Detail: Besides the direct use of other artist’s work without permission, this includes work that is entirely based on the conceptual and/or visual properties of someone elses image/creation. If work demonstrates the skill of others rather than your own, it does not belong at ArtistGFX. For works that are inspired by work of others, the submitted work must differ from the original in such a fashion that it can be regarded as a individual work. Never the less, always credit your sources.
Detail: Although we allow a level of artistic nudity as long as the work is flagged as ‘explicit’, we are a website for all ages and our content must match this fact. Tactless nudity, (hidden) pornographic material and other forms of explicit material unsuitable for younger viewers will be rejected.
Detail: Online all we have is trust, which is why we value honesty. If you hold back details about the creation process or lie about how a work was created to appear more skilled or to avoid being moderated, there is a good chance your account will be suspended.
Artworks that do not meet these guidelines will be unpublished or moved to the My Profile category. Administrators and moderators will evaluate each artwork individually and will consider any relevant information.
General
2.1 Work containing material other than your own,
unless with permission, only when your artistic interpretation adds value to the original material, and with a link to the original material & original artist.
Detail: Similar to the rule 1.1. We value originality and as a result we do not accept works that match, or include material that closely matches the creative works of others. If material is used with permission, it must still be sufficiently modified so that the submitting artists can rightfully claim the credit for the work.
2.2 Exact recreations/copies of other works,
unless clearly a personal interpretation, with clear links to the original material. If work of someone other than you is involved supply sufficient details about the original artist.
Detail: Although you may have put in effort and even if all lines and brush strokes are yours, if the work is an exact recreation/copy of another work it is rejected. Interpretations of other works are allowed, but only if the original artwork is linked and the original artist is given proper credit / has given permission.
2.3 Fan art,
unless of a quality that matches the gallery standards.
Detail: Typically the ‘quick sketch’ work. Unless the quality can match the gallery standards, we reject quick sketches, doodles, snapshots, speed paintings and other works that are created in a little amount of time, with little effort or little creative input.
Gallery Category Specific
3D Modeling
3.1 Renders of scenes build with nothing but primitives,
unless part of a strong concept.
Detail: Just as sculptures aren’t made by stacking rocks you find, 3D renders of scenes that simply consist out of arranged primitives like spheres, cubes, etc are rejected.
3.2 Generic Terragen, Poser and Bryce renders or similar,
unless freed of the software's typical look and feel or part of an original and well executed concept.
Detail: Certain software has a reputation of producing ‘one click art’. Generic scenes or models that can be produced by simply modifying a few parameters are considered uninspired and therefore rejected. That doesn’t mean that there is a software boycott, just as long as the produced work doesn’t bear the software’s signature look.
3.3 Renders of uninspired objects with preset materials applied.
Detail: Creativity is important when using software that creates quite a lot for you. Renders of uninspired 3D scenes that are unable to exceed the software’s most basic usage are rejected.
Drawing
4.1 Rough sketches and doodles,
unless sufficiently cleaned up and able to match the gallery standards.
Detail: Sketches aren’t completed works but lead to completed works; like drawings. Quick sketches and doodles are rejected. If a sketch is sufficiently cleaned up, well presented and has a concept worth communicating, they may be posted in the galleries.
4.2 Exact recreations of other people's photos/images,
unless sufficiently different from the original, with permission of the artist and links to the original material.
Detail: A near exact sketched/line art version of another person’s image is also a recreation/copy. These recreations are rejected unless the recreation is sufficiently different from the original. Links to the original material will have to be provided and permission must be granted by the original artist. You are allowed to post recreations in the forum, including links to the original material if you want others to be able to judge / recognize your technical skill.
4.3 Incomplete scenes or subjects,
unless involving strong character design or a concept sketch able to match the gallery standards.
Detail: Drawings need to be completed but also a whole. Unless the drawn material is sufficient to bring across the concept/message/mood, renders of partial scenes and subjects are rejected.
4.4 Work consisting mainly out of computer generated effects and filters.
Detail: While there is nothing wrong with ‘computer aided’ illustration, works that are composed of or rely too heavily upon computer generated effects are rejected.
Painting
5.1 Paintings including, or fully based upon photographic material
Detail: Using reference material is one thing, but recreating or including photo material results in a mixed media work unfit for the painting section. These works are rejected unless submitted to Photo Manipulation or Design (depending on the work’s characteristics). Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work and the source material has to be linked to when posting in Photo Manipulation or Design.
5.2 Paintings largely referenced from other material,
unless the reference material is added or linked, with the exception of live models.
Detail: If reference material is heavily involved in the creation of a painting, the reference material must be added or linked. You are submitting to a community of peer artists and posting this material provides the required transparency. If links to reference material aren’t provided by the artist but provided by the viewers after the fact, the artwork may be unpublished. Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work.
5.3 Exact recreations of other people's photos / images
Detail: Even if every brush stroke is yours, an artwork consists of more than just paint. A near exact version of another person’s image is also a recreation/copy. These recreations are rejected unless the recreation is sufficiently different from the original. Links to the original material will have to be provided and permission must be granted by the original artist. You are allowed to post recreations in the forum, including links to the original material if you want others judge / recognize your technical skill.
