Frequently Asked Questions
Annual Open Juried Exhibition
What water-media may be used?
Watercolor, acrylic, gouache, casein should be the primary materials. Ink, watercolor crayons and graphite may be present, but not the dominant material. NO water-soluble oils.
What substrates are permitted?
Paper, illustration board, Yupo, Claybord. No canvas.
What is Claybord?
Archival and acid-free, Claybord is a patented, archival kaolin clay ground adhered to a hardboard substrate, and then sanded it to a velvet-smooth, absorbent finish.
Claybord is ideal for ink, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, casein, egg tempera, airbrush color, collage, photo-transfer, pencil, and pen. The highly responsive surface is perfect for thinly applying and removing colors. You can even scratch through it to add contrast, texture, and fine details. Paint colors remain true and brilliant. Please click here to find out more information about Claybord.
What is considered original work?
Original work is the sole creation of the artist. It must be conceived and created without the direction of an instructor. Photo references should be the property of the creating artist. While artists frequently show work to others for comment and critique (which is acceptable), only your hand on your brush should create the painting.
Is collage permitted?
Collage elements are permitted, provided they are created by the artist and conform to the water-media and substrate requirements above.
What about the framing?
Framing must be of PROFESSIONAL quality. Frames must be in excellent condition (no scratches or damaged corners). Fresh mats and backing materials must be archival, acid-free. You may single or double mat. The outer mat must be a light neutral (white, cream or gray). The inner mat may be colored or the same as the outer one. The mats must be well cut without wavy incisions or over-cut corners. You may “float” the painting, but it should not touch the glass. (Paintings that are pressed against the glass can be damaged by that pressure.) Be certain to secure you painting firmly. Poorly secured paintings can slip inside the frame during handling or hanging. ALL FRAMING MATERIALS MUST BE FREE OF DIRT AND DEBRIS. Paintings must be ready to hang with wire and secure hangers. Your exhibition label must be taped to the back. You may also have your own label with contact information on the back.
May I use glass for framing?
All artwork created on paper and Yupo must be framed under glass or plexi-glass. While plexi-glass is preferred for all size artwork submitted, you MUST use plexi-glass if your painting including frame exceed 36” in any one direction.
What if my submission is on Claybord do I need to frame it under glass?
No, Artwork created on Claybord must be sealed with a protective finish. Claybord panels less than 1.5 inches in depth MUST be framed with a simple wood or metal molding. Panels greater than 1.5 inched in depth do not need a frame however, the panel edges must be clean and finished either by painting or varnished or oiled. ALL panels MUST BE WIRED and ready to hang. Please click here for information on how to attach picture wire to a panel.
How do I seal my watercolor painting on claybord so I can frame without glass?
Seal finished watercolors or gouache with several light coats of spray varnish (or fixative), being careful to spray outdoors during warmer months or in a well ventilated and heated area during colder times of the year. We recommend the Krylon® UV Archival varnishes. Please click here to learn more.
These spray varnishes offer advanced non-yellowing protection against fading, dirt, moisture and discoloration. The Krylon® UV Archival varnishes contain superior levels of UV light absorbers and are removable for conservation purposes. For additional protection against scratches during transport and also ultraviolet light, follow the application of Krylon® spray varnish with Golden® MSA UVLS or Golden® Polymer UVLS varnish. Click here to learn more. About 4 coats brushed-on, provides a very durable archival finish and is also removable for conservation purposes.
What if someone wants to purchase my painting that is accepted in the show before the delivery date?
Submitting an entry for a show is a commitment to that exhibit. The juror selects the number of paintings that will fit in the space and will make an interesting exhibit. We expect every artist to honor the commitment to our show.
What if I don’t want to sell it?
All paintings must be for sale at this exhibit. If you do not want to sell your painting, please don’t submit it for this exhibit. Paintings must be priced at your current market value. Do not attempt to avoid a sale (and keep your painting) by putting an inflated price on it.
How do I Submit a Digital Image?
If you cannot photograph and edit your images, please hire a professional to do it for you.
Prepare Your Image
There are many sites where instructions exist for taking photos of your work with a digital camera, adjusting it in one of the photo software programs, and writing it to a CD. Please click here to learn more from Zapplication's Help Center and click here for Juried Art Services' tutorials.
Begin with a good quality image of your work, taken without flash in “open shade” or direct sunlight, with the camera “squared” with your painting. Be certain that your whites are white, and the blacks are black. (If your painting does not contain these extremes, place white and black beside your image for the exposure. Then you can adjust for these values before you crop your image to show just your painting.)
