Creating Art for Competitions
Hello folks, this article had recently hit the news, and I was curious how the community feels towards this topic.
I am trying to wrap my head around this in many ways, because this is the first time I have seen an offense by someone creating art towards a contest. Should we also follow that path and not do art for competitions for free? Or is this an over reactions by the artist?
Last time I checked contest are a positive action towards communities and a great way for artists to make a name for themselves. It seems others feel that to compete they should be compensated for the entry and if they win, take the prize.
Article
I am trying to wrap my head around this in many ways, because this is the first time I have seen an offense by someone creating art towards a contest. Should we also follow that path and not do art for competitions for free? Or is this an over reactions by the artist?
Last time I checked contest are a positive action towards communities and a great way for artists to make a name for themselves. It seems others feel that to compete they should be compensated for the entry and if they win, take the prize.
Article
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I don't know if it exists in the 3d industry (graphic/web designer by trade), but I used to come across this crap all the time with potential clients. It's both hilarious and sad when they think they're doing you a favor by letting you work for them for free.
This is what I find confusing, please correct me if I am wrong, but this is similar to say the UT Concept Art challenge to name a few. The view I am seeing is that contest allows any artist regardless of their skill level to get out there and make a splash.
That's insulting if you do art for a living.
The promise of "exposure" is pretty lame - they get possibly thousands of dollars of free work in exchange that somebody might do a google search for who did the advertising art in a boxing match. It's a trick to get new artists to work for free and it drives down wages.
They are also adding a trip to Vegas, :poly124: LOL. I can fully understand the issue with the personal contact, especially when it is a competition and not for business reasons. As for other artist, I don't understand how the exposure is lame, what artist doesn't want recognition. Those that volunteer, understand they might not win the prize, but find a benefit in participating.
I guess this varies on the individual.
If artists want to enter they may enter. If they don't feel it's worth their time than they shouldn't enter. No need to even complain about it or give it a second thought.
But this on the other hand is a little different. Specifically contacting artists trying to get them to enter a contest because you like their work and hope to have that artist win the competition so that you may use their work for cheap is disgusting.
If you're in a spec work situation (or pitched to work for free) and you feel insulted or taken advantage of, just stop the relationship or conversation.
Because typically the promise of exposure is a lie, they don't put your signature on the work or provide a link to your portfolio. Maybe you'll get credited in a fine print somewhere if you're lucky.
These contests are basically trading exposure for exposure - Pixologic gets to say "look what this artist made with our tools!". If Pixologic had a contest to redesign their website or logo, now that would be skeezy.
yep
even contests for nonprofit stuff like fan made games that are free, charity, etc..
are okay
i draw the line when someone is trying to maximize his profits through slavery (or how its called today; free work)
I would say that comps. popular on Polycount always credit the artist DIRECTLY and are very upfront about it.
For example, check out Allegorithmics website. Front page, art from a compeittion to show off their product. BUT!! The artists name is upfront and visible. (To add, Quixel and Marmoset although they haven't had competitions I know of still make the artists name very visible)
If you design something for a large company like that, the chances of your name featured anywhere relevant is slim to none. I have to say the companies that involve themselves with Polycount are very good with supporting artists who enter comps. While yes, it is work that shows off their product, they don't hide the submitters name and it is generally good exposure.
Edit: I guess a decent comparison to this would be the guys at Epic PMing/asking a big name on here to do work for the UT competition because it will be good exposure for them. Sounds ridiculous as I type it out.
Thats why i would never go into graphic design. Things like MyHammer and all these
contest sites are a disgrace and they totally destroy graphic, webdesign (etc)
Yea some of the contests here and elsewhere that are not as bad and they
really showcase the artists, and its more of a competition between
artists, still its a form of using the artists for cheap for exposure
in a way. Win a quixel suite for a fully modeled and textured titan ?
They do not use their work for more than the competition, thats
alright in a way.
but those things that are outside the game industry are totally absurd and ridiculous. And because people do them, they are a thing. Its a devils circle.
Logo, website for 70$ ...
We dont see it a lot in our industry, but if you're working in the more "traditional" stuff, its very apparent.
Just don't participate and hope nobody else does, and flame those who do.
Its driven by desperate people and devalues artists around the world.
http://www.allegorithmic.com/contest/battle-titans