The Game and the Gamer: Art Book Contest

Hello, everybody! I hope you're doing well. Here at we will be hosting a tri-theme contest.
Are you excited? I know I am.

Here will be an outline of this journal
1.Purpose and Goal
    a.My Purpose
    b.An Artbook
3. Themes
    a. Redesign
    b. Games playing Games
    c. Project Yourself
4. Dates
    a. The Deadlines
5. Placing and Prizes
    a. judges
    b. criteria
    c. explanation
    d. list of prizes to win
6. Q&A
7. Current Entries
    a. Theme 1
    b. Theme 2
    c. Theme 3



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Purpose and Goal
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My Purpose
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My purpose with this contest is just to have fun and bring together people to enjoy themselves, compete and win prizes. I don't care who wins, I want to see what art you can create for this contest. I will also submit my own entries, however, they will not be judged as a normal entry, but will be just my own contribution.

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My Ultimate Goal: Artbook
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If things are successful and we receive 30 or more medium to high quality level submissions (20 at minimal), I will create an art book.  This is the sole reason, I want to create this is for the purpose of creating an art book. This art book will also contain more than just art as do all art books tend to.
I’ll include:
--- Most of this Journal entry (I’ll remove the unnecessary parts that don’t need to be in the book like the Q&A)
--- a full placing of every submission with a small thumbnail
--- a featurette of the first place winners of the contest and any other honorary mentions I feel should also be placed
---- The artist comments, some select comments and critiques (from me or that I think are good enough for the art book)
--- WIPs of your work (but you have to send them to me)

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Submission Requirements
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- fav this journal (so I know who to count for)
- announce to your watchers that you've joined
- I would like each image be able to have a 300 ppi resolution at 12” long  x 9” wide (these are the dimensions of the art book’s pages, so try to get as close as you can, especially if you’re going for first prize)
- optional: if you could send in WIPs of your artwork that would be fantastic
- I want this to be rated PG13/T, so please no mature artworks
- Send me a file of the original artwork or a file that meets the standards previously stated
If you don’t send me a big enough image with a high enough resolution- I will not be able to do a nice
- please try to only submit traditional/digital artworks
- literature will be graded fairly harshly as it will take up a lot of space in the book if it's too long
- crafts and cosplays are allowed, but only the best will get in (and I'll want multiple photos to choose from to display them all on a page)



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Themes
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You voted for it yourselves last time and here it returns!

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First, will be the redesign theme!
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- take a character from many Nintendo franchise (including any character in Super Smash Bros) and reimagine them in a different art style from another Zelda game
--- this means redesigning a character into another game's art style as well
--- and try imagining a new role for them to fill in the new world

Ex 1. Twilight Princess Link being drawn like Wind Waker Link
Ex 2. Falco like hew is from Paper Mario
Ex 3. Mario as if he was in Windwaker
Ex 4. Chrom as if he was in Skyward Sword

Now, the second theme is the reason I was hankering to make this contest!

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Second Theme: Games playing Games
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I've always liked seeing game characters playing their own games or others.

- draw (a) videogame character(s) playing a game
--- it can be a character playing one of their retro games
--- can be a character playing a game from another series
(try to stay within Nintendo, but outside will be tolerable as well)
--- can be a group of characters having a party and playing games
--- you may draw yourself or an OC, but you must be playing with another Nintendo game character
--- Shigeru Miyamoto and other real people are also allowed, but remember the rule or it can't be accepted

Ex 1. Mario playing Super Mario Land and thinking how he's changed and have possibly another character(s) watching and commenting as well
Ex 2. Rosalina and Peach playing as Zelda and Impa in Hyrule Warriors
Ex 3.  Megaman, Samus, Diddy Kong and Young Link playing Super Mario 3D world together
Ex 4. FS Links playing Just Dance to the song "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction

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Third Theme: Project Yourself
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You know those times you're playing a game and your yelling at it or making stupid jokes to yourself or those you're playing with, well, I want to see you draw it. Draw that funny moment, when you're having trust issues with your friend playing a multiplayer Nintendo game and he accidentally kills you after you tried to start trusting him. For example, me playing four swords- though, I'm usually the one not to trust. Draw the character (you're playing as) acting like you. For example, when I fight Ganon at the finale of a Zelda game, I start rapping "Ganon Slayer" by Mad Hatter to get me pumped and cocky as hell and sometimes I die from getting too eager, so I might draw that. It also doesn't have to be complicated, it can simply be (you) Mario flying across the waters, using FLUDD's turbo nozzle, around Delfino Island and just having a blast, maybe have Toad falling out of his little boat in the background.

