Volume 39 quarter 4

Posted by: @clfors

This topic is a bit late coming so hopefully everyone is already working on their art pieces!

I was taking a bit of a recovery period and am just now thinking of a new piece for quarter 4. I have a few ideas but I’m not sure what direction to go. 

For Q2 I experimented with pulling my illustrations further back from the subjects and including more background and lighting effects. I may push further in that direction or I may head back towards the closer in, high detail style that is more typical for me…

 

How are your Q4 submissions coming?

After perusing the gallery of winning art illustrations, I have been spending more time on background as well. I'm working on finding my style and how to manipulate clip studio paint so most of my art for this volume has been me experimenting with a new to me medium. I'm in the midst of a digital art piece which is fun to create and whimsical to view. All I can say with any certainty is that I AM learning a lot in doing this...

@clfors I have a question... So, I know at the HM level for IOTF you are encouraged to resubmit 2 pieces and 1 new one for the next quarter. What happens with SF and F? I presume SFs get a critique and finalists who don't place get a sence they were close to winning. But... what would be the advice to SF and F folks regarding the upcoming quarter? Do they get to resubmit pieces from the SF and F quarter? Or are those pieces now done and you have to come up with new pieces?

Just trying to visualize the process. They provide so much more guidance and information for WOTF entries.

Thanks...  

@physa At semi-finalist and finalist I have still been told to switch out 1 and resubmit 2. I can’t say I have the right equation for which pieces to submit and I’m still guessing. I tend to resubmit 2 that have been in finalist winning quarters every time. And then put a new piece with those. But quarter 2 I submitted 2 new pieces and 1 older(finalist) piece. 

Posted by: @clfors

@physa At semi-finalist and finalist I have still been told to switch out 1 and resubmit 2. I can’t say I have the right equation for which pieces to submit and I’m still guessing. I tend to resubmit 2 that have been in finalist winning quarters every time. And then put a new piece with those. But quarter 2 I submitted 2 new pieces and 1 older(finalist) piece. 

 

@clfors, thanks for your answer. It's weird how different the two contests are in their judging. On my end, I'm still in the discovery phase of a new medium. 

Looks like the SF critique would provide useful advice regarding which 2 to keep and which 1 to swap out with something new. Or do you get comments back on SF entries?

It would be nice to have Q3 results before selecting Q4 entries, but I think it's likely I'll be submitting 2 new and keeping 1 from before.

I thought I replied again but now I don’t see it so I apologize if I’m repeating myself.  

So with one of my finalists I was told which one to switch out because it was a bit more portrait-like than the others I submitted and if a finalist’s work is more portrait-like than another finalist regardless of whose work is better over-all, the one that is more illustration will win over the one that is more portrait-like.

That was the only time I was given an idea of which one to switch out.

@physa Where might one find the gallery of winners? I tried navigating the WotF site to find it but failed. I've already entered for this quarter, but if I decide to enter again one day it would probably be a good idea to go forearmed.

Posted by: @ease

@physa Where might one find the gallery of winners? I tried navigating the WotF site to find it but failed. I've already entered for this quarter, but if I decide to enter again one day it would probably be a good idea to go forearmed.

Here's the blog for last year's winning submissions. I believe this was the first year they posted winning submissions. Previously you've only gotten to see what the winners created for the volumes themselves.

https://writersofthefuture.com/meet-the-illustrators-12-brilliant-artists/

Thanks @lost_bard, that's a huge help!

I got my quarter 4 illustration submissions in a couple days ago! I like my chances better with this set than with my quarter 3 submission. Looks like results might come soon for that one. 

I hope all have your submissions in or near ready! How’s it going?

Posted by: @clfors

I got my quarter 4 illustration submissions in a couple days ago! I like my chances better with this set than with my quarter 3 submission. Looks like results might come soon for that one. 

I hope all have your submissions in or near ready! How’s it going?

My Q4 illustration submissions were submitted a month or so ago. It's weird to know what my WOTF Q3 results are and not my IOTF Q3 results. I wonder if they've picked their finalists yet. Oh well. I suppose we'll find out when we find out. To me my Q4 illustration set was stronger than my Q3 illustration set. Spent more time on making the background more detailed. 

Good luck getting your illustration set in for Q4. On my end, I'm still sweating on my Q4 WOTF entry. 

@physa We are in the same boat! I got my illustrations in but I’m still finishing my WOTF submission. I also have no news for Q3 illustrators yet. So Either I didn’t finalist this time or it hasn’t gone out yet. It is a funny feeling, huh? We have story results but still checking the email over here for IOTF!

Posted by: @clfors

@physa We are in the same boat! I got my illustrations in but I’m still finishing my WOTF submission. I also have no news for Q3 illustrators yet. So Either I didn’t finalist this time or it hasn’t gone out yet. It is a funny feeling, huh? We have story results but still checking the email over here for IOTF!

