Challenge Rules

The challenge rules listed below have largely been adapted from the earlier IFX forum rules. They may be subject to change at any time. Their purpose is both to prevent cheating and to encourage the participants and other forumites to provide feedback on each other's images.

Challenges setup
To start off we will run monthly challenges with a descriptive brief. With a growing forum and active participation we will add weekly or biweekly challenges as well.

Apart from the monthly and (later) weekly challenges there may, or may not, be other challenges. We will try to keep themed challenge series running alongside the other challenges. These will adhere to the same rules as listed below. Forumites are welcome to set up their own challenges as well, in which case different rules may apply.

Your work
All challenge entries must be your own work.

Using references is fine; tracing someone else’s work or photos is not. Derivate works are not allowed (unless expressly stated in the challenge brief). The work should also be produced within the time frame of the challenge. That means you should begin drawing/painting your image after the challenge has been posted (and post your entry before the deadline). If you’ve previously made an image that suits the challenge theme perfectly, it is OK to make a new version of the image, as long as it’s not just a complete repaint of the exact same thing. Think of it as more of a make-over, if you wish to use an old image as a starting point. And we strongly suggest you post the original as well, so people know.

The use of A.I. Image generation software is not permitted for final image entry. You may use such software for initial idea generation if you wish, but the imagery you create for entry into the challenges must be generated by you, the artist. The challenges exist for the purpose of demonstrating, improving and refining your abilities in the creation of art and it meant to be... a challenge.

WIP images (Works in Progress)
You should post at least two WIP images that are clearly different from your final entry and each other.

You can post any number of WIP's in the WIP thread as long as you can link to two different ones in the finals thread. The WIP's linked to in the finals thread should represent different stages in your work process, for instance a sketch and a finished line drawing or a colour wash. If you change direction mid-challenge you are allowed to link to the early WIPs, but they won't count among the two necessary links.

File uploads to the forum are limited to a maximum of 512kb. Image files must also be under 1024x1024 pixels along their longest dimension. One way to reduce the size is to make sure your WIP images are only 72 ppi even when your work file is 300 ppi. In Photoshop you can use the "Save for web" function (which also prevents you from accidentally saving over your original). In ArtRage you can use the snipping tool to quickly create WIP images, just watch the size (if you capture your entire screen you’ll most likely produce an image larger than 1024 pixels).

Final entries
No chatter in the finals thread – if you have questions, post them in the WIP thread or PM an admin.

Your final entry should contain your image (inserted so it shows up full size) and at least two links to your WIP posts on the forum.

Please note that there are two challenge threads for each challenge. In the WIP thread you post your Works In Progress along with feedback & criticism of other's work as well as general chit chat and questions. In the finals thread you have to post your final image (well, duh) and also at least two links to your WIP's in the WIP thread. These should link to the posts with your images in them, not to the images themselves and definitely not to a website outside of the forum. You find the post url by right-clicking the number in the upper right corner of a post ("#number") and choosing "copy shortcut". Please check your links to make sure they work and are directed at the correct posts.

Also remember to use the “insert” button when attaching your final images, so that they show up full size instead of as a thumbnail attachment. This will simplify things for both admin and voters.

Feedback
Feedback is allowed & encouraged together with the voting and in the WIP thread.

Refrain from posting comments, questions & feedback in the finals thread until we're past the deadline for entries. Once the poll has been set up, feedback on the entries is appreciated but you should keep it to one post. Also keep in mind that feedback in the WIP section before deadline is much more useful (even if it’s often easier to critise a finished image). The more feedback everyone gets the better!

Deadline
Deadline is given in UK time (midnight GMT) with a grace period of 5 minutes for getting the post sorted.

The challenge info states which date is the deadline but time is always midnight GMT. Since it is midnight not only for the UK but also for all the admins we might not have the opportunity to check all entries and prepare for the voting until the day after, but the time itself still applies! You can check your time zone here, if you are uncertain of the time difference: www.timezonecheck.com/

Remember that both your WIP images and your final image should be posted in time! Up until the deadline, a posted final image can be replaced. After deadline any edits to your post might result in disqualification.

Voting
Each member may cast one set of votes

Each member is allowed to vote ONCE, using the poll set up by moderators.

With the previous system, your no. 1 vote got 3 points, your 2nd got 2 points, and your 3rd got 1 point. Since we now have a polling system, this will be used instead and it allows only one choice.

Every active member of the forum is allowed to vote in the challenges, regardless of whether they have participated themselves. Each member may only have one account, and only vote once per challenge. Votes from voters suspected of being friends or family of a participant, signing up just to “help” their friends, will be ignored. To avoid users signing up to vote only, people will be allowed to vote when they’ve posted 5 times elsewhere in the forum (or if they have participated in the challenge).

Cheating
No cheating!

We all know we shouldn't cheat. But some people still try to. Perhaps because they don't have a thorough understanding of copyright rules or because they just like to win. Since there are no major prizes or other gains to be made other than the in-forum fame and the confidence boost from winning we hope there will be no cheating in the CGArtNexus challenges!

Disqualification
Admins may decide to disqualify an entry that does not adhere to the above rules.

Reasons for disqualification are: It's not your work; you haven't posted works in progress; you've missed the deadline or painted the image before the challenge; or you tried cheating with the votes. Clickable links in the final entry should not be a problem since urls are automatically made clickable. The list of offenses above may not be exclusive and if admins deem it justified they may still choose to disqualify an entry.

If someone gets disqualified more than once for cheating they may not be allowed to enter challenges at all (all their entries will be disqualified, for a time at least).

These rules may be changed - especially now at the beginning... If you have suggestions for changes or clarifications as well as additions or whatnot to the rules, please post them over in the suggestion-box: www.cgartnexus.com/index.php/forums/suggestion-box

You can also post requests for further information or challenge guides.