- project yourself onto the character in a video game you've played
--- I want to feel that you put yourself into it
--- I really want to see you have fun with this and be creative

Ex 1. Vio and Green from LoZ:FS are working together. Vio mauls Green with his Chain Chomp, Green throws bombs at Vio, Vio uses the magnet to pull Green of the edge. Battered, burnt and bruised, they agree to work together, Green accidentally misses the throw. Vio respawns with a grudge and somehow summons Chain Chomp and starts chasing Green.
Ex 2. Link about to fight Ganon in LoZ:TP. Instead of going in, starts rapping "Ganon Slayer" and slashing at the air. Goes in, way too eager and dies.
Ex 3. Mario flying across the waters around Delfino Island with FLUDD's turbo nozzle
Ex 4. Olimar frantic freaking out as the Smoky Prog appears



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Dates
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No, we won't be going on any dates
just messing around

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The Deadlines
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We want to give you plenty of time, so that we can have as much our family here at Forever-Nintendo and our cousins in groups affiliated with us and also our friends from everywhere else on DA. Since that is our desire the deadlines will go like this:

First Theme Deadline:          October 25th, 2014 8:00pm Eastern Time Zone

Second Theme Deadline:     November 14th, 2014 10:00pm Eastern Time Zone

Third Theme Deadline:        December 5th, 2014 12:00pm Eastern Time Zone



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Placing and Prizes
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Judges
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So far it is just me, but I would like to have two to five other judges to help me decide

Benefits of being a judge, you will be featured in the artbook as a Judge.
Also to be judge, you have to a high standard of art.
As a judge you will submit to at least one theme,
but to a special folder for only judges
(Since will be separate from the actual contest).
I will also reward each Judge with an artbook, up to 5 artbook sat completely base price, a free commission from me, a year-long feature on my page and 20 devpoints

The Judges:

King Judge:          
Queen Judge:      
Anime Judge:      
Zelda Judge:        
Mario Judge:
Pokemin Judge:
Pikmin Judge:

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Criteria
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Each entry will be scored on a scale of 1-10

Your score will be configured by different attributes and each attribute will be weighed differently. Each judge will vote on each attribute, then the averages will be taken and computed for your score which help us find the top artwork(we will only do ths for artworks we believe have a chance of ranking up)

The Attributes:
Quality
- Quality will not be everything to win, but will play a big part. However, it will be the most important factor
    1: horrific, almost insulting- you would've had to scribble a few lines to get this
  10: stunning, mesmerizing, adorable or just very well-drawn
     Score Impact: 40%
Concept
- We want it to be unique and fresh.
    1: dull, uninteresting, trite
  10: exciting, moving, interesting
    Score Impact: 20%
Personality
- Even more than the concept, we want to feel that you put yourself into your work. Anybody can be an artist, but not every artist can be you and we feel that is important to be conveyed.
    1: fake, trite, boring- you did not put yourself into it
  10: simply, the beautiful, real you can be seen
    Score Impact: 30%
Risk Taking
- In my group, Forever-Nintendo, we encourage our members to continually learn and grow as artists
    1: boring, overdone- you can expect a 1 if you use a base or anything like it
  10: incredible, you really pushed yourself to create this
    Score Impact: 10%
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Placing
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Since there are three separate themes, each with its own deadline, there three first place winners . Among these three will be crowned the Ultimate Victor.  Then there shall be prizes for two runner ups for each category theme.

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Prizes
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* If you can, please contribute prizes, we want everybody to have something to work hard for
* I will also provide better prizes as I receive contributions from other deviants
* I will give my ultimate prize if seven different deviants make contributions
* And if 20 or more different deviants make a contribution or if we reach a total of 50 total contributions (not including mine), then I will give a very special prize that you will drool for a bit along with Ultimate Victor receiving a prize of every commission type I have.
* I would like for prizes, other than art prizes, to be given to the winners before or on Christmas

PRIZE CONTRIBUTORS NEEDED!!!!!
- Ultimate Victor
(--- the special prize ---)
(--- the ultimate prize ---)
--- a feature on Forever-Nintendo and my profile until the next contest I host
--- 50 devpoints from
--- a half-body digital art commission from

- 1st place (1)
(--- the ultimate prize ---)
--- a feature on Forever-Nintendo and my profile until the next contest I host
--- 20 devpoints from
--- a sketch from
--- a Tim Burton Redesign sketch from

- 1st place (2)
--- a feature on Forever-Nintendo and my profile until the next contest I host
(--- the ultimate prize ---)
--- 20 devpoints from
--- a sketch from
--- a Tim Burton Redesign sketch from

- Theme 1: 2nd place
--- a free commission from

- Theme 1: 3rd place
---
A chibi commission from

- Theme 2: 2nd place
- Theme 2: 3rd place
- Theme 3: 2nd place
- Theme 3: 3rd place



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Q&A
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Q: How do I join?
A: You MUST fav this journal. This how I will know who to count. I will up the prizes based on how many join.

Q: How do I submit my entry?
A: Submit on DA and send me a link in a Note and I will make the folder when I recieve the first. Then I will inform you that has been requested, then I will give you my email and request you send me an email with the original file(s) and a link to the deviation's page.

Q: Can I submit to more than one theme?
A: Yes, but only you will only place in one category. We can choose which  one to place or you can decide.

Q: Can I submit more than once to a single theme?
A: Yes. All may make it into the art book, but only the best will be placed. We would appreciate that you remember a guideline with multiple entries: quality before quantity. Make sure that you make one a true gem.

Q: Should I check back here for updates?
A: Yes. I will update this journal from time to time and especially the prizes will change along with a clearer submission guideline and more answers to questions.

Q: If you do get submissions, and you do print an art book - Who gets the profits? The artists who contributed or a charity?  It is not clearly stated in your journal what will happen if you achieve your goal.
A: I did not plan on donating to a charity maybe another contest- yes, there will be more). It also depends how many orders for the art book I get, but I can tell you where I plan to put it:
- eventually, up to a total of $40 split between the winner slots (depends on how many prizes contributions there are)
- getting a year-long Premium membership for Forever-Nintendo
- then most everything else will have been to pay for the cost of making the art books
- money left over will be used to buy better prizes for the next competition

Q: Will a copy of the final art book be given as a prize or will it be able to be bought?
A: Both. I will give three of the first copies to the three overall winners, but I will also be selling them to anybody else (not much more than I spent to have them made)

Q: Can it be Sonic-related?
A: No. Sonic is not owned by Nintendo. We consider him a friend of Nintendo and do have a folder with him in it, but for our group's first contest, we will only allow Nintendo characters.

Q: If I do a good enough job on a commission I gave as a prize in this contest, would be possible for it to be in the artbook?
A: Yes, but the judges will rule on this. It will be graded with a high bar of excellence, but I do think it would be fun to include a section of artworks that were given as prizes.

Q: What if I miss a deadline, can I still submit for the art book?
A: Yes, but you will be graded with a high bar of excellence. We know there's that chance and though we can't rewind time, we can see if it's good enough to get into the art book. Note, that a late entry will not be placed even if it does get into the art book.

Q: How long until we can expect to get our art books and how do we order them?
A: I and the other Judges will judge the artworks entered, but I will have to compile an art book and order them, then also the shipping will take time as well. So I would estimate January to February would be about the time that I will be able to finish everything and have them ordered. Once I know the price I will be paying for each, I will post a journal with the prices.

Alrighty then! Hope you're all excited!