How to Enter

HOW TO ENTER

Instructions for the artist:
1. Research
Do your own research on one threatened animal or plant in your state. A list of threatened species for NSW can be found or on http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/ Some plants and animals are listed in our Gallery and more information can be found in a list at the end of this section. You could look for a species that is threatened in your own area, or one that used to live in your area but is now extinct there. You could find out the reasons that species is threatened, such as logging, land-clearing or feral animals.
2. Create
Create your own work of art that interprets this theme. Make sure it falls within the categories of drawing, painting or mixed media (such as collage). Three dimensional, photography, digitally created work and video works can’t be accepted. Please make sure it is your OWN WORK. Copying the shape and form of a species is fine as long as you make it your own creation. Tracing, or having a parent or anyone else work on any part of your entry is not allowed.
3. Reflect
The reflection is a short piece of writing that describes what inspired you to depict that species. It should be 50-150 words long and can be included in the registration form. This will help the judges understand more about you and your work. Parents or teachers can help younger children to fill in this section.
4. Send
Please ask for an adult's assistance to create a clear digital copy of your artwork under 5MB in size. The file should be sent to the competition organiser in digital format, along with a Registration Form that must be completed by a parent, teacher or legal guardian.

RESEARCH STARTS HERE FOR NSW
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/search/spatial.htm
http://www.edonsw.org.au/native_plants_animals
http://www.environwww.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/threatened-species/about-threatened-speciesment.nsw.gov.au/t
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/here-are-13-remarkable-animals-facing-extinction-in-nsw--and-there-are-hundreds-more-20150416-1mmmrv.htmlopics/animals-and-plants/threatened-species/about-threatened-species
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-03/secret-cabinet-document-shows-aussie-animals-at-risk/8583672
http://www.firesticks.org.au/nsw-indigenous-protected-areas-a-sanctuary-for-threatened-species/

TIPS FOR THE ARTIST

1. Remember that the artworks that are chosen for the exhibition will be seen on a wall surrounded by other artworks indoors or out in the open in the Botanic Garden. Sometimes soft pencil drawings can work, but most often strong, bright colours are best.

2. Compositions using simple, bold shapes are the most eye-catching. Think about your composition first – where you are going to place your species on the page and what will the background look like. You should do some quick sketches first. You could have a look at the finalists in previous years on the website to get some ideas about what compositions have worked in previous years.

3. Make sure that the species you have chosen is identifiable. If your species is lost in its surroundings, or very small, or drawn with fuzzy lines in such a way that it is hard to recognise, the judges will not be able to progress it into the finals.

4. Sometimes the judges get a number of entries that look almost the same, and it is clear they were copied from the same photograph. None of these will progress to the finals. You can copy (but not trace) the basic form and shape of the species from photographs, but then you have to add your own creative interpretation, so that the finished product is your original work. There is no limit to the materials you can use as long as it is a two dimensional artwork.

5. Make sure the species falls within the guidelines – it can be any Australian species. The species could be extinct. Many children draw or paint species that are only native to other parts of the world. Being in a zoo in Australia doesn't make them native to Australia. These can’t be accepted no matter how fabulous they look.
6. When choosing your species, it helps to find one that isn't very common, like the Zig Zag Velvet gecko opposite. It’s not hard to find one that other entrants might have overlooked, as there are over 1000 threatened species in NSW and the ACT alone. There is a prize for Most Unusual Entry. This can either by a very unusual species, or more usually for a very interesting and unusual interpretation.

7. Think about how to create some dramatic impact. This bat fleeing from a fire looks scared. A turtle floating in the sea surrounded by plastic garbage tells us something about why the species is threatened as well. Make sure you keep it simple and direct though – sometimes the face and eyes of the animal says it all.

8. You don’t have to include the whole body of the species in the artwork – it could just be the head or front part of an animal, like this beautiful blue groper, for instance. It just depends how it works best.

9. Usually there are many less entries featuring threatened plants than threatened animals, and that is why we are offering a prize for the Best Plant Entry. Sometimes children think that plants are less interesting to draw, but have a look at some of the past entries and you will see how interesting they can be.

10. In general, marker pens rarely look good on paper. They don’t allow for subtle changes of tone and emphasis, and look scratchy if they are covering a larger area. Stay away from marker pens for your entry, unless a teacher shows you an interesting way of using them.
11. Works of A3 size are preferred. It doesn’t matter if it is horizontal or vertical in orientation, or if the shape is a little different (square, oval or elongated for instance). A2 is the biggest size we will accept for an individual entry.

