Curse

I Might Avenge U · Nov 06, 2007, 05:20 AM // 05:20

hello, most of you here know me and recently I have been considering a commision contest. I am however trying to figure out any details I can, and I just want to ask some questions if may.

1) How much money would it take to motivate you enough to participate?

2) How much time would you need to complete your peice, In your experience?

3) When would it be best for this contest to start; for your time schedule.

Thank you all. Anyone is free to answer intact, the more the better.

PS: excuse the spelling, I'm on an iPod...

jrk247 · Nov 06, 2007, 07:15 AM // 07:15

1. ~100k+ for grand prize, ~50kish for 2nd, 3rd etc. (what I've seen from other contests)

2. I'd think about a months time, you can always extend it if you find it necessary.

3. You could start it whenever, can't always fit to everyone's time zone/schedule.

Contests are always fun, can't wait to see if you start one.

Sab · Nov 06, 2007, 07:37 AM // 07:37

1) How much money would it take to motivate you enough to participate?
As much as possible =P I'd say 150k+ for grand prize, 75-100k for second, ~50k for third, etc.

2) How much time would you need to complete your peice, In your experience?
A few days to a week if I'm not doing anything else.

3) When would it be best for this contest to start; for your time schedule.
It can start at any time. Something more important would be the due date, so participants have time to get other projects out of the way. I'd suggest around a month for duration for the contest (too long and people will lose interest).

**Marty Silverblade** · Nov 06, 2007, 07:49 AM // 07:49

I suck at art (tried one commission once though, but it really sucked and didn't get around it finishing), but love it, so I hope you'll take my opinions for something worthwhile;

1: ~120k first prize, 80k second, and 40k third, depends on how much cash you have though
2: Enough time so that artists will have time to fit it into their schedule, not too long so that people forget or lose interest, and not too long or artists won't be motivated to get the work done.
3: Anytime really, just go for it and make sure people know and have appropriate time.

legendary_Ace · Nov 06, 2007, 08:04 PM // 20:04

Good thing you posted IMAU it seem they don't demand as much as we intended. Maybe we should contact personal artist directly because they usually care too much about these threads.

greyf0x_f0x · Nov 06, 2007, 09:19 PM // 21:19

IMO, the popularity of a contest is as much about the content, as it is the prize. Ideally you want a great prize, and a great theme. But you will certainly need one or the other.

I'm still amazed at how little interest the "Win a full set of FoW" contest got, compared to some other contests, which have had far less expensive prizes.

So I think the moral of the story, is come up with a good theme for the contest, and then pump as much cash as you can afford into the prize. Some players have pretty much bankrupted themselves on contests (*cough* Sanra *cough*) because they love their art so much - so it's not going to be easy to beat such contests in terms of prizes alone.

Nian · Nov 06, 2007, 11:24 PM // 23:24

I second what Grey said. Lessee...

1. More than what I ask for commission and that is 50k. More importantly the concept or theme must be interesting. E.g. Ombrepierre's concept is so different and sort of unique that it gives me inspiration. Too detailed a request and my interest drops because I start thinking I'm not up to the task. Too free a theme and it gets hard to come up with anything. Another important thing is to, as the contest manager to actively participate and write in the thread. If you don't do this and just wait for the deadline then people will start to think "Oh this person isn't THAT interested, I might not draw because I don't know if they're still around at all."

2. You know me... 2 months and I might make it. At least more than one month. I'm quite the slow artist and an equally busy person.

3. Anytime really. I'm always busy during schoolyear(I think I try too hard...). Ehm... anyway, As long as there is enough time to brainstorm and complete other projects then starting time shouldn't matter too much.

Stalker Haras · Nov 06, 2007, 11:27 PM // 23:27

My advice would be, contact some of the artists themselves, give them some information on what the contest is going to be on, and they can give you more specific details I would assume. Big money gets interest, smaller amounts, not so much.

Friday · Nov 07, 2007, 06:44 AM // 06:44

IMAU - see my pm on the prize money.

Perynne · Nov 07, 2007, 07:33 AM // 07:33

I'm agreeing with Nian and Grey. Big prize money is always an incentive, but what really makes a contest stand out is the concept or theme.

I do expect a bigger prize for first place (and preferably for second and third too) than what I usually get doing commissions. I'm a busy person and while it's fun to enter into contests, I usually have to take off time from schoolwork/normal work to do so and so it's good to have something worthwhile to strive for. If the prize money is large enough and there's many chances of winning something (like Sanra's contest had rankings from 1-10, or something like that) then it might be enough to motivate me even without a good theme.
Still, the very best contests are those that, along with the prizes, also give an interesting subject or concept to work with.

They will inspire the most to draw, and be fun to work on.

As for the time... well, a month is good for me. It'll give me time to plan it out and then draw it. Normally I take about a couple of days to draw something, but if I'm really busy, then the couple of days will be drawn out over a long period of time. 4 weeks to 6 weeks is a good length for a contest I think - it's long enough to have time to work around schedules, but it's also short enough that artists don't start losing interest or forget it entirely.