Shanghai ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter Supports ‘Art Star Program’ and GDSC Illustration/Cartoon Online Competition

© 2021 Shanghai ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter

This April, SIGGRAPH chapters will support the “Art Star Program” jointly initiated by the Shanghai ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter and XP-PEN. The project aims to support global digital graphic art creation, encouraging artists to create independently and realize their artistic dreams. The Shanghai ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter has also kicked off its GDSC Illustration/Cartoon Online Competition, which provides an opportunity for new community members to share their work with industry heavyweights and influencers, receive badges and certificates, connect with other young artists, and potentially launch a creative career beyond their expectations. Read on to learn more about each of these projects.

“Art Star Program” and the Artistic Dream

The Shanghai ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter and XP-PEN often receive letters for help from artists in the computer graphics industry. Some artists want help due to lack of financial support and professional equipment, while others are in urgent need of learning professional skills. With this context, the two decided to team up to launch the “Art Star Project”, alongside other partners in the art sector, in an effort to help those with dreams of working in computer graphics realize those dreams, and to contribute to the development of the global computer graphics industry.

As of mid-April, global computer graphics hobbyists, content creators, and startup studios can apply for support through the “Art Star Program”. After submitting their dream plan and artwork through the program’s official website, a committee will evaluate all applicants and, after a few months of review, applicants who meet the requirements will receive support and resources to help them gradually realize their artistic dreams.

GDSC Illustration/Cartoon Online Competition

The GDSC Illustration/Cartoon Online Competition is rooted in the first global digital skills championship, hosted by the International Alliance for Digital Game Education (IADGE) and Shanghai ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter, and organized by MESHMELLOW. The competition aims to build a broad exhibition and promotion platform for those who like illustration/painting, promote the exchange and cooperation among art lovers from all over the world, gradually realize “internationalization and specialization”, inject fresh blood into the booming original painting industry, and help creators make common progress and grow together. Keep reading for competition logistics!

Main character

The content of the competition takes the mascots Ray and Tami as the protagonists, and carries out artistic creation in the form of comics or illustrations. The role image remains unchanged, the clothing and modeling are changeable, and the style is unlimited. The two characters need to appear in the same picture.

Who can enter the GDSC Illustration/Cartoon Online Competition?

The GDSC Illustration/Cartoon Online Competition is open to all aspiring young artists. You can be a professional, student, self-taught artist, or even an amateur. Please contact our support team if you are not sure about your eligibility.

Important Dates

Please refer to the following dates to make sure you don’t miss out on this great opportunity.

• 24 March: Submissions Open
  Eligible entrants are asked to create an entry page and upload their best work for the judges to review.
• 24 May: Submissions Closed
  No extensions are ever allowed. This is a solid date, just like a production deadline. Don’t miss it!
• 24 March–24 May: Online voting
  Anyone can vote for their favorite entries or entrants, and the vote will be counted in the score.
• 25 May–15 June: Expert Review
  Our Judging panel reviews every entry, awarding them an industry ranking and selecting top people per category.
• 20 June: Winners Announced
  All judging completed and winners of jobs are announced.

Contest Groups

Comic
The theme is “Friend”, and there are no restrictions on the form of comic works, such as four-frame comic (to complete a short story or a creative form of expression within four frames) or multi-frame comic, which should reflect the theme of the game. The number of pages required for a single comic is unlimited.

Illustration
The theme is “GDSC 2077”. There is no limit to the form of the collection of illustrations, which should reflect the theme of the competition.

Works must meet the following criteria:

• Format: JPG, PNG, PSD (TIFF file is required to be submitted additionally after selected)
• Size: refer to the requirements of the work
• Resolution: above 120dpi
• File size: less than 30MB
• The paintings should be based on A4 size (210mm × 297mm) paper.
• The new media works based on computer or mobile devices should meet the standards of mobile animation industry.
• Reading order can be selected from left to right or from right to left according to personal habits, which needs to be indicated on the front page of the work.

Notes

1. Only use the image of Ray and Tami of GDSC for creation.
2. Accept multiple entries.
3. Works that have been adopted and released on other platforms are not allowed to participate in this competition.
4. The entries must be original by individuals, and all violations such as plagiarism and excessive reference are strictly prohibited.
5. Entries are strictly prohibited for commercial use.
6. Before the results of the competition are released, please keep the source files of the entries properly.
7. The entries should have a positive intention, a clear theme, a healthy content, standard writing, both ideological and artistic.
8. Participants are required to submit an entry form and submit their entries and relevant information according to the rules of the competition.
9. Those who submit the application form will be deemed to accept the rules and regulations specified by the organizing committee unconditionally.
10. No matter whether winning the prize or not, the works participating in this competition will be authorized to organizing committee free of charge.
11. All interpretation rights of this competition belong to organizing committee.
12. Unique registration address of the competition: http://community.meshmellow.cn/contest/1.

Judges

Yoshimizu (Japan) – Founder of Japanese digital visual idol, independent artist, animation director, founder of Keica Animation. Representative works: Karl and Curious Tower, Zumomo & Nupepe, lululolo tiny twin bears, LaLaLaLa-chan, etc. In 1995, he worked in Namco as a game graphic artist, and produced “Ridge Racer” series 3D CG films for Sony. Its movie character, Reiko Nagase, became the “favorite virtual woman” of Japanese teenagers.

Terrence Walker (U.S.) – Digital artist of Rainbow Studio, art director of Westwood Studio, digital artist and special effects supervisor of UFO Moviez, screenwriter, director, animation production and sound effect production of ArtFX Studio. Representative works: Understanding Chaos (short film, 2002, at Toronto Film Festival and Otakon Film Festival, 2002), hi-tech LCD TV digital short film, showing sections 9 and 10, Shadowskin (2002, Otakon Film Festival), Justice 4 Au (cartoon TV series, winning Telly Award), World of Hartz comic books, etc.

Xueguo Yang (China) – International famous CG artist, curator; Yunnan Arts and Design College: Associate Professor; Deputy director of China Film Art Direction Academy CG Conceptual Arts Commission; Senior researcher, China CG; Academy of Art, CCAC; Director of Animation and Digital Media Art Professional Committee of Film and Television Society of Chinese Colleges and Universities.

Anastasiya Ardashova (Russia) – 3D Artist with 5+ years of experience, teaching and project management experience. International Expert for “3D Digital Game Art” skill WorldSkills Russia; 3D Art Outsoursing Company “Arovana Studio” CEO; worked for the “Englishwille” as a 3D Character Artist, NTI Center for Neurotechnology and VR/AR Technologies based on Far Eastern Federal University; co-founder of “MODERASU wear”.