5.4 Incomplete scenes or subjects,
unless involving strong character design or a concept sketch able to match the gallery standards.
Detail: Paintings need to be completed but also a whole. Unless the painted material is sufficient to bring across the concept/message/mood, paintings of partial scenes and subjects are rejected.
5.5 Work consisting mainly out of computer generated effects and filters.
Detail: Certain filters, effects and automated processes can aid the digital painting process. Paintings where these filters, effects and processes have started to rule the look and feel are generally rejected.
Photo Manipulation
6.1 Works composed solely of other peoples' imagery,
unless technically very well executed.
Detail: We value originality and encourage members to manipulate their own photos, rather than other people’s photos. If photos of other people (like widely available stock photos are used) the image is expected to be put together in such a fashion that its value exceeds the single originals. Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work and the source images need to be linked to.
6.2 Work including other people's imagery without providing links to this material,
unless, obviously, links to the used material are provided.
Detail: If image material of other people is used, provide links to the used material. Please do not link to, for instance, the main stock photo source, but link to the individual images. Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work. If links to the resource material aren’t provided, the artwork will be unpublished.
6.3 Work consisting mainly out of computer generated effects and filters.
Detail: Certain filters, effects and automated processes can aid the photmanipulation process. Photomanipulations where these filters, effects and processes have started to rule the look and feel are generally rejected.
Photography
7.1 Highly over- or underexposed images,
unless the concept can suffer or profits from the technical flaw.
Detail: Photos that are over- or underexposed without a clear reason are rejected.
7.2 Snapshots, as commonly taken of yourself, pets, friends, the sky, statues, concerts,
unless conceptually or technically a very strong and distinctable photograph.
Detail: This guideline is twofold. Firstly, little thought-through ‘snaps’ of things of interest just to you are rejected. Avoid submitting shots that are mainly ‘good’ because you are familiar with the subject. Secondly, cliché shots like shots of your pet, your partner, your friends, your relatives, the sky, a statue, a concert, a performance, etc are very common and often conceptually uninteresting and unoriginal. These shots are rejected unless they are able to break free from the cliché or are well executed/composed.
7.3 Photos of uninspired or undefined scenes or subjects,
unless technically very well executed.
Detail: Both the subject and execution make good capture. Photographs of uninspiring or undefined subjects are rejected unless the technical execution is able to compensate this flaw.
7.4 Photos with a prominent technical flaw like purposelessness blur or distortion.
Detail: A photograph of an original or interesting subject does not automatically make a good photograph. Shots that suffer from obvious technical flaws are rejected.
Design
8.1 Compositions based heavily on imagery not created by you,
unless enough effort is put in to rightfully take all credit.
Detail: In order to take credit as submitting author, a work needs to exceed the value of its parts. Designs that simply lay out imagery of others, with little added value, are rejected. Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work.
8.2 Images composed of elements unable to form a whole.
Detail: Working with good source material doesn’t make a solid design. If the work has been patched together without any synergy, the work is rejected. Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work.
8.3 Typographic work with no apparent typographic skill or knowledge applied.
Detail: Typography is a skill that goes beyond selecting a nice font. Works that include or rely on type need to be well executed.
8.4 Images composed of dingbats and other prefab design elements,
unless part of a strong concept or technically very well executed.
Detail: Designs should not rely on design elements created by others. Value added by the submitting artist must well exceed the value of any design elements of others that are used. Obviously copyrights are to be considered when using other peoples work.
MY WORK IS REJECTED, BUT SIMILAR WORK IS STILL IN THE GALLERIES?
These guidelines have altered over time and haven’t been applied to all work that was submitted in the past. Moderators randomly screen artworks. Moderators also look at each individual situation. A less skilled, but potential artist may be allowed to keep certain work in the galleries while more experienced artists find similar work rejected. ‘But they can!’ is not a valid argument to discuss a moderators decision.
I’VE READ ALL THIS AND I’M NOT SURE IF MY WORK CAN BE SUBMITTED?
The best place to find out if your work is suitable for the galleries is the forum. Post one or two of your works in the forum and ask people for feedback. You’ll find many members more than willing to provide feedback. When your work is submitted to the galleries, viewers expect it to follow the guidelines and will be less willing to give you feedback you can work with. You can also ask a moderator or admin to review your work. Find a member with a green or white suit and send him or her a message with links to some of your work.
I DISAGREE!
There are people who think these guidelines are just stupid, or too strict. Please understand that we don’t tell you what type of art you can and cannot create. We are simply telling what you can and cannot submit to ArtistGFX. As a site we deliver a certain experience and target a certain audience. The guidelines reflect this and are in place to ensure a good experience for our target audience. We are not the only art site on the web. If you find that these guidelines rule out a lot or all of your work, you may want to search for an art site or community that fits you better.
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE IF I CAN’T SHOW MY WORK??
Regardless of the guidelines, work can still be posted in the forum. In fact, if you are still learning you will find that posting in the forum will result in far more feedback than a gallery entry may give you. After all, in the forum the members are there to help, in the galleries the members are there to give you their professional opinion and evaluate your work by their standards.
