Experience and advice about the Calendar
posted by Keith at 1:22 PMIf you are thinking about submitting images to the Fractal Universe Calendar, I would like to encourage you to do so. It's fun to have an image in the calendar.
My first submission to the calendar was for the year 2004. In 2002, when the image was submitted, I considered myself a beginning fractal artist. I did not think that I was good enough to make it into the calendar. I was asked by the editors to submit a specific image. It was a real confidence booster (maybe too much) to be asked for an image then have it make it into the calendar. It was cool to walk into a retail store and see my image sitting on the shelf. When my brother found out about it, he bought several copies as Christmas gifts for his family. It was a lot of fun. The fact that I made it into the calendar told me that anyone could.
I submitted 10 images for the 2005 calendar and made it in again. Cool. Don't tell anyone, but the image that made it is not my favorite - not by a long shot. It was still fun to have a calendar hanging on my wall at work and pointing out my month to my coworkers.
I thought that I had a lock on the calendar for 2006. I made it for 2 years in a row so it was bound to happen again, right? Nope. It was very disappointing to not make it in. So much so that I almost didn't submit images for the next one. I was encouraged by my friends to try it again for 2007, so I did. That one didn't happened either. Neither did the next one. I was in for 2 years and out for 3.
Last year I was an editor for the 2009 calendar. That was a great experience. It was cool to feel the excitement from all of the submitters. I learned that I wasn't the only one having fun with it.
The relationship between the publisher and the editors was one of respect and professionalism. I looked at the publishers as my boss. They do, after all, pay for the images, layout, printing and distribution of the calendar. They also make a business decision each year to publish the calendar or not. There is never a guarantee that they will publish one.
My advice now is to participate in the calendar for the fun of it. Don't do it for the money. I mean, it's $200, or $400 for a cover image. That's not enough to quit your day job.
Don't do what I did and wait around to become "good enough". Give it a try, now.
Take a look at past images that have made it into the calendar and submit images like those. I gave that advice a few years ago and it is still good advice. If you don't normally make images like those then submit what you do make. I am confident that Panny will show the publishers what's out there by providing them with a range of fractal styles. The editor and publisher needs to see what is available.
If you do have a question or concern about the calendar, contact the editor privately. That is the right and proper way to do it.
Give the calendar a try. There is still time. It fun to make it in and only slightly disappointing if you don't.
8 Comments:
I wouldn't have minded having a go this year but the requirement for CYMK excludes me :(
I have Photoshop - maybe you could send me your files and I could convert them to the CMYK colorspace and e-mail them back? Might make for a huge e-mail if you get one in and have to go 4500x4500 but maybe a snail mail CD? Just a thought...
c-ya!
Rick
The images that you submit to Panny can be RGB. If the publisher selects one then you need CYMK. Panny can help with that when it happens.
Yep - I've been poundin' the mouse trying to come up with calendar-type images. Not easy - at least for me - since spirals aren't my usual style. I can hang a half dozen masks off a layer and make scenes but, dadgummit, can't seem to make a FRACTAL worth beans ever since I figured out the transparency/masking thing - LOL. Been getting some good practice this time around, though.
I know what you mean about the buzz from getting a pic in the calendar. I finally had one make it last year (for 2009) after like 4-5 years of trying and like to fell off my chair when I found out. I'll probably buy 20 copies! lol
I think the calendar and the way it's put together is a great thing for our genre and always have even when I couldn't get one accepted. I love going to B&N to buy it and hanging a new one on the wall at work every year.
I think some folks don't realize that the two founders of the thing probably could just as easily have not included anyone else and kept it all to themselves as Tina and Linda were/are both quite capable of coming up with 13 top-notch pix by themselves had they wanted to. And easily too, I reckon. I, for one, am pretty grateful for that act of selflessness - truly in the spirit of the old "Stone Soap Group" from the heydays of Fractint, imho.
Keith's right about trying for it - I'm always pretty stoked when I see someone who is relatively new to the fractal scene like Cornelia have one selected or the number of times there's been an image included by artists I've never even heard of. Even if the types of images the calendar company selects might seem stereotypical or cliche', all the works have a certain "something" to them that's really enjoyable to look at hanging on the wall by your desk. I know I'm gonna be one proud pup come August next year when I get to flip the page and have my one pic showing for a whole month. Hmmmm...are there 30 or 31 days in August? Sure hope it's 31! lol
C-ya and good luck to everyone who has submitted images!
Rick
Rykk: thanks so much for that generous offer, I really appreciate it although I'll drop Panny a note and see what she says about conversion (thanks for the tip Keith :))
[As an aside, I've found Skype (free) useful for transferring large files. Can be slow but once it's started just leave it till cooked ;)]
If I manage to get my new PC up and running (would ya believe I'm having trouble getting the OS installed? *boggle*) I'll see what I can manage to produce.
Great post. Thanks for the encouragement. I may submit some of my works, after all, I have nothing to lose.
Thank you, Keith!
I will indeed help any artist who has a chosen image and no way to convert to CMYK. A tip on that - I've found that CMYK is not kind to certain colors, but in the end we have always been able to come up with a reasonable substitute that is close enough to the original to satisfy the Publisher.
The Calendar *is* fun. I wish the Publisher would include some of the newer, fresher type of images, but that's not the proven method of a viable commercial venture for them. But you can bet your bippy that they SEE some of the great new works, whether they choose them or not.
Keith is absolutely right - to be safe, it is a good idea to include some images in submissions that resemble the style of former calendars.
There is so much talent out there - each year the submissions get better and better - and that's a wonderful thing:)
Submit - tell your friends to submit, and have fun!
As always, I thank Keith especially for his support. It's a very welcome change from some of the press the Calendar gets every year.
Panny
I add my voice to this also -- go for it! Last year I worked hard to create 10 images that I thought had a chance, and submitted them, even though I felt very intimidated by the high quality of the experienced fractal artists I would be competing with. It was a fantastic feeling to find out that one of mine was selected, and now when I tell friends about it, I get to tell them that I am going to be "Miss November 2009". Yep, it's just plain FUN!
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