These instructions are for Photoshop Elements, but the principles apply to other photo editing software.
OPEN the file from your camera card.
CROP the image so that only your painting is visible.
If you choose to adjust the contrast or color saturation, this is the time to do it. Remember that your final product must closely resemble your painting in both value range and color saturation. Be certain that your file mode is RGB.
GO TO: Image > Mode and check off RGB Color.
GET THE IMAGE TO THE CORRECT SIZE AND RESOLUTION:
Open the Image Size Dialogue Box.
GO TO: Image > Resize > Image Size.
FIRST, Change the resolution to 300 pixels/inch. (Some websites require 72 ppi, which is fine for computer viewing. But we use the images for printing the catalog, and thus require the higher resolution.)
THEN, make the longest side of your image 1800 pixels. So which ever is longer, Width or Height, change that number to 1800. The other dimension will change accordingly. If you are using “inches,” 1800 pixels are the same as 6.0 inches. Be sure Scale Styles, Constrain Proportions, and Resample Image Bicubic are all checked.
CLICK OK.
SAVE YOUR IMAGE:
GO TO: File > Save As
Change the File Name to comply with the instructions in the prospectus. It should be your name (last name in CAPS+ first initial in lower case, A or B, and the title of the painting. File format must be JPG.
DOE-j-A-Title.JPG
Click SAVE.
On the next screen, change Quality to Maximum. In the Format Options, choose Baseline (“Standard”)
Click OK.
You may want to have a folder named BWSentries, and put your images there so you can find them.
How do I submit my painting(s) using a CD?
If you are mailing a CD, use the Help function on your computer if you do not know how to do this. Make sure you have actually burned the CD. Take the CD out of your computer, put it back in and open one of the images on the disk to make sure the disk has burned correctly. And be certain that your image is right side up, not reversed or rotated as you view it.
Label your CD with your name and the title(s) of your painting(s). Use a CD marker, not a felt tip pen. Put the CD in a protective sleeve before mailing.
If you mail your entry, DO NOT send it with signature required upon delivery. Use a tracking number if you want confirmation that your package has arrived. Enter early so as to avoid those last-minute concerns about receipt before deadline.
What water-media may be used?
Watercolor, acrylic, gouache, casein should be the primary materials. Ink, watercolor crayons and graphite may be present, but not the dominant material. NO water-soluble oils.
What substrates are permitted?
Paper, illustration board, Yupo, Claybord. No canvas.
What is Claybord?
Archival and acid-free, Claybord is a patented, archival kaolin clay ground adhered to a hardboard substrate, and then sanded it to a velvet-smooth, absorbent finish.
Claybord is ideal for ink, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, casein, egg tempera, airbrush color, collage, photo-transfer, pencil, and pen. The highly responsive surface is perfect for thinly applying and removing colors. You can even scratch through it to add contrast, texture, and fine details. Paint colors remain true and brilliant. Please click here to find out more information about Claybord.
What is considered original work?
Original work is the sole creation of the artist. It must be conceived and created without the direction of an instructor. Photo references should be the property of the creating artist. While artists frequently show work to others for comment and critique (which is acceptable), only your hand on your brush should create the painting.
Is collage permitted?
Collage elements are permitted, provided they are created by the artist and conform to the water-media and substrate requirements above.
What about the framing?
Framing must be of PROFESSIONAL quality. Frames must be in excellent condition (no scratches or damaged corners). Fresh mats and backing materials must be archival, acid-free. You may single or double mat. The outer mat must be a light neutral (white, cream or gray). The inner mat may be colored or the same as the outer one. The mats must be well cut without wavy incisions or over-cut corners. You may “float” the painting, but it should not touch the glass. (Paintings that are pressed against the glass can be damaged by that pressure.) Be certain to secure you painting firmly. Poorly secured paintings can slip inside the frame during handling or hanging. ALL FRAMING MATERIALS MUST BE FREE OF DIRT AND DEBRIS. Paintings must be ready to hang with wire and secure hangers. Your exhibition label must be taped to the back. You may also have your own label with contact information on the back.
May I use glass for framing?
All artwork created on paper and Yupo must be framed under glass or plexi-glass. While plexi-glass is preferred for all size artwork submitted, you MUST use plexi-glass if your painting including frame exceed 36” in any one direction.
What if my submission is on Claybord do I need to frame it under glass?
No, Artwork created on Claybord must be sealed with a protective finish. Claybord panels less than 1.5 inches in depth MUST be framed with a simple wood or metal molding. Panels greater than 1.5 inched in depth do not need a frame however, the panel edges must be clean and finished either by painting or varnished or oiled. ALL panels MUST BE WIRED and ready to hang. Please click here for information on how to attach picture wire to a panel.
How do I seal my watercolor painting on claybord so I can frame without glass?
Seal finished watercolors or gouache with several light coats of spray varnish (or fixative), being careful to spray outdoors during warmer months or in a well ventilated and heated area during colder times of the year. We recommend the Krylon® UV Archival varnishes. Please click here to learn more.
These spray varnishes offer advanced non-yellowing protection against fading, dirt, moisture and discoloration. The Krylon® UV Archival varnishes contain superior levels of UV light absorbers and are removable for conservation purposes. For additional protection against scratches during transport and also ultraviolet light, follow the application of Krylon® spray varnish with Golden® MSA UVLS or Golden® Polymer UVLS varnish. Click here to learn more. About 4 coats brushed-on, provides a very durable archival finish and is also removable for conservation purposes.
What if someone wants to purchase my painting that is accepted in the show before the delivery date?
Submitting an entry for a show is a commitment to that exhibit. The juror selects the number of paintings that will fit in the space and will make an interesting exhibit. We expect every artist to honor the commitment to our show.
What if I don’t want to sell it?
All paintings must be for sale at this exhibit. If you do not want to sell your painting, please don’t submit it for this exhibit. Paintings must be priced at your current market value. Do not attempt to avoid a sale (and keep your painting) by putting an inflated price on it.
How do I Submit a Digital Image?
If you cannot photograph and edit your images, please hire a professional to do it for you.
Prepare Your Image
There are many sites where instructions exist for taking photos of your work with a digital camera, adjusting it in one of the photo software programs, and writing it to a CD. Please click here to learn more from Zapplication's Help Center and click here for Juried Art Services' tutorials.
Begin with a good quality image of your work, taken without flash in “open shade” or direct sunlight, with the camera “squared” with your painting. Be certain that your whites are white, and the blacks are black. (If your painting does not contain these extremes, place white and black beside your image for the exposure. Then you can adjust for these values before you crop your image to show just your painting.)
These instructions are for Photoshop Elements, but the principles apply to other photo editing software.
OPEN the file from your camera card.
CROP the image so that only your painting is visible.
If you choose to adjust the contrast or color saturation, this is the time to do it. Remember that your final product must closely resemble your painting in both value range and color saturation. Be certain that your file mode is RGB.
GO TO: Image > Mode and check off RGB Color.
GET THE IMAGE TO THE CORRECT SIZE AND RESOLUTION:
Open the Image Size Dialogue Box.
GO TO: Image > Resize > Image Size.
FIRST, Change the resolution to 300 pixels/inch. (Some websites require 72 ppi, which is fine for computer viewing. But we use the images for printing the catalog, and thus require the higher resolution.)
THEN, make the longest side of your image 1800 pixels. So which ever is longer, Width or Height, change that number to 1800. The other dimension will change accordingly. If you are using “inches,” 1800 pixels are the same as 6.0 inches. Be sure Scale Styles, Constrain Proportions, and Resample Image Bicubic are all checked.
CLICK OK.
SAVE YOUR IMAGE:
GO TO: File > Save As
Change the File Name to comply with the instructions in the prospectus. It should be your name (last name in CAPS+ first initial in lower case, A or B, and the title of the painting. File format must be JPG.
DOE-j-A-Title.JPG
Click SAVE.
On the next screen, change Quality to Maximum. In the Format Options, choose Baseline (“Standard”)
Click OK.
You may want to have a folder named BWSentries, and put your images there so you can find them.
How do I submit my painting(s) using a CD?
If you are mailing a CD, use the Help function on your computer if you do not know how to do this. Make sure you have actually burned the CD. Take the CD out of your computer, put it back in and open one of the images on the disk to make sure the disk has burned correctly. And be certain that your image is right side up, not reversed or rotated as you view it.
Label your CD with your name and the title(s) of your painting(s). Use a CD marker, not a felt tip pen. Put the CD in a protective sleeve before mailing.
If you mail your entry, DO NOT send it with signature required upon delivery. Use a tracking number if you want confirmation that your package has arrived. Enter early so as to avoid those last-minute concerns about receipt before deadline.