(no subject)

[ichigoneko33.livejournal.com]

I was curious about art contests. The most typical one we see is something like, draw my character and they're will be one winner who gets a prize, sometimes there's three winners. Either the prize is art or cash, or even something else. However, I've seen it discussed here that this is more scam like and you shouldn't do contests like these. Since you're pretty much getting tons of free art and only paying for one. I noticed a couple people do contests like these and get yelled at cause of it.

So I ask, what would be a better way to do contests? Some people have suggested that everyone entering should get some sort of prize, but if a lot of people enter, that becomes less possible.

Comments

[teahound.livejournal.com]

I'm running a contest right now to try and help me get more commissions. In essence how mine works is that if someone commissions me (it's name-your-price), they get entered. Then at the end of the month, I'll draw a name at random, and that person gets a free full-color piece. That way everyone's guaranteed art, I'm not getting anything out of it but customers, and the contest spirit is still there.

Just an example. =)

[leahtaur.livejournal.com]

Well, in my eyes, as long as everyone knows what they're getting into, then it's on them whether they join the contest or not. No one should be yelling at people who hold "draw my character" contests as long as the terms are well laid out before hand and all winners get the prize they're entitled to. If someone doesn't like the idea of not getting a prize, then no one's forcing them to enter.

That having been said, I wouldn't enter a contest like that myself because I've seen an artist with good intentions have to deliver prizes many months later, and I've seen it happen more than once too.

[ichigoneko33.livejournal.com]

Ohh I actually really like that. It's a great way to do it :3 I think I'd like to do something like that when I have the time. thank you ^^

[fatkraken.livejournal.com]

I don't really see any problem with contests, as long as the rules are clear and everyone knows what's what going in. If you want to draw someone's character with a possibility of a prize, then why not? No one is forcing you to enter or lying about how it works, so it's not a scam unless they just fail to provide the prizes.

Though I think the prize has to be something approaching the value of ALL the art that's entered. So for example, Beetlecat did one of these a while ago. She got quite a few entries, but the prize was a custom partial fursuit, something which would have cost well over $1000 to commission (and I think there were good runners up prizes too). Other popular artists offer fully painted complex commisisons, often avoiding large queues. If the prize is shitty then yeah, probably better not to bother.

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

Its up to the artist on whether or not they want to join a contest, so no one should "yell" at people either holding a contest or participating it because its a matter of free will. No one's holding a gun to their head.

I personally don't partake because they're more often than not a waste of my time. Do I want to have a "shot" at winning a fabulous prize worth X amount of dollars or do I want to take a commission worth X amount of dollars and buy it myself so I have it "for sure"? That's basically what it comes down to for me personally.

As for a better way to do it, I think the only way I'd enter a contest is if there was some sort of benefit for everyone who entered, or if it didn't need to be anything huge and elaborate and just a mere entry gave them the opportunity to be drawn out of a hat "raffle" style so the judging isn't so personal. But even that kind of sucks for the folks who contributed a crayon scribble vs. the folks who contributed a fully rendered pic, so, I really don't know.

[an-tan.livejournal.com]

that's a great idea! I might actually try this sometime, if you're ok with me basically stealing your idea |D

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

I don't enter contests, and I've stopped holding them as well, because I kept getting accused of pulling this "scam" you mention, and yet ironically every time I've held a contest the worth of the prizes I've given out has FAR exceeded the worth of the art I've gotten from all the entrants put together. The grief of getting attacked by rude people became annoying enough to make it not worth bothering with.

In any case, echoing what's been said. So long as everything's made clear up front, then I don't see any problem with them at all.

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

Okay THAT is an awesome idea and is something I've toyed with the idea of but keep forgetting to do, mind if I adopt this?

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

The problem is that most of these contests are scams, they often have prizes that are truly pathetic. The rest are just spec work dressed up as a contest, see http://www.no-spec.com/ for reasons why this is considered a bad thing.

[merlin-the-wise.livejournal.com]

I think you're overthinking it, perhaps. If the contest is done in good faith for fun, then I don't see any problem with it. And if you're doing an 'everyone gets a prize' thing, then I guess it becomes more like an art trade.

I think the real problem comes when people use 'contests' as a front to get commercial art, but that's just me.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

I'm holding my second contest currently and nobody's ever yelled at me for them o.O I have seen people who close their contests and disappear for ages without announcing the winners, and other stuff like that which is NOT cool.

I run mine as fairly as possible and the prizes have always been pretty nice imo (the first one was $100, I ended up adding second and third places at the end as well because I loved so many of the entries) and my second one has a $150 top prize with other ones that may be added as well.

It's understandable that some people might get butthurt at not winning and feel that their entry was better than others but that's the risk you take when entering this sort of thing. As long as everyone is aware of the rules and they are clearly laid out I don't see the problem.

[ichigoneko33.livejournal.com]

Oh no, it's not my thinking. Someone I watched opened a contest a while ago. I went back and saw some of the comments...let's just say, some people screamed scam at them.

So, I was wondering of other ways to do contests, to avoid such drama, if I ever decide to do one, or if my friends do, i can give them advice.

[teahound.livejournal.com]

Nah, I don't mind! The idea actually originated with my buddy amesherla so it's more hers than mine. xD She suggested it to me. I personally haven't had much luck, but I'm also not as well-known as some of you guys here, so you'll likely fare better. <3

[teahound.livejournal.com]

(Sorry for the copy/paste, you asked the same thing. :3)

Nah, I don't mind! The idea actually originated with my buddy amesherla so it's more hers than mine. xD She suggested it to me. I personally haven't had much luck, but I'm also not as well-known as some of you guys here, so you'll likely fare better. <3

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

I think you misunderstand what people are saying:
The advice is not to do contests because you want the prize, but because you think the contest is fun.
I think the "don't enter contests!" advise is more aimed at postings that say "We'll have a design contest, winner gets a job / to be part of my game / etc". Those are kind of bull and/or an excuse to get lots of artists to do free art.

[teahound.livejournal.com]

This. If it's for an artist I really like, chances are I'd enjoy drawing for them anyway - and when I'm not drawing for business I am drawing for pleasure, after all. I personally don't mind if I lose, as long as the contest runner at least expresses appreciation.

[shadowedyoshii.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, I don't really think they're "scams". Nobody's losing, no-one's getting tricked out of anything, you know? If it's worth it to an artist to spend their time for the chance, more power to them. I dunno, I guess I just figure it's not like the artist producing the pieces to enter the contest is under any false impression; they know that there's only a chance they'll win. And it's not like the contest-holder is nefariously wringing his hands and scheming. The prizes are usually way more than the value of a single piece (even if the sum is less than the total value of the art received). I see it as harmless fun, if not a bit like gambling, but if people know they're doing that, what's the harm?

Yeah, the whole idea is that you get more art than you pay for, but someone walks away with a hefty sum, and if people have fun taking that chance, I don't think anyone's being fooled. Just because that's how it works doesn't automatically make it scummy. *shrug*

I don't know, I think contests are fun, but I like contests like woah, "winning" is just a neat feeling, and I have fun just entering either way c:

I do think there should be some culpability for contest-holders, you know? There should be some way to enforce that they definitely pay out. Otherwise, it's not like anyone went into the arrangement unaware of what it entailed.

As for alternates, I don't know. A larger number of smaller prizes, perhaps? But again, that kind of defeats the allure. If you do that, presumably the grand prize would be lower. I don't know that I would enter a contest where I knew my prize would be "either like five bucks or maybe a little over the actual value of the piece if you commissioned me".

[teahound.livejournal.com]

This. Your comment brings to mind DA contests in particular.

[teahound.livejournal.com]

Sure thing!

[shadowedyoshii.livejournal.com]

Plus (sorry, can't edit), sometimes the inverse happens where they actually end up getting far less entries, and paying out more than the value of the pieces xD. For example, I entered one once, and first prize was 150$, second was 75$ and third was 50$. He didn't really advertise much though, and so only me and one other person entered! He stuck to his word, though, and awarded her and I the full prizes c:

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I just wrote a DA journal today telling people to stop noting me about joining their contests. Its always spec work or "draw my dead cat, I'm sad!" I don't know who these people are, why should I invest my time?

If a friend lost their pet I'd be happy to draw a doodle but on my own whim, and as for "design contests" well those are just a bad idea to begin with.

I just figure I'm going to delete notes pertaining to contests of any sort to save me the frustration in the future. If there's a contest I want to join, chances are I've found it already because its something a friend is holding.

[dilario.livejournal.com]

as every else says, that is such a fun idea! :D I might have to try that!

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, dA contests tend to be an utter scam, I remember one that offered a $400 guitar that the company probably got for cheaper for Album art that would have cost thousands if sourced professionally. Of course they made it out that it was a big "privilege" to have your work on the album of a band.

I seriously don't know how some of their staff sleep when they consent to and enable people to rip off their users like that.

[dilario.livejournal.com]

adding to everyone who says they are definitely not scams, and I don't really see what the big deal is about holding them, so long as the rules are clear! :)

I did a contest not too long ago where people submitted potential boyfriends for some of my girl characters (so I could design adorable babies, hahah <3), and people could draw new designs if they wanted or submit an old one, either way! I ended up getting a million and a half entries, which was difficult though, hahah.
The other thing I did with that contest was I left the winners to be decided by a public vote, so nobody could say I was picking favorites! That worked well. :)

[merlin-the-wise.livejournal.com]

Oh, really? That's quite strange. I suppose if somebody is known for posting 'contests' regularly, people might begin to get their hackles raised about it and think it's some sort of scam, but... If it's just some person doing a contest 'draw me this sort of thing! prizes for winners!' out-of-the-blue for a bit of fun then if people start screaming scam, I think they're probably just looking for touble.

I dunno :B I've run two contests this year: one for comics in exchange for stuffed toys, and one for cameo designs in exchange for art. I've never had a problem or even really considered that it would be a bad thing, ya know? It's just a bit of fun, and anybody who thinks otherwise is putting too much stock into it.

But yeah, once you go commercial then it's a whole different kettle of fish. I'd say if you're just looking for general advice about contests, perhaps this: don't run them particularly often, make sure it is all in fun instead of for any particular profit, and ensure that (most importantly) the contestants are happy with how they see the contest, so have a transparent judging process and make clear how the contest is going to progress/is progressing.

Hope this helps and isn't too rambly and subjective!