Exotic Lights

A lighting effects challenge.

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Challenge yourself and create a pixel scene or character with unusual lighting. Break away from the typical natural, overhead, white lighting sheme and try something dramatic.

Your options for this contest are wide open - any sort of ususual lighting will be accepted, from multiple coloured light sources, unusual angles, unusual light filters, very high or low lights, strangely positioned light sources or more. Be creative and use lights to set a mood or set the scene.

Prizes

1st Place: A complex custom doll by Anlina
One year subscription to Eden Enchanted OR Sealed Letter at Gaiaonline.com OR comparable prize in forum currency of your choice (based on availablity)

2nd place: A complex custom doll by Anlina

3rd Place: A simple custom doll by Anlina

Any additional mentions will receive certificates that can be placed on a website.

Rules

  • Pixel shading only please, tool shading will not be accepted. This is a pixel art contest first, a dolling contest second.

  • New artwork only, please do not submit work that you have done in the past.

  • Do not sumbit sexually explicit or excessively violent/gory artwork. Tasteful nudity and mild violence and gore will be accepted.

  • You may use other artists bases, with proper credit and permission (a link to their site with a rules page that gives permission - no Candybar bases or other banned bases.)

  • Dolls on traced bases may not be entered - this means no bases that have been traced from anime images, even if the base maker did give you permission. If in doubt, ask the basemaker about the origin of the base, or ask me if I will accept a specific base.

  • All other work must be your own - no pre-made props or backgrounds.

  • You may enter as many entries as you wish, however, each person can only win one of the three major prizes. Additional mentions will be granted at my discretion and will not be limited to one per person.

  • Entries should be submitted as a transparent PNG or GIF.

  • Please host your entry and send a link to it via the contact form. Required information for your entry:

    • Name/Alias
    • Email address (this will be kept private)
    • Website (if you do not have a url you would like displayed, and would like your email address included on your entry as credit please say so)
    • Entry URL
    • Base Credit (If no base was used, please state, "No Base")

    Once I have received and saved your entry it will appear on the site.

  • Please keep submissions below 800x600 pixels in size, and under 200kb. This includes animations. If your entry is more than 450px wide a thumbnail will be displayed with a link to your full entry.

  • Entries will be accepted until Sept 30, 2006. If by this date fewer than 20 entries have been submitted, the contest will be extended.

  • You maintain the copyright to the work you submit, however, you grant anlinasheng.com a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, distribute, re-format, store, prepare derivative works based on, and publicly display and perform Your Content. (Your work will not be resold or published outside the scope of SweetPIX contests, but may be used to promote the current contest or future contests at this site. Your work may be resized or cropped as necessary for use in prize images.)

  • First prize substitutions will be at my discretion. The community specific portion of the prize may be transfered to another person if you cannot use it. Prizes have no cash surrender value.

  • Entries that do not meet the requirements for content and originality or that lack sufficient information from the artist may be disqualified at my discretion.

Hints and Tips

  • Your entry should contain a subject (scenes of an empty beach at sunset will not score well) but your subject does not need to be human. Get creative.

  • Plan your piece! Before you start shading, figure out where your light source(s) will be. Draw them in, even if they won't be visible in your finished scene. Figure out what kind of mood your piece is going to convey.

  • If you use a base, reshade it to fit your lighting scheme. Before you get started, make sure the base maker allows this level of editing.

  • Add a background or props to create a scene, instead of having a single, isolated character.

  • Use a photo or real life reference when planning your lighting (don't copy directly though.)

  • Don't forget that every solid part of your character and setting will cast a shadow of some sort.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.