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Author Topic: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines  (Read 220255 times)

Windrider

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2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« on: March 22, 2009, 11:01:02 AM »

2010 Fan Art Calendar Guidelines

The theme for the 2010 Elfquest Fan Art Calendar is: Finding One's Place (Finding Where One Belongs)

Submissions for the 2010 Calendar Contest are being accepted May 1st through November 30th, 2009.

THEME
  • Submitted artwork should represent the theme "Finding One's Place" or "Finding Where One Belongs."
  • This is one of Elfquest's most enduring themes: the various tribes of elves trying to find a place where they fit in a hostile world their ancestors didn't mean to visit.
  • Then there are the individual elves making a place for themselves within their tribes (or even outside it).  Hunters and storytellers, healers and makers; in the world of Elfquest, everyone has a place where they fit in, a job or role they perform in daily life - a place where they are "in their element."

CONTENT
  • Entries must be original artwork created specifically for the calendar.  The use of photos or "borrowed" art for backgrounds is not allowed.
  • Entries must not be available for the general public to view online until the okay is given for general sharing.  Before then, any entries found online in any form (thumbnails, crops, etc.) will be disqualified and removed.
  • Canon Elfquest characters (of any race) only.  No what-if characters (i.e., Worldpool).
  • PG-13 or under.

FORMAT
  • All entries should be in full color.
  • Size: 11"x8.5" (pictures must be landscape oriented - wider than they are tall)
  • Resolution: 3300 x 2550 pixels (11" x 8.5" at 300dpi)
  • File format: JPEG format only.

HOW TO SUBMIT
  • Once again, we have a functional Elfquest Fan Art site!  (Yay, Foxeye!) Calendar entries will be viewed by the judging panel there and displayed there once the calendar is published.  However, due to size constraints at the site, you will still have to email your full-sized entry to Windrider.  Please PM Windrider when you have an entry ready to be submitted.
  • Include the following:
    • Title (Required):
      Title of your submission.  Titles will be included on the calendar.
    • Description (Optional):
      Any text/story/quote you feel enhances your artwork.  This is optional but may be used by the writers when coming up with a poem to go with your art.
    • Keywords (Optional):
      Keywords are used for the gallery "search" feature only.  After final selections have been made, all submissions will be made available to visitors.
    • Artist Credits (Required):
      Will be included on the calendar.  Your real name or preferred artist's credit name.
    • Preferred Month (Optional):
      What month you would like your entry to be featured on (no guarantees, though).
    • Email (Required)
  • Artists may submit up to three entries.
  • Entries must be received by midnight PST, November 30th, 2009.

CREDIT
  • The artist credit and email listed with your entry will used for credits.
  • The Warp Graphics, Inc. copyright will be included for you.

PUBLISHING
  • The twelve winners will be chosen by a panel of judges including Richard Pini and Carol Lyon (others to be chosen at a later date).
  • The finished calendar will be available for download at elfquest.com.  In addition, the Calendar will also be published at Elfquest's Cafe Press shop.  Proceeds from the sale of the Fan Calendar will go to Wolf Park: http://www.wolfpark.org

Any questions about the calendar may be asked and answered on this thread or PM Windrider.  If you don't know what this is all about, check out the current and past Fan Art Calendars in the Calendar Gallery of this site or check out the finished products here:  http://www.elfquest.com/fan/fancalendar2009.html
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Windrider

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2009, 08:57:08 AM »

Oops!  I forgot to include that there will be poetry included this year, also.  So artists should leave room in their entry like last year.  Well, not so MUCH room as some artists left last year!  You don't need to leave a third of the picture empty!

So here's the scoop:  Artists should leave room for poetry to be included with their image.  Those areas of the image should NOT be left plain white; it should just be a less "busy" area of the art where the text may be superimposed on it without covering up something important to the art.  Here are some suggestions about where the text may be included, but you are not limited to these layouts:

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Afke

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2009, 12:50:28 PM »

Ooooo, I think I have an idea already! Troll related of course, I just keep trying, lol.
I haven't had much chances to draw though lately, so I hope I hope I'll find time to do this. I missed last year's too. :( But that was also because I couldn't think of any positive troll involvement when it comes to magic... :P

Joyrider1978

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2009, 12:22:10 PM »

Carol, be proud of me, I've already started sketching!  Well, sketching ideas.  And well, the sketches look like poo.  But maybe I just need to get back in practice for elf-ing  :D
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aurianfae

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2009, 10:37:31 AM »

