Some Pro Painting Contest Tips

By Richard Roberts


The world is full of all kinds of painters, each one an individual with his or her own interests and goals with what to do with their work. While many people enjoy painting just for the fun of it, plenty of others enjoy entering into a serious painting contest. This can be for a number of reasons including the prestige, exposure, and cash prizes, or just the thrill of competing.

Entering in contests is a great way for an artist to build up his or her skill level. It can be very intimidating to not only paint something very personally revealing but then to show it to the public and subject it to their opinions. Starting out by entering pieces into these types of events not only builds confidence but provides opportunities to hear constructive criticism from adjudicators.

The biggest mistake that many people who are new to contests make is selecting a piece of artwork that may be technically very good, but gets lost in the sea of other entries. It is hard to find any competition that doesn't have entries pour in because so many people have art to show. It is good to choose a piece that is unique and a little bit different.

Since there are so many different forms of art, there are all kinds of competitions that focus on different styles or mediums. Some artists are flexible and like to work in all kinds of different styles. Others who are more particular are better off if they can find an event that focuses on their particular type of art.

Nowadays there are plenty of resources available to find out exactly where these types of events are happening and when. Since they take place all around the world, the Internet is a great tool to find plenty of resources. There are a number of networks that help promote competitions and get the information out to people.

For those who are looking to win some money from their art entry, there is a wealth of opportunities with these kinds of contests. By checking a particular event's details either online or by calling the organization putting it on, it's easy to find out if there is any money involved for the winner. These types of competitions will usually require an entry fee.

There is always a level of risk involved when entering art into an event like this for the piece to be damaged in some way. Sometimes the paintings in the competition are displayed for the public to come in and see, and sometimes pieces must be shipped in the mail. It is a good idea to look into how much insurance would cost for the artwork.

No one is better informed on how to get the attention of the judges (besides perhaps the judges themselves) than the previous winners of art competitions. Some of these past winners have posted their advice online as to how to enter a piece that stands out. It is helpful to look up who has won the contest in the past and see what their piece looked like.




About the Author: