zeitgeist_057 ([info]zeitgeist_057) wrote in [info]elfwood,
@ 2008-01-22 18:06:00
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Art "Contest"

I am holding a contest to see who can create my next tattoo. Thing is, I have an idea of what I want but I am somewhat flexible and the tattoo has some logistic problems. Number one, I..d like it to have a map of the world on some sort of antiquated medium, like a bamboo scroll or weathered parchment. The map can be outdated or inaccurate, I leave it to your design. Other elements I..d like to incorporate are a dragon or dragonoid character (symbolizing myself,holding the map maybe?) and a compass rose w/ the points left blank (I have 8 brothers and sisters, and will add symbols for them at the points later). I am very into travelling, ships/water/(perhaps the dragon would be an elemental water dragon?). mermaids or other interesting things could be added to the map. The tattoo will cover the right half of my backside, from the bottom of the ribcage to the bottom of the thigh. I might move it up to just cover half my back, but I have a small tattoo on the upper right shoulder that would have to become incorporated or covered... it..s of a bouncing Tigger(symbolizing a playful nature). Visit my website for more info. The winner will also get a picture of their artwork on my body once the tattoo is complete! If you have another idea, submit it as I am open to new ideas. Submit via snail mail or email, I will return oiginal art if you provide postage and a return envelope/container.  bpmsea@yahoo.com or write for for an address.


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[info]nachtritter
2008-01-22 12:40 pm UTC (link)
Surely there's more to it for the artist than just a picture? I mean, commission work is fine and all, but artists don't just work for photographs of their own art - hey, we have scanners and printers for that purpose!

I always find it rude when people seem to assume we're some sort of attention whores who will draw anything and spend any amount of time on art at the smallest opportunity to be noticed.

Eh, maybe I'm wrong though. Maybe there's some prestige in being the unpaid artist behind whoeverthatguyis's side tattoo. Dunno. I mean WOW, my artwork will be featured on a random person's body!

Maybe you should add a link to that website of yours that you mention? I have no idea where to look because I have no idea who you are, you see.

I also like how you say "I will return oiginal art if you provide postage and a return envelope/container" - what, so you couldn't even pay the S&H to send the artist his/her original work? That's a whole new level of "cheap ass". And you want people to dedicate their time working for you, when you won't even send them back their work unless THEY pay for it?

Find yourself a good tattoo artist. Of course, that means you'll have to pay them for the "R&D" time dedicated to your "cause", but hey, good art shouldn't come for free, beggar.

Edited at 2008-01-22 08:49 pm UTC

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[info]chibiqueen
2008-01-22 03:34 pm UTC (link)
Wow, I'd love to be the "winner" of this "contest." Or, should I say, the kid who gets suckered into giving you their time for free?

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[info]andreags
2008-01-22 04:00 pm UTC (link)
I gotta agree with the above two people. If a person is serious about their art at all, they can't make a career out of giving things away for free, even if they enjoy doing it. And what about the tattoo artist? I'm sure he/she enjoys what they do, but I'll bet you're not holding the same sort of contest to get a tattoo artist to needle this work into your skin for free.

It always surprises me that people will ask this of artists, but they would never even think of asking for other professional services to be provided for free. Can you imagine? "I'll let you plumb my toilet, and if you do a good enough job, I'll send you a picture of someone using the fixed toilet. Aren't you proud?"

I personally only ever enter a contest if I can submit artwork I've already done, there is a sizeable prize/exposure (Masters of Fantasy, Spectrum, Expose), and I retain the rights to my work.

Besides, you get what you pay for...don't expect much if you're expecting it for free.

Maybe this is all unfairly harsh. Maybe you're pleasantly naive, and had no idea. But a post like this IS a little insulting to the artists' community as a whole. I KNOW you're going to drop a big chunk of change on the person tattooing your back, and how is that a vastly more skilled profession than a skilled artist? How is that more deserving of pay?

I love painting, but if someone is going to ask me to explore THEIR vision instead of mine (and I get paid to paint the things that I like to anyways), then they should be prepared to pay for it. I'd much rather be painting my own things (and contrary to popular thought, most artists have raging imaginations with plenty of their own ideas), writing, relaxing, or spending quality time with my friends and family.

I hope you reconsider.

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[info]mrlich
2008-01-22 05:51 pm UTC (link)
"Maybe this is all unfairly harsh. Maybe you're pleasantly naive, and had no idea."

I don't think that was harsh - even if they didn't know. It was accurate relaying of simple information that they would be better for knowing/understanding. Thank you for giving them more information than "You're an idiot!"

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[info]steppinrazor
2008-01-22 08:24 pm UTC (link)
Here's an idea.

Pay your tattoo artist to do the artwork. Yes, you will have to PAY him or her, but it will be well worth it, and any tattoo artist worth his salt will do exactly what you want - if not, find someone else.

Don't scrub around art communities looking for free work. I've done tattoo designs for people myself. Let me tell you, it doesn't count for a damn thing. Nobody's going to ask to see designs I've done for tattoos, unless I want to be a tattoo artist myself..

It's important that your tattoo artist do the work for you, as well, since they can fit it precisely to your body.

I just will never understand people who insist on getting tattoo designs from complete strangers, and who aren't willing to shell out a few precious dollars for quality work that's going to be on their body FOR LIFE.

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whoa
[info]zeitgeist_057
2008-01-23 02:45 am UTC (link)
Appy-poly-ogies to all whose sensibilities were offended by my post. I arrived at the Elfwood site and saw a lot of people posting a lot of art. I have been considering a tattoo for some time, but haven't really found what I'm looking for, and I'm not much of an artist myself. Which is perhaps why I didn't understand the underlying motives of wealth and prestige as I do now.

No, I am not naive. I am not an idiot, either. I understand that people want money and for their talent to be recognized. I AM a beggar, just hunting for that person who can draw what I have a somewhat amorphous idea of in my head that I want to put on my body, the body of a random beggar in a world of billions of people, nobody special.

I DID think about getting a tattoo artist to do the art, but everytime I flip through a tattoo artist's book in the shop, I feel like I'm seeing the same things over and over and I have seen art I liked but was unable to imagine it mutated into what I want. If I find one whose art I like, I will commission that person.

I also thought about promising a cash prize, but then I thought that if I did that, I would have to set a bunch of parameters, like getting an official address to send things to, a final deadline, rules about copyrights or what have you.... and what if I got 3 entries by my deadline and didn't like any of them? And yes, I put in the thing about return postage. What if I got 3,000? I'm too cheap to spend the $1500 in postage and envelopes and however many hours it takes to lick, address and take to the post office 3,000 packages. I'm sure it wouldn't be that many, but I'm not THAT sure. If I say I'm going to do something, I like to stick by my word, which means I think about what I say I'm going to do before I go making promises like I'm going to return people's art at my own expense or award cash to people.

I thought it would be easier to just ask for submissions and then if I got what I wanted I would give the artist something for it. I suppose that's rather high and mighty of me to decide how much and whether or not I even wanted to. I can see I touched on a sensitive area between the professional worlds of plumbers vs. painters. Is that like Pirate vs. Ninja? It should be.

Obviously the idea of drawing someone's tattoo for free doesn't appeal to you guys, and perhaps not to anyone as there were only negative responses (some more compassionately negative than others). I understand that an artist does art for thier own enjoyment and to express themselves, and if I want them to express for me, I should pay them. It was part of my personal fantasy that there would be artists out there who happened to enjoy the concept (the concept of the tattoo, not the concept of the contest) and want to manifest such a piece of art out of the desire to create. As I am not an artist, I can only speculate. I imagine that if I were an artist, I would be excited to draw the art for someone's permanent tattoo. I would admittedly be MORE excited if that person also gave me money. :) I guess I have artists a little romanticized. I forget they are also mortals.

My bad. I'm not in anyway shocked that there are also people who object to the idea. I didn't really expect comments expressing these objections, I just thought people who weren't interested would go on with thier lives. Maybe the whole idea was a bad idea. Again, I apologize for any distress my post, my begging and my ignorance has caused. Thank you for your constructive criticism and may you all recieve large commissions for current and future works!

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PS
[info]zeitgeist_057
2008-01-23 02:52 am UTC (link)
Oh yeah I forgot to add a link... it's to my myspace. www.myspace.com/bearpalomo If anyone who reads the post is actually interested in the idea.

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Re: PS
[info]flameweaverx
2008-05-24 02:31 am UTC (link)
I may be a fish trying to walk here, but I think your tattoo idea is a good one. Sounds like lots of fun, and a good usage of the imagination. I personally don't think it's insane for someone to do it for free. God forbid someone should do something like that just for the fun and experience of doing it. Keep the idea, you might get lucky. I hope you find someone you think is good enough to do it and will do it :)

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