How long is it usual to wait after sending in a PM with a submittal for the calendar? I still haven't actually sent my picture to anyone, but I did send the PM as per the instructions.
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Windrider

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2009, 11:28:43 AM »

Sorry, folks, but I've been out gallivanting around the Pacific Ocean on my friend's boat and just got back in time for the mad rush to get everything ready for the new semester.  I promise I'll get caught up on the Calendar stuff in a few days!
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aurianfae

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2009, 05:30:16 PM »

That sounds like a huge amount of fun! Thanks for answering so promptly. ^__^
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Windrider

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2009, 02:06:23 PM »

How are the entries coming, everyone?  Working away?  We've got a bit less than two months to go on the deadline!

Don't be afraid to post here if you need ideas for an entry.  There is nothing wrong with bouncing ideas off other artists - Foxeye and I were PMing about how great it is to have an art community were brainstorming happens.
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Icebird

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2009, 10:03:40 PM »

I'm going to try my very best to finish something :D I've poked the idea of doing it for the last two or three years but never gotten around to do it. ::)
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aurianfae

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2009, 10:55:26 PM »

I finished the one, and I don't think I will have time to do a second one. I've got a list of projects that is at least ten items long. :-(  Which is sad because I wanted to.
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Eregyrn

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2009, 08:17:28 AM »

*raises hand*  I am one of those who is still in the desperate "trying to get an idea for a subject" stage!  I would love to hear any brainstorming help that anyone has!
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Wildfire

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2009, 11:03:54 AM »

I wanted to do a piece with Winnowill and her failure at finding where she truly belongs, but I really can't make it work on paper. If anyone's got ideas about how I could make it work, please help xD

(Or if anyone want the idea, feel free. Without input I'm not going to be able to finish it anyway)
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Icebird

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2009, 11:18:48 AM »

I wanted to do a piece with Winnowill and her failure at finding where she truly belongs, but I really can't make it work on paper. If anyone's got ideas about how I could make it work, please help xD

(Or if anyone want the idea, feel free. Without input I'm not going to be able to finish it anyway)

In case you are gonna try anyway, maybe Winnie sitting with a patient and looking across her shoulder where other gliders are gathered, maybe disappointed in her. Maybe she failed in saving the injured elf - or maybe it was before they came to look between their fingers with the small accidents she would sometimes cause to keep herself sane? Just a stray thought ;)

Sgaana, I am currently brainstorming too, I'll pop back in if inspiration decides to cooperate :D
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Foxeye

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2009, 11:20:49 AM »

I'm getting there! Managed to take it from 85% to 88% in the last few days. :P  I actually cannibalized an idea I'd been holding onto for the Contrasts theme, and I think it worked out pretty well.  Hopefully it will make sense when others see it.

*raises hand*  I am one of those who is still in the desperate "trying to get an idea for a subject" stage!  I would love to hear any brainstorming help that anyone has!

What method do you usually use to pick a theme?  I usually do the old "character(s) I have wanted to draw for a while, so how can I shoehorn them into this?" trick, except for the Favorite Moments calendar which didn't need that.  There's also the "what forgotten detail of the stories can I give attention to" approach.  I don't know how other people find their ideas, though.  I suspect it's a very personal process.

I wanted to do a piece with Winnowill and her failure at finding where she truly belongs, but I really can't make it work on paper. If anyone's got ideas about how I could make it work, please help xD

Oof, that's a tough one...it's more about what she (and the Gliders) are NOT doing, than about something that is actually happening.  I can't think of any way to draw it that wouldn't require a LOT of characters. It is a powerful subject, though. 

You could, I suppose, draw some of the fall out from that...like her leaving on the journey to find the palace ( the one that led to her finding the troll). Or you could try to draw her causing one of the "accidents" that would let her heal someone.

It's not quite the same theme, but relating to Winnowill, you could do a two-fold and show her putting one of the Door's into statis. Them finding their place as a garage door opener, and she finding her place as the shadow mistress of blue mountain.  ;D

Windrider

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2009, 04:31:59 PM »

I can see at least one way of portraying Winnowill's "lack of belonging" without having to draw hundreds of characters.  Think about it, when was the most obvious time when she was rejected by the rest of elfin society?  When Tyldak exiled her to that dark, storm-tossed isle -- where she had to confront all her past failures alone.  That is when the Winnowill with misguided but understandable motives became twisted and purely evil.