I'm thinking that IOTF hasn't picked their finalists yet. Not that I'm looking for a call, but I just have this hunch that they got used to waiting to pick. Anyway, if they follow their pattern it will be end of October first week of November when they are calling finalists. Also... I notice they haven't updated the blog with WOTF results including the three winners. Whatever is going on behind the scenes, it's different that it's been for the past several quarters. 

Good luck with your wotf Q4 submission and fingers crossed for your Q3 illustration entry.

I got mine in last week. There appear to be far fewer HMs, and no SHMs, compared to WOTF. I guess that makes the odds significantly better, right? Best of luck to all!

Posted by: @clfors

 

So with one of my finalists I was told which one to switch out because it was a bit more portrait-like than the others I submitted and if a finalist’s work is more portrait-like than another finalist regardless of whose work is better over-all, the one that is more illustration will win over the one that is more portrait-like.

That was the only time I was given an idea of which one to switch out.

That's pretty insightful and valuable feedback to get! And definitely sounds like good advice to follow!

Just speaking anecdotally though, and from an IOTF past so long ago that it's to be taken with a grain of salt now ... I had thought the same thing back in anthology #mumblemumble about "portraits vs action shots" ... (when I considered myself lucky to just GET there! I'd entered 6 quarters before I won. I always told friends "I'll only win it in a Quarter where no Russians enter!" Because in my research of PAST winning illustrations in anthologies, I realized how amazing those guys consistently were/are; and I was right, that's when I somehow won! I imagined somewhere there was a grimy art school in Siberia were tiny Russian children were trained like Olympic gymnasts, pumped full of hormones, and taught to crank out amazing SF & F art!) ...

Anyway, angsting down Hollywood Blvd I went from thinking I was totally out-classed by every other of my Volume's artists (" the competition") ... to thinking "Yeah, but my writer's story gave me a great ACTION scene to illustrate!" so I thought "I might be in the top five or six ..."

Basically I was just trying to pump up my own defeatist attitude. But (again, anecdotally) there was no doubt in my mind that one of the obvious "should win" artist's ONLY negatives was that his story illustration was maybe "too portraity" vs "action" ... DIDN'T MATTER. Probably the most "portrait" of them all WON the BIG PRIZE!

My point, if at all there is one? PLAY TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL STRENGTHS (whatever those are).
Win or lose, don't make yourself kick yourself forever after (In my case, I "played it safe" and tossed aside a version that I thought was mayyyybe "too risque" ... because I was a child of the sexy "underground comix" ... but I know the WRITERS contest doesn't invite "too sexy" aspects. So I reined my vibe in. NOW let me be 100% CLEAR: I wouldn't have won the big prize anyway! The art that won was GREAT (but "portraity" is my point. Portraity didn't matter) ... I just wish I'd given the judges MY "best toss of the dice" and NOT overthought or played it safe!

So that'd be my perspective, years after the thing: PLAY TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL ARTISTIC STRENGTHS!

But if you've gotten personal feedback from a judge, that's VALUABLE!

Another tidbit I'd offer, though? I did get conflicting feedback once (before I won): I was doing old-style PEN & INK art (it looks like technology has advanced to most doing DIGITAL painting now? I dunno. I was an older guy in among young "art school" kids!) One judge suggested that was possibly coming to be passe. Another complimented me for choosing that technique! (Basically because it's the only thing I can do! But that's the "woodcut" vibe I won with. Again ... I went with what I did best, so ...) 

HA! Sorry for the long ramble. I hadn't written here for 5 years, I noticed! I had stoof to say (drivel or not)! 
One thing I'll say without doubt, though: KEEP SUBMITTING! That's one of the BIG truths! Sooner or later a Quarter comes when no "Russian" artists beat you!!! (I say "Russian" but I just mean "Eastern European-sounding names" ... In these troubled times, I mean nothing ill about calling someone "Russian" in a friendly intent. ART is one of the great human vibes we ALL share and can build bridges of humanity to each other. But yeah ... that's what kept me going in the IOTF ... and made me give up CHESS! (haha) If I'd known that beautiful girl in THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT was out battling in the Chess rooms of Europe ... well, enough.

Play to yer strengths. "Portraity" can win.

@soulmirror Welcome back to the forums! I actually deeply appreciate your ramble. Lots of valuable insights in there.

I definitely find myself torn between trying to do what everyone else can do vs playing to my strengths! I’ve been trying to find the in between that yields growth. I have a close friend that won back when the art was all black and white! He one with scratch board art. My art is also traditional. Watercolor. I prefer it to the digital that is much more common now.

Illustrator results are coming in now! I got another semi-finalist this time! I’m pleased The new piece I entered didn’t match my vision well. But it’s encouraging to not be backsliding too much. 