Submission instructions for Parents, teachers or program managers

Please assist your child/student to create a clear digital copy of their original artwork of no more than 5MB to send to the organiser via the ACF website (www.acf.org.au/artcomp)
To upload an entry, you can either scan a copy of the artwork or take a photograph.
If a teacher or program manager is registering the child then it will be assumed that they have received any necessary parental consent.
For group entries, where a number of children are working on a single artwork (open only to schools and other programs), please use the form for Groupwork on the ACF site.
Only one individual work can be submitted for each child, but the same child can submit work as part of a Groupwork entry.
The on-line entry forms will be open from 9am on June 5, 2021 to 5pm on July 30, 2021. All submissions must be received by July 30. Entries received after that date will not be accepted.
Entry Guidelines Summary
1. The competition will be open to all children in Australia aged 5-12 years.
2. Original artwork needs to be either a painting, a drawing, or mixed media work such as a collage. Three dimensional work, photographs, digitally created work and videos are not accepted.
3. Entries can be made from any traditional media, including pastel, oils pastel, pen, pencil, charcoal, acrylics, watercolour, oils, mixed media, collage, or found materials.
4. Individual artworks should be A3 in size, although dimensions may vary. Individual entries up to A2 in size will be accepted. Groupwork entries should be no more than 2 metres x 1.5 metres.
5. Children have to research their chosen species and write a short (50-150 word) explanation of why they chose their particular animal or plant. This explanation forms part of the competition entry requirements.
6. A parent or teacher photographs the child’s work and submits the photo online with a registration form and the child's explanation of the artwork.

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS HERE

Additional information: At the end of the entry period (after July 30) the submissions will be assessed. Seventy finalists will be chosen for an exhibition to be hung in Sydney for two weeks in September.
If a child's artwork has been shortlisted for hanging in the exhibition, the parent or teacher will be advised by email. The child's original artwork must be sent by mail or delivered to the Organiser by a date to be announced, but within a few weeks after July 30.
PLEASE KEEP THE ORIGINAL ARTWORK UNTIL THE FINALISTS ARE ANNOUNCED IN EARLY AUGUST. THE ARTWORK CANNOT BE SELECTED FOR THE EXHIBITION UNLESS WE ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE ORIGINAL WORK.
The winners will be chosen out of the finalists, and these will be be assessed by the Judging Panel before the opening of the exhibition. A prize-giving ceremony and launch will be held. Prize winners will be announced at the launch.
First and second prizes will be awarded in the categories of 5-7 year olds, 8-10 year olds, 11-12year olds, Best Plant entry, Most Unusual Entry and Best Groupwork. A prize will be given for the Best Written Description.
All finalists work will also be shared on social media and will remain on the Finalists page of the website.
Parents and teachers are invited (not compulsory) to take a short 3min phone video of their child/ren talking about the plant or animal, their process or simply a video of the artist at work and submit that separately via our email address- forestmedia@optusnet.com.au
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL ELECTRONIC ENTRY FORM
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GROUP ELECTRONIC ENTRY FORM

ENTRY GUIDELINES FOR GROUPWORKS FOR TEACHERS AND ART COORDINATORS

Groupwork projects are individual artworks completed collectively by a number of children. They are open only to schools and other art programs.
A school or art program can submit individual artworks by children in a class, and a Groupwork as well, created by the same children.
The work should be no more than 2 metres x 1.5 metres in dimensions, and other than that the same criteria apply as for the individual work - two dimensional, original, paint, pencil or mixed media based. Try to ensure that the original can be easily rolled up and sent by post because if it makes the finals we will need the artwork sent to us and postage can be expensive.
The teacher can help get ideas together and co-ordinate the project, as long as only the children are working on it. Each child can do a component, and these can be cut out and assembled later if preferred.
A group could be a whole class, but three is a minimum. Generally we have found that an artwork entry with two members could just as easily have been done by one. If you have a very big group though you might want to consider dividing up the class and doing a few different Groupworks. It gets a bit unwieldy if a lot of children are working on one piece, and of course, some will contribute more than others.
For the written component there is only one to be submitted for each group - the best idea is if the teacher gathers comments from the children and summarizes their thoughts or chooses the one or two best ones to represent the group. The written comments for the group entries can be longer than 150 words, but it is best to keep them under 250.