If this challenge were mine, I would show Winnowill marooned in the dark and storm with her memories whipping around her like the wind and lightning, tormenting her.  Some ideas for memories to include can be found on that page where Leetah is trying to heal her: The whole Smelt and Two-Edge horror, the death of Voll, the crumbling of the Great Egg, etc.  This would be an extremely dark and grim entry, but could be very powerful, too.

Hmm... actually, when I come to think about it, Wendy herself has used this type of image before (ie Winnowill being healed, Suntop confronting the bad magic, and even Joselle's Rayek piece from last year).  Doesn't mean you can't do it fresh and in your own way.

Sgaana and Icebird, you have to give us a little more info.  What sort of seeds of ideas to you have already?  What kind of image would you like or at least what character/theme interests you?
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Icebird

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2009, 04:37:07 PM »

Sgaana and Icebird, you have to give us a little more info.  What sort of seeds of ideas to you have already?  What kind of image would you like or at least what character/theme interests you?

Well, my idea so far is Venka and her, so far, unknown adventure with the remaining Go-Backs. After all, she's as zen as they come and the Go-Backs are, uh, not :D I've been entertaining the idea of adding or reffering to Zhantee in some way or other, as well. The guy would have wanted her to keep her chin up and take on the challenge.  :) 
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Wildfire

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #16 on: October 16, 2009, 09:02:19 AM »

Thanks for the ideas :D I'll see if I can work out something ^^
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Eregyrn

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #17 on: October 16, 2009, 09:30:02 AM »

What method do you usually use to pick a theme?  I usually do the old "character(s) I have wanted to draw for a while, so how can I shoehorn them into this?" trick, except for the Favorite Moments calendar which didn't need that.  There's also the "what forgotten detail of the stories can I give attention to" approach.  I don't know how other people find their ideas, though.  I suspect it's a very personal process.

Yeah, good point. 

For me, the problem is that when I'm confronted with a theme that has many possible answers, my mind actually blanks out and cannot narrow it down to think of ANYthing.  (Or, not that it can't think of anything at all, but nothing that is coalescing into a workable subject; it's all still too broad to be grasped.)  Or, one interpretation will occur to me and my brain will get stuck on it, and be unable to branch out (which is especially frustrating when the one thing I'm stuck on isn't furnishing ideas that I like).  Those are cases where what I can really use are others' suggestions just because they will be other ways of looking at the "answer" and will help jolt me out of the rut my thinking is stuck in.

Last year, I was actually greatly helped because I think there was at least one thread at SoC where a big list was made either of types of magic, or of magic-users, which helped me to organize all of the thoughts that wouldn't settle down.  I think I ended up picking something that wasn't on the lists, but having the lists helped me organize my thoughts to see other ideas that hadn't been included, if that makes sense.

Sometimes yeah, I *do* approach a task like this from the angle of "what character do I want to draw?"  (Notably, for the last two calendars, I've kind of known that I wanted to include Bearclaw ;-) Though for last year, that wasn't my *primary* motivating goal, it just turned out to be a good fit with the subject I ended up picking.)

Sometimes it's "what group do I want to do?" (wolfriders? Go-Backs? for me, it's usually wolfriders) or "what time period do I want to tackle?" (especially if I'm trying to get away from what I think more popular choices will be).

At the moment, I guess, I'm mostly experiencing the problem that the topic is so broad that I'm having a hard time focusing down to the level where actual, viable ideas can be found.

I may not need people to *give* me possible subjects as much as I need to hear how others are approaching the problem.  Anything to help me focus...
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Afke

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #18 on: October 17, 2009, 04:50:12 AM »

Most often I work like Foxeye mentiones; I have a certain character in mind I want to use. I usually start with Picknose 'cause he's my fav. ;] The ideas I have for this year's calendar started that way as well, I have 3 different chars in mind; I don't think I can make 'm all but I'll try. Other options are thinking about elves that aren't drawn much, either by fans or in the comics.

I always start late for the calendar, 'cause if I'd send it in a few months ago I already wouldn't like it anymore now, or I'd see more an more things I'd want to change. My head isn't set to it earlier in the year...
« Last Edit: October 17, 2009, 04:52:08 AM by afke »
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Windrider

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #19 on: October 19, 2009, 01:28:16 PM »

Well, my idea so far is Venka and her, so far, unknown adventure with the remaining Go-Backs. After all, she's as zen as they come and the Go-Backs are, uh, not :D I've been entertaining the idea of adding or reffering to Zhantee in some way or other, as well. The guy would have wanted her to keep her chin up and take on the challenge.  :) 

Whew, that's a tough one, because it seems as if Venka has always known herself and where she belongs - and this has nothing to do with a place or even a skill she has, it is purely internal - a "zen" thing, as you say.  The only really "defining moment" that comes to my mind is the one from Dreamtime - the Fire and Ice and her rising above it.  That idea could be used subtly in a new Venka image of her leading the Go-Backs off on her Kahvi-Quest.  Venka would be confident and serene (of course) leading her motley tribe with the background on one side subtly "firey" and the other side subtly "icy."