Posted by: @clfors

Illustrator results are coming in now! I got another semi-finalist this time! I’m pleased The new piece I entered didn’t match my vision well. But it’s encouraging to not be backsliding too much. 

That's so awesome @cflors. Super congratulations. I got my IOTF Q3 results as well...

@physa hey! Congratulations!!! That’s fantastic ?

Congrats @physa and @clfors!!! another Semi-Finalist for me as well in Q3. Very pleased with the result but it is making me question my submission choices of which pieces to re-submit. If only we got just a tiny hint from the judges 😉 Im in 2 minds to just go with 3 fresh pieces at this point but maybe that can be a 2023 strategy. Onwards and upwards!

Posted by: @cbinnsillustration

Congrats @physa and @clfors!!! another Semi-Finalist for me as well in Q3. Very pleased with the result but it is making me question my submission choices of which pieces to re-submit. If only we got just a tiny hint from the judges 😉 Im in 2 minds to just go with 3 fresh pieces at this point but maybe that can be a 2023 strategy. Onwards and upwards!

Thanks @cbinnsillustration. How exciting for you to get a SF which does come with advice I believe. Congrats! Would love any insights into the behind the scenes judging preferences you feel comfortable sharing. 

@cbinnsillustration onwards and upwards! I am ever questioning which to resubmit! One quarter I submitted two news pieces and one old finalist. I don’t have the answers except that I think once you hit finalist with a group of pieces any of those are good candidates to resubmit(in theory as I haven’t won yet) I make sure to submit at least one new one every time. Wish I knew the magic formula. I’m just using each quarter as an opportunity to push my skills. That’s the goal anyway. I’m hoping to feel like I’m really ready for it once I win. Oh and congrats on your semi-finalist!

I was trying to remember if we even WERE allowed to re-submit illus back in the #27 era?
If anyone did, I don't remember it ever being discussed.

Anyway ... I always did 3 new ones every quarter, myself.
It generated more art! Probably as valuable to me as having the firm contest DEADLINES too (I'm by nature a procrastinator, so "feet to the fire" is what I need! I do a lot of quicker stuff for the fun, or comix ... but to really work things up it helps to have either a $$$ target or something like the IOTF contest!)

Here're two old NON-winners I'd submitted that I probably would've repeated, over some that I now look at and think "Yeah, THAT one wasn't ever going anywheres!"

One thing I always did (that I know some didn't) that I thought was a GOOD IDEA, was I always tried to come up with a TITLE that I hoped might add some punch to the visuals ... told a little story by itself, if you will. (Thinking that the contest is FOR illustrations that will accompany WOTF writers' stories)
These were called 1) THE CENTAUR SAVES HIS BRIDE and 2) SOMETIMES EVEN MY GUARDIAN ANGEL NEEDS SAVING!

(Is re-submitting a NEW thing for STORIES? I only recently saw Joni's comment that it's cool now ... but I'm pretty sure it wasn't allowed back in the old days!)

@physa to be honest even when i made finalist in Q1 the advice I received was very encouraging to continue participating but I did not get any insight into what pieces were strongest or which to possibly swap out. So I needed to go with personal choice, which in a subjective field, is never easy 🙂 

@clfors totally agree, I have been following that strategy for the last 2 quarters now but perhaps its time to admit that the pieces i thought were my strongest might not be. 

@soulmirror you make a lot of good points, i also try to drive the narrative with a good title, I try to look at each piece as a spark that might build a world or story around. This competition has be extremely fun for me and has allowed me to just create what ever I want under pretty loose deadlines. in 4 quarters now I have created over 12 pieces that I now struggle to decide which to submit each quarter. Not sure I will ever get it right but that's not gonna stop me from trying 🙂

Really nice to hear from those ahead of me in the illustrators contest. I appreciate all of your insights: @cbinnsillustration, @cflors, and @soulmirror. For my Q4, I submitted one of the pieces both HMs have in common plus 2 brand new pieces where I added more to the background. We'll see how it does. This is the first Volume year I've tried to compete in the IOTF contest and am just learning how to create and manipulate digital art. And I'm having SO MUCH FUN with it. My next lesson (self taught) will be how to manipulate layers.

@physa layers are a game changer! Have fun!

Has anyone had any news about Illustration results? I've not entered before: does it normally follow a similar cadence to the Writing contest?

@ease we should have results very soon! Especially with this being 4th quarter. I don’t have my illustrators results yet either. I’m gonna go for a morning run and hope for a phone call while I’m out of breath so I can sound ridiculous ?

@ease, so far Illustrator results are like a day or two days distance from writers [email results]. I have no idea about the time of phone calls vs. email results vs. writers phone calls and emails. Good luck @clfors, may you get your wish, nothing on my end for IOTF. Fingers crossed for all of us.  

Thanks @clfors and @physa for the information! Best of luck to you both.