FAQs
What is the theme for the latest Splash book?
The theme for the latest Splash book is “celebrating artistic vision.” A watercolor painting does not start with paint, a brush and a piece of paper. Before any technique is applied or considered, there is vision. Whether an artist is celebrating the transcendent beauty of the surrounding world, or exploring her own innermost thoughts, before anything is visual, a painting is animated—brought to life—by the artist’s artistic vision. If your artwork is selected, you will be asked to explain in writing how your painting expresses your artistic vision, as well as give a few pointers about the technique you used to translate your vision to the artwork. You can interpret your artistic vision as your overarching understanding of the meaning of life, or more narrowly, as your vision for communicating something specific in a particular painting—or something in between.
When is the deadline to enter my art?
The deadline is December 28, 2009. Click on “Enter Your Art” to download the entry form.
Will you accept other mediums besides watercolor?
The dominant medium must be transparent watercolor, though minor uses of other media are acceptable.
When was the first Splash book published?
The first edition was published in 1991.
How should I submit my art?
You can submit your art in 35mm slide format or electronically, though we prefer the latter. Slides must be in protective plastic sleeves and labeled. See the entry form for labeling instructions. Digital submissions must be sent on CD or DVD in RGB color mode, in TIFF or JPG format and saved at 72dpi. All digital files must be labeled with your last name, first name, the entry number (should correspond to the number on the entry form), with no punctuation marks until the file extension (example: Wolf Rachel 3.tiff).
When will I know if my work was accepted?
Winners are notified April 5th, 2010. A list of the winning entrants is available upon request after that date. Check the blog or e-mail bestofnorthlight@fwmedia.com.
Can you return my slides?
Unfortunately, we are unable to return the slides and disks submitted to us, even if you provide postage. The number of entries and the size of our staff just make it unfeasible. If you are uncomfortable knowing your slides won’t be returned, submitting digital art may be the better choice.
How do I know when the next Splash competition is?
Splash is published approximately every two years. You can watch the website or check for our call for entries in such magazines as The Artist’s Magazine, The Pastel Journal or Watercolor Magic. You can also check for current North Light competitions on Jen’s North Light Picks on artistsnetwork.com or ask to be added to our mailing list. This mailing list is used exclusively for mailing Splash entry forms, please e-mail bestofnorthlight@fwmedia.com with your info.
How are the winning entries selected?
Immediately after the submission deadline, the North Light editorial staff reviews the art as a group, discussing the merits of each piece. The best pieces are set aside. When we’ve gone through all the slides (this process usually takes a month), we pass our selections to the book’s editor, Rachel Wolf. She makes the final selections based on a variety of criteria: Does the piece suit this edition’s theme? Is the artistry strong? Do the techniques show mastery? Or are they in some way compelling, unusual? Can the artist make color, technique and composition work to support the painting’s overall subject? And, perhaps most importantly, do I like it?
Do you have a Splash for acrylics/oils/pastels?
We publish two competition books: Splash for watercolor and Strokes of Genius for drawing. While we’ve included some pastels in the latter, we don’t really have competition books for the other media. You never know, though …