - anyone interested?

Startear · « **Reply #8 on:** May 27, 2012, 03:48:39 PM »

Well, it certainly would push most of us as artists me thinks. Many of us lets the character just stand/sit there.

The problem it might cause is that not all characters or plots are know. Let us say that someone makes a comic of Ahnshen having PTSD from when the Go-Backs attacked the Sun Village. Ahnshen only showed up in two stories, Moonshade and one which I can't remember at the moment. And then we have that war... Which only was hastily covered by Blair.

My concern is that perhaps the judges might not know the storylines, thus not knowing how canon complement said mini comic would be.

Another thing... How much room is there for conjecture? The Calendars are after all trying to be as close to canon as possible, but one might have to remember that we all see the characters diffrently. What I might think is very Strongbow may not excatly corespond with how the character is. with certain characters, it would be hard to tell. Me, I see him as a trollpoker who thinks he is best of all, looks down on others and is damn well ugly. And no one could actually prove that Bowki did not break his arrow whip during a hunt, or sometimes go to visit the chamber where his father lied until he died.

Though, despite everything above, the idea really ticks me. I still feel more like a storyteller than artist, so combining them for a project with a deadline is pretty neat.

So it certainly has me vote.

Afke · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2012, 11:40:11 PM »

I like it, it certainly is different.

Startear; I don't think you need to worry about such things. It has never been a problem before. I think this entry of Foxeye is a good example of an unknown character in an unknown situation, and it works, everyone believes it. It could be canon, while Cutter smooching Rayek will never be canon.

Details

And I wouldn't say "Many of us lets the character just stand/sit there" is true either, especially when it comes to the calendar. People have always done a little bit more for this project. Even in the character studies for the pinups people have tried different things to avoid this. So it doesn't matter which theme we pick, I always expect at least some action.

Startear · « **Reply #10 on:** May 28, 2012, 05:13:22 AM »

Well, that would certainly ease over their tensions, wouldn't it.

Though, I do think what could be canon or in character could be up to debate. Especially concerning the smaller characters.

Maggie · « **Reply #11 on:** May 28, 2012, 05:01:25 PM »

Every Picture Tells a Story = Awesome! That's my choice for sure.

DestinysGift · « **Reply #12 on:** May 29, 2012, 12:59:10 AM »

I really like that idea! It would definitely be interesting to see what people come up with.

Treefox · « **Reply #13 on:** May 29, 2012, 07:11:37 AM »

Windrider, that idea is just

. I'd definitely vote for that!
So inspiring.

Czarine · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:06:41 PM »

I too wanna go with the "Every Picture Tells a Story". Sounds so much fun!

Windrider · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2012, 10:52:27 AM »

Glad everyone likes this - I thought it would be fun and give everyone a bit of an artistic push. So, are we ready for a poll? Anyone have any other theme ideas to add? Looks like it will be a run-off between only four themes - any other themes people think MUST be on the poll?

Startear: Your concerns about canon can come up no matter what the theme. Unless you are going to copy something by Wendy (which you shouldn't do), everything fan artists draw is conjecture. For the calendar, it just needs to be canon compatible.

Foxeye is well known for drawing unseen scenes for the calendar - not just the one Afke showed above, but there is also a beautiful one of Savah and Yurek. Eregyrn drew Cutter and Ember using the Palace to commune with Bearclaw and Joyleaf (also never shown). Most of the art for the calendar is like this. The Lorraine Reyes mini-comic I mentioned is also not specifically canon, but no one would doubt that the characters are totally in character.

I found Lorraine's panels online here, but it is longer than I remember. Still, it is a fairly good example anyway:
http://aerie.geofront.com/EQsub.html

Afke · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2012, 01:06:06 PM »

Oh, "canon compatible" is a nice way of describing it.

silentleaf · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2012, 04:18:27 PM »

I am so Happy that we are doing a 2013 calendar! i for one am in no matter the format!! JOY OH JOY to see more elfy art from my fav art farts! I like the otherness one and teachers and leaders!

silentleaf · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2012, 04:20:45 PM »

humm I'd love to do one from different myths & legends from around the world.. Picknose would make a great redcap. lol OHH tammin could be a windigo!

Maggie · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2012, 08:35:04 AM »

Quote from: silentleaf on June 01, 2012, 04:18:27 PM

I am so Happy that we are doing a 2013 calendar! i for one am in no matter the format!! JOY OH JOY to see more elfy art from my fav art farts! I like the otherness one and teachers and leaders!

I was wondering when you would comment.

You being one of my fave artists from the calendars.

silentleaf · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2012, 10:42:37 AM »

hehe I am so busy in life right now UGH 6 months from finishing my marketing degree and major life changes have been going on, but I do haunt the boards looking at the new eye candy now and then!

Maggie · « **Reply #21 on:** June 02, 2012, 08:07:09 PM »

Quote from: silentleaf on June 02, 2012, 10:42:37 AM

hehe I am so busy in life right now UGH 6 months from finishing my marketing degree and major life changes have been going on, but I do haunt the boards looking at the new eye candy now and then!

Haha, well glad to hear you are at least haunting us.

silentleaf · « **Reply #22 on:** June 03, 2012, 09:11:31 AM »

Oh i am! I want some more maggy art! and mirror art.. and FOXY ART! DANG IT!! i have had so little time to work on any of my own.. BAH

Maggie · « **Reply #23 on:** June 04, 2012, 05:15:57 PM »

I want more art from you, stop being so busy.

silentleaf · « **Reply #24 on:** June 08, 2012, 02:42:05 PM »

maybe some time soon... I do have things i need to get finished for people here.." Mirror " joyleaf is sitting glaring at me for not finishing her...

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Which theme do you prefer for this year's fan calendar?

Author Topic: Calendar Theme Discussion 2013 (Read 41857 times)

DestinysGift

DestinysGift