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Increase Your Chances of Making the Cut
I thought it would be a good idea to write about what jurors are looking for in watercolor competitions (to, you know, increase our chances of acceptance!).
After searching online and reading several articles on the topic, as well as going through past show catalogs and examining the juror statements, I've discovered some common criteria.
[By the way, a juror reviews and evaluates entries for inclusion according to space requirements in a show. A judge then determines which ones receive special recognition (award-winners). Sometimes the juror and judge are one and the same.]
First things first.
I've already written about the importance of reading the prospectus and the quality of your photography. You won't have a chance at getting in, much less winning prizes, if you don't pay enough attention to entry rules and procedures. (See related posts at bottom of page.)
Why didn't they select me?
As with any heart wrenching rejection, the reasons aren't always clear cut! You can rationalise (sic) the rejection by telling yourself that they had filled their quotient of flower/still life/abstract (delete where applicable) paintings that year, or that yours was too big/small, or they didn't like the frame. More often than not it also boils down to how the panel are feeling that day, what they saw immediately before they saw your work, the reactions of their colleagues... I'm suggesting it may not even have anything much to do with your work at all! So don't let rejection deter you from trying again, as you never know what conditions your work will be met with next time around.
So many factors at play.
As you may have noticed in the above quote, the jurors' considerations are as varied as the jurors themselves. What I observed in my research was the repetition of the following criteria: composition, technique, the WOW factor, and emotional impact.
Composition.
Composition is the way in which different elements of an artwork are combined or arranged.*
Over and over, jurors expressed the importance of composition, along with the elements and principles of design. Here are just a few snippets representative of many more in the same vein:
"Did the artist use shape, values, color and edge quality effectively to create a powerful and yet pleasing composition? Is the composition visually balanced? Does the composition lead the viewer's eyes into the artwork?"
"...the creative use of bold or unusual colors... interesting textures, a pleasing balance of hard and soft edges, and a nice balance of positive and negative space."
"Composition, value and contrasts."
"Good composition, along with color, unity and flow, make for a good painting."
"Composition, technique, color, tone, texture, perspective, etc."
"Designed painting with color harmony and distinct value contrast; dramatic use of light and shadow."
"Strong and unique compositions, innovation."
"Intent and execution, design, color, line, attention to detail."
Technique.
Though one juror expressed his opinion that expert technique counts for little, most found technical mastery to be very important:
"Excellence in composition and technique, confident brushwork, a distinct approach to a subject and a display of the uniqueness of the medium."
"The technical skill also needs to be present to create a superior painting."
"Technical proficiency, skill."
"Technical craftsmanship. Is the artist capable of fully utilizing the unique characteristics inherit in the watercolor medium?"
"Unique textures and transparency, a mastery of their medium, technical proficiency."
"Ability, skill, personal expression."
The WOW factor.
Make it so they can't look away!
"Always enter your best work. Enter pieces that are unusual, not safe."
"Judges tend to prefer works that are exceptional, unique, fresh and unusual."
"Something new and different, unique style or technique."
"Originality and expressive design, creativity, originality, uniqueness."
"I'm looking for something which is well executed but which also has an edge, a charm, a spark to it, some kind of quirk."
"Held my attention and kept me coming back for another look."
"Personal expression... the painting speaks to the judge... something unique."
"Interesting surface treatment... A surprise element... The juror says to himself, 'I wish I'd done that.'"
"Best work, WOW factor, emotional content that grabs me."
What do I ask of a painting? I ask it to astonish, disturb, seduce, convince!
~Lucian Freud
Emotional Impact.
Emotional impact is closely related to the WOW factor. One juror stated: "What finally draws me to a painting is often inexplicable." Art is subjective, so personal taste can't help but play a role.
"Good design, good composition and a message. Magical combination of technique and emotional content, mood or unique perspective."
"How does it [the art] make me feel?"
"Content, or message, or story in a painting."
"Something which elicits an emotional response."
"I believe the achievement of emotion in the painting to be artistry of the highest level."
"What the artist is trying to say and how well the message story comes through."
"I bow to an artwork that exhibits the artist's emotional connection to the content of the work."
"...with story, emotional impact, compelling and engaging narrative."
"An infectious power that also affects me emotionally."
"For every one of the judges there was undoubtedly an extra something, a quirk, a mood trigger, a certain something which swung their vote in favor of a yeah or nay. It is this something' which is the mystery and which will probably always remain so, since a great part of the explanation lies in the idiosyncrasies of the panelists." ~Nadia Al-Nuaimi, Jackson's Art
A few other notables.
Several jurors mentioned signatures. I've written about signatures here and here. The bottom line is to err on the side of caution: ridiculously large signatures can be off-putting.
On framing: "Sometimes the framing is completely disastrous."
On the overall look of a show: "...need to think about the show as a whole and how all the pieces will work together."
On the uniqueness of watercolor: "...transparent and luminous. Fluidity is the hallmark of watercolor."
On originality: "I assess the originality. Does the artist have an
ability to elicit unique and compelling elements out of subject matter that is quite ordinary otherwise?"
One of my favorites: "Paint what you love - what you're impassioned by. Your emotional connection to what you're painting is the magic. Lastly, do your best work. Craft it lovingly and give every element of the painting your full attention."
The real prize comes to the artist when the work is made.
~Robert Genn
Paint. Love. Repeat.
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