BEHOLD TEH CONTEST OF AWESOME:
[link]



I'm amused how easily people are jumping on the bandwagon of this "amazing contest".

Square Enix a multi-million dollar corporation offering GLORIOUS prises of:

A) a game CD.... for console (10 in total for 10 best drawings... kinda useless if you don't have a Nintendo DS)

b) a critique (written by somebody up there)

c) A t-shirt and some subscription (from deviantart administration)

I don't see how it's any opportunity at all.
The game has already been released in Japan, published, and completed. Your contest contribution won't be in the game.
Contests like these give the company hosting it the rights to use your designs without crediting or compensating you whatsoever.
That's why companies hold contests like this.
It's free work and super cheap advertisement for them.

Zomg, you know what's another great prise they can offer without spending any money?
A pat on the back from a random Square Enix employee
OR... how about a handshake?
(said pat on back may not be guaranteed to be awesome and provide temporary feelings of joy approved by in subsidiaries and laws of California)

I see some say "it would make one heck of portfolio piece".
If you want good portfolio pieces, do something for yourself and put lots of hard work into it... don't let a multi-million dollar corporation rape you for your talents. Did you notice the unholy amount of disclaimers concealed in a tiny link?
Disclaimers can be VERY dangerous, especially if they make several thousands off your drawing and you get nothing and then you CAN'T sue them, since there's so many disclaimers.
Even the contest deadline there is lame- 10 days.
And what's up with not including Quebec? Something very sneaky going on over here.
Update: I've learned that it's illegal to give out free prizes in Quebec, so the winners have to answer skill questions.
Basically, Quebec has laws to minimize the amount of contests, that be helping with the whole gambling problem and frauds.

Another excuse might be "its good to put on resume if I won. I might be hired."
No you won't.
Winning a contest such as this won't raise your chances to get into the gaming industry unless you have university education/degree behind your talent and a portfolio filled with pieces on which you spend 100 hours each.
A lot of the big companies don't even want to look at you on a professional hiring level unless you have a degree behind you and several years of experience or own website with sexy concept art.
Believe me, I know. I'm a pro concept artist.

A real concept artist gets paid 60'000 a year OR at least 500 dollars per concept. Not this "critique" crap.
If you want a great free critique from maaany pro concept artists, go to conceptart.org

Look at this line for example:

By registering to win the prize, the winner grants Square Enix and deviantart permission to use his/her name (including screen name) and likeness for advertising and future promotion purposes without additional compensation.

Hurray for having no compensation!

For clarifications:
I do support contests, where prises are decent, like an art scholarship to university of your choice worth 1000+ dollars or a ticket to visit studio of Square Enix to get some firsthand experience and talk to the designers themselves.
Big corporations CAN afford that easily and that would actually be helpful, not like a "free game".
Not, this pat-on-the-back bullshit.

Artists, remember to always ask whom the copyright of the image belongs to, after its done!
Don't sell out the rights to your art for "chance of exposure".
Always demand to maintain the rights to publish the image yