September Contest ~ Barbarous Reflections of....

This months contest focuses on famous artists that you are doing images as an homage to their talent. You are basically being challenged to emulate images made by these artists where you aren't claiming credit for the art but a love for the artist and their works. Boris Vallejo, Luis Rojo, Julie Bell, Frank Frazetta, Brom, Joe Jusko, Dorian Cleavenger, and Ken Kelly to name just a few. While the focus is on modern artists, we're looking for images that are of a more barbaric design. This can be science fiction such as John Carter of Mars or even something like Lobo from DC Comics as we're looking for a style that doesn't have to be your traditional swords and sorcery types (although if that's easier to understand, go for it). We're looking for dark fantasy and the focus is on the artist.

Remember this as its the artist that's important here because you're being asked to focus on a famous modern dark fantasy artist... or maybe they aren't so famous yet and you want to share your favorite artists and the art that you enjoy by them. Remember, tell us who they are so we can find them too

On a side note, Scream Queen Julie Strain died on Jan 10th 2021 at the age of 58 from dementia. Her death was falsely reported many times leading up to this. She was a B-Movie actress, model and was often employed by the very artists you may be featuring in your art. Julie made her name in the 80s and 90s but remained active into the 2000's. The thing that set her apart was that she was tall but built of sturdier stock so that unless she were standing next to someone, you couldn't appreciate how tall she was. Due to just learning this, maybe you would consider some of that art in which she modeled for your own art?


IMPORTANT:  NEW RULE THIS YEAR ALL PRIZE LIST MUST BE GIVEN WHEN YOU ENTER THE CONTEST please remember to include prizes in order that you might like them along with links to the items you want unless it's a gift card item, email address and usernames and for software/shippable items please include real names and home address thank you in a PM

 1) First and foremost, we want everyone to enter. If you do not wish for a prize but want to participate in the spirit of showcasing your talent, we will be creating a list of those members who will officially receive a DSA No Prize. We've had trouble in the past where members enter who actually do not want to win. These members don't want to take anything away from members who are participating to win prizes and we've had issues in the past where we tried to accommodate these members but not every judge understood or read comments by the artist not to choose their image. When the official contest topic is posted, we would like any member who only wants to participate in the spirit of competition to contact us and we will officially add them to the No Prize list.

 2) Your images must follow the theme to the best of your ability. But how you do this is up to your individual creativity and imagination. So ask if you have questions about the theme.

 3) There is a post limit of one image a day... no reworks as all images must be original for this contest. Try adding different races and different cultures... explore the variety that makes up who and what we are.

 4) Images cannot be posted anywhere else for five days and must include links to this contest or statements that it is for this contest.

 A) Images posted late will be excluded from judging

 5) Artistic nudity is allowed but our rules on child nudity apply. No child nudity is allowed. This is defined as genitals and nip's so cover them up or risk violating our rules. A good alternative would be anime. 

 6) The contest is open to any medium that you wish to use. You can enter with Computer generated images, photo manipulated, hand-drawn, painted, or any other type of medium you can think of. Make note of the prizes being offered as only rarely might they not be 3d oriented.

 7) We consider it trolling if criticism about content is made when images are within the rules.

 8. Unless otherwise specified, make sure to add an alternate prize selection should you want a bundle or partnered item. Some of our sponsors allow this, some do not and some may on certain items of which we have no way of knowing.

 9) Consider adding some written text to explain your illustrations to help others better understand your image and leave comments on the entries of fellow contestants to show your appreciation.

 10) Make sure to check and see if the prize you have won is a coupon or a gift certificate. If it clearly says it is a coupon, do not apply it as a gift certificate at the sponsors' site or vice versa.

 11) The theme should focus on your interpretation of famous artwork.

 12) Include the following information ~

 A) Username (for DSA and sponsors site)
 B. Email Address
 C) Real Name & Physical Mailing Address (for software and physical prizes)

 13, Winners will provide a list including each sponsor in order that they would like to have the prizes. We will then choose what prizes you win on a first come, first serve basis. Our First Place winner will receive the first item on their list which will be removed from all other winners lists. Our Second Place winner will be given the first item remaining on their list and so forth. When each winner has been awarded a prize, we will begin again with the First Place winner until all prizes are awarded. 

 A) Our normal monthly contests will have 5 winners. Our larger contests will have up to 31 winners. We will alert members should this change at any time or if the sponsors have alerted us to award items to runners up.

 B. You may provide a list to us at any time during the month. Providing the list does not guarantee a prize. Items given to runners up, if any, will come from these lists or be donated by prize winners. 

 14) If you do not provide the items you would like where you have won a "choice" of items from the sponsor, on the list you provide to us, you will have 5 business days after notification to contact us. It is unfair that, in cases where a sponsor provides a prize to multiple winners, that winners who reply quickly must wait of winners who reply late.

 15) Remember, if you have any questions, please ask them in the contest topic so that staff or fellow members can explain and help you to understand rules or themes in our competition.

I included some art videos you may have to watch on Youtube but they're worth it to get ideas. Some art you may love like this piece by Jake Probelski have no galleries online but you might still want to cover them. Just make sure to include the artists name as this is an homage meaning we need to know who they are. You can share that in your image comment or here on the contest forum.

Remember, the definition for dark fantasy ranges but we tend to define it as dark, sexy and violent for the most part. I'm sure you'll figure it out but, if you can't just ask.

Let me explain it this way. Each of these artists will have their own style. You don't need the artists name when you see the image, you immediately recognize it as their work because of their style. Now, if you can recreate that style to do an homage to them, you can do any image you want as an homage means we recognize it as something that original artist might have done. That is possible in 3d but very few can carry it off because they're using premade characters that look nothing like the artistic styles of the artist you're doing the homage to. Thus, tbh, you're going to lose if you do that because an homage has to be recognizable as something the artist might have done.

But, if you're doing an homage to the original artpiece itself, then we will be far more able to recognize the tribute even if you're using your own artistic style.

An example would be if Luis Royo did a tribute to Frank Frazetta. If he did a totally unique image using his own artistic style, no one's going to see the resemblance of the tribute.

So, the challenge here would be can you capture that artists style to expand your own artistic abilities or can you copy the scene using your own style. An homage/tribute pays respect to the original artist as you're not stealing their work or claiming it as your own. You're saying I like this and want to show respect to the original artist as a fan of their work.