Okay first things first, the RANT.

Most of you probably noticed this in your newsbox at one time or another: Square Enix + deviantART = contest! by $Moonbeam13. It's a contest to create some storyboard-based material for Square Enix, and the prizes are a copy of the game it's all for, some DA goodies and if you're the super duper grand prize winner, they'll also send you a critique of your work. Cool huh?

HELL NO.

I already expressed my concerns on the newspost, but the comments on those things move faster than a cheetah on steroids that's being chased by a truck, so I will take the opportunity to voice them over here, as well.

For some strange, strange (and supposedly charitable?) reason DA seems to specialise in total rip-off contests lately, cooperating with LARGE companies/brandnames/ventures to dip into its large pool of (often naive and) talented artists to provide cheap labour and bring forth ideas in return for what - a game, a few DA related trinkets and if you're SUPER DUPER UBER LUCKY the opportunity to be told what they thought about your entry?

Oh yes, and exposure, which seems to be the big trump card here. Just think of it, by contributing to the nameless masses generating a large pool of ideas for Square Enix to pick from, you get all the exposure a ghost writer would get.. ..only in a situation where there are another thousand or so competing ghost writers! Isn't that friggin awesome!? That's right, it's not.

The only exposure you're really getting out of this is getting noticed for being readily available to do work at the drop of a hat for pittance. Is that something that an aspiring professional wants to be known for? Do you really want to be able to proudly state anywhere NEAR your portfolio or resume that you'll happily hand over the fruits of your labour done on demand for a large company for a t-shirt? This is not a fan-art contest that will get your work published in a book or any other media with credits underneath, clearly associated with a large franchise that would signal to others that your work was considered of high enough quality by them - that'd be another thing altogether. In that situation, you'd actually have an identifiable name. Here, you do not.

And if you say that this is a chance to advertise yourself specifically for Square Enix as a potential employee, imagine yourself in the shoes of SE - if you can get even a few thousand entries out of this, some are bound to have at least some merit. Are you going to approach those individuals and offer them highly competitive salaries afterwards? Hell no! They've already presented themselves as folks who are willing to work for less in your favor, so there really is no reason to pay them more if you can get away with much, MUCH less than someone would expect of you in any other conceivable situation.

The sad thing is, this isn't just something that happened once - stuff like this keeps happening all the time. It creates issues for not only the Future professionals, but also the existing ones. Sure, one may argue that the folks who compete in this don't necessarily possess the skills to become solid competition right away, and that is absolutely correct. Of course they're targetting amateurs here - being inexperienced and naive in the business matters of art doesn't necessarily mean you can't actually cough up a few really cool ideas for an upcoming game. And hey if some of the ideas come with a sweet visual style, that's just an added bonus - not like it cost them anything of note to arrange this contest anyways.

What ever happened to actually having the sufficient respect towards yourself and your works to NOT work for free at the whistle of a large enterprise that, guess what, happens to have money, for the mere chance that someday, in the beautiful blissful future you MAY actually get paid for your work, whilst in the present you're doing it for free? This isn't charity, this isn't even something that'll generate you a whole lot of exposure, this is just plainly ripping yourself off by creating work on demand for a large company that owes absolutely nothing to you, but only some pittance to those that'll be chosen to be the happy winners of this charade (which you may or may not be among, as the exact criteria for selection also just so happen to be undisclosed).

There is one amazing video on this topic on YouTube, and the person speaking in it isn't just a random face on the internet. I suggest you to check it out if you haven't already: Harlan Ellison on free art and large companies. The guy may come off as being a little cocky, but imo what he's saying there is pure gold.

Ayways, I think I've made my stand on this whole issue plenty clear, so let's move onto some happier topics.



I got two pics accepted into Exposé 6! Wooo! These are the ones that got in:



Needless to say I'm absolutely thrilled, can't wait for the book to get here. They said they'll be shipping them pretty soon.



On the note of commissions, I've still got a few to finish, so I'm not taking anything *right* now, but if you're interested in getting something started in the near future, such as mid to end April, drop me an e-mail or a note (e-mails preferred, it's easier to keep track of them).



And now, feature time! When I ran into ~HeatherHorton's gallery I was amazed at the stark realism mixed with painterly feeling that she has achieved in her works. She paints in oils, which is all the more amazing in this digital age - well at least for as far as stuff posted on the Internet is concerned. So please check out her gallery: