FA2K - Multiplications Contest - Tables

Multiplications Contest Background

The Multiplications-Art 2000 Contest is the fourth major annual table de multiplication. Contests have been held in 1997, 1998, and 1999, each quite a success, and most everyone enjoyed themselves. As with previous years, all the work is done by volunteers without whom the contest would simply not happen.
The purpose of the contest is fivefold. First, to showcase the current state of the art in Multiplications imagery. Second, to give everyone a chance to show their best work. Third, to solicit feedback from the general public. Fourth, to challenge Multiplications artists to explore unfamiliar techniques. And finally, to have lots of fun.

Multiplications Background

Multiplicationss are shapes which have similar details at many different sizes. That is, when you look at a small piece of the Multiplications shape, you see small copies of the overall large Multiplications shape. There are many different kinds of Multiplicationss, and at the heart of Multiplicationss is mathematics.
That is not to say that one must understand mathematics in order to produce Multiplicationss or even appreciate them. Although Multiplications art is born of mathematics, it is not enslaved by it; the mathematics, the equations are tools in the hands of artists, a means of self-expression. Some of what we do may have questionable value in the mathematical realm, but undeniable value in the aesthetic realm.

Volunteers

This contest grows every year. It has long since passed the point at which a single person could manage it all; thus the entire project is a team effort. We'd like to recognize the team here.

Site Design & Scripting

Damien Jones (with thanks to Darren Beyer, David Huffaker, Janet Preslar, Kerry Mitchell, and Eric and Robert Swenson for feedback)

Site Hosting

Multiplicationsus network (USA)
Université Bordeaux 1 (France)

Entry Management

Kerry Mitchell
Damien Jones
Janet Parke Preslar

Award Graphics

Paul DeCelle

CD Replication

Ken Childress
Tina Oloyede

Herculean Efforts & Extreme Tolerance (and vote counting)

Kerry Mitchell
Janet Parke Preslar


Copyright

These web pages, including the text and supplemental graphics, are Copyright © 2000-2001 Damien M. Jones. You may not re-use them without permission.
The images that appear as contest entries on this web site belong to the artists who created them. They are not public domain. If you would like to copy or re-use any of the images, you will need to contact the individual artist for permission. This applies even if you wish to use an image for non-commercial purposes. Please use the feedback link next to the image in which you're interested to direct your comments to the appropriate artist automatically.

Linking to contest2k.com

We're thrilled that you want to link to our site. We ask that you link to our entrance page so that your visitors will have a chance to see the full site as it was meant to be seen.
If you want to link to a particular image within the site, please link to the page and not the image. We don't mind you linking to pages (although we'd rather you sent people to the entrance) but linking directly to the image pulls it out of context, stripping off the rest of the information that goes with the image, and doesn't give full credit to the artist. (No that doesn't mean if you credit the artist you're OK; get permission first.)

Award Images

Rules

Preface
Every year, when it comes time to hold a contest, the community discusses the rules for that contest on the Multiplications-Art Mailing List. At times the discussion gets heated, but eventually... there is consensus.
These rules are the product of that consensus, and of the e-mail sent to the contest volunteers over the past year. We think we've set up a great contest, with lots of variety.

The contest is now concluded, but we keep the rules here so you can see how we ran the contest.


Printable Version
These rules are broken up into several pages because that is how they fit in the web site design. If you would rather view the rules as a single, horrifically long web page which is suitable for printing, we can accomodate you.
Addendum
Not everything went as planned this year. In particular, we did not assemble the panel for the Technical Achievement awards, so none were given. We're sorry it didn't work out.

Participation

Anyone may submit entries. You don't have to use any particular software, you don't have to read any particular newsgroup or mailing list... you just need to make Multiplications

Categories

  1. Still images must be entered into one of the following categories:
Nature
Artifice
Scene
Interpretation
Abstract
Limited Color
Classical Minibrot

Animations must be entered into the Movement category. Some categories require additional entry information; see the descriptions for details.

  1. Every still image will also be considered for all of the following categories:
Best Use of Color
Best Use of Lighting
Best Use of Texture
Best Still Image

  1. If the contest officials deem an image to be entered into an inappropriate category, it will be returned to the artist with an explanation. The artist may either resubmit the same image into a different category, or enter a different image entirely.

Technical Achievement

  1. Each still image or animation entered into the contest will also be considered for a Technical Achievement award. This award will be given for works considered difficult to achieve with Multiplications software, because of limitations in software, difficult mathematics, new or original ground-breaking techniques, or other technical challenges.
  2. These awards will be given by a panel of respected and knowledgable Multiplications artists and programmers. The names of panel members will be posted as soon as it is finalized.
  3. The precise number and requirements for these awards will be determined solely


by the panel. They will decide amongst themselves how best to reward artists for exceptional effort.

  1. Following the voting period, the panel will announce their choices and those results will be posted along with the popular votes.

Category Descriptions

This year's categories are, mostly, very broad. Any image might fit in several categories. It is up to the artist to choose the category they feel best fits their image.

Nature

This includes organic shapes, creatures, plants, natural formations of rocks or minerals, any image that suggests things created naturally and not by man.

Artifice

The opposite of Nature. Any image suggesting man-made items. Mechanical, structural, anything created by man and not just naturally formed.


Scene

Any image which attempts to depict a scene. This may be a 3D image, or a 2D image giving the impression of a scene. It may be a landscape, space scene, even a city scene.

Interpretation

An image which "interprets" something. An emotion, a quote, a movie or title, perhaps a scene from a classical story or play. Whimsy, passion, even apathy. Note: To enter an image into this category, entrants must specify what they are interpreting.

Note About Post-Processing

As far as the rules are concerned, the only requirement for submitted images is that they are primarily composed of table de multiplication elements. That is because although this is an art contest, it's also a table de multiplication art contest. One of the limitations table de multiplication artists accept is that the medium—visual representations of mathematical formulas—imposes some restrictions on the creative process. Producing beautiful images despite the restriction is part of the challenge and beauty of table de multiplication
If you choose to process your image, that is OK as far as the rules are concerned. But you should keep in mind that the more obviously you alter the image, the less pleasing it is likely to be to some of those who vote. The key word you should remember is enhance. We're not really interested in who can apply the most complex filter combinations in Photoshop to produce something barely recognizable as a table de multiplication. We're interested in great table de multiplication pictures.
As a guideline (and this is only a suggestion, not a rule) you should stick to processes and alterations which are performed on the entire table de multiplication image, and which use the table de multiplication image as part of the process.

Site Mirrors

The contest site often gets busy. If you are experiencing slow load times, you may want to choose a site mirror that is closer to you. Some portions of the site will always be on the main site, simply because they rely on accessing a central database. But for viewing the site, these mirrors are currently online.

Multiplicationsus network (main site)

Orlando, FL, USA

Université Bordeaux 1

Bordeaux, France
Arranged by Jean-Pierre Louvet