What method do you usually use to pick a theme?  .......  I suspect it's a very personal process.

Indeed it is!

While I will sometimes use the same method as Foxeye, picking character I'd like to draw and figuring out some way to make it fit, I almost never use this method for major pieces.  I am a very idea-driven artist.  In other words, I start with the idea first and then pick characters (or animals in my professional work) and other details that will best express that idea.  The "idea" can be anything from a theme like we have for this contest, a color scheme I want to try, an abstract compositional idea, an emotion, etc.

On occasion I will see another artist's image and think that I want to do my own take on that.  A good example of that is my B&W Skywise piece in my gallery (looked at a Bob Dylan album cover and thought immediately of Skywise with the moons behind him) or the cover to "In All But Blood" (which is a take-off on Raphael's "The School of Athens" in a round about way).

The reason I chose this particular theme this year is because it is especially well adapted to the "pick the character first" method of coming up with an idea.  Choose your favorite character, figure out when they are most themselves... most at "home" .... what is their place in the tribe... when did they have that "ah ha!" moment?  Figure out the best setting for that and Bam!  You have an image!  LOL

Or you can use the thought process I use for coming up with covers... what moment in EQ best expresses this theme? 
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Icebird

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #20 on: October 19, 2009, 02:00:59 PM »

Whew, that's a tough one, because it seems as if Venka has always known herself and where she belongs - and this has nothing to do with a place or even a skill she has, it is purely internal - a "zen" thing, as you say.  The only really "defining moment" that comes to my mind is the one from Dreamtime - the Fire and Ice and her rising above it.  That idea could be used subtly in a new Venka image of her leading the Go-Backs off on her Kahvi-Quest.  Venka would be confident and serene (of course) leading her motley tribe with the background on one side subtly "firey" and the other side subtly "icy."

I know it's going to be quite a challenge but it seems I'm all for Venka at the moment, dunno why really, but so it is. :D The idea I've begun working on is as you say, Venka leading the Go-Backs on her Kahvi-quest, though I think there's actually a little more soul-searching regarding Venka than just ice vs fire but I'll save that for the entry - if I manage to finish it - and then if it goes, happy day, if not then I just gotta try next year. I'm really grateful for your reply though, gave me some things to consider - great way to keep the brain working, eh? Mucho gracias! ;D 
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Foxeye

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #21 on: October 28, 2009, 10:19:45 PM »

98% done!

Now I just need this headache to go away long enough to finish the last 2%. 

LaMara

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #22 on: October 29, 2009, 08:40:45 AM »

Um... hello! I'm sorry for my English, i hope it'll be understandable. :) I'm so happy to be here, at this forum! This place feels so comfortable and warm.
It's a shame, but i heard about this contest only yesterday :-[ Still, I really want to try making an entry before deadline. After all, a month is a plenty of time if used well. Thank you so much for advices you posted here, they helped me a lot! From nothing i had yesterday i came to an idea and working hard on cleaning the lines now.
Usually i don't have problems with understanding English, but now i seem to have a little one :-[. I'm sorry, but how can i sumbit an entry? I should post it here, right? But where exactly? (this part is most confusing) Then i also have to send a message to Windrider and then send my picture on his e-mail, right?
Thanks and a lot of inspiration to everyone!
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Foxeye

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #23 on: October 29, 2009, 10:29:51 AM »

Welcome LaMara! :D


Usually i don't have problems with understanding English, but now i seem to have a little one :-[. I'm sorry, but how can i sumbit an entry? I should post it here, right? But where exactly? (this part is most confusing) Then i also have to send a message to Windrider and then send my picture on his e-mail, right?

Email your image directly to Windrider.  Do not post your entry here, as the entries should be secret until the contest is over. :)

Windrider

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Re: 2010 Fan Calendar Guidelines
« Reply #24 on: October 29, 2009, 03:48:02 PM »

Yes, when your entry is ready, send me a PM and I'll give you my email address.

Glad you decided to join us!  I always love it when the newbies jump right in and enter the Calendar contest!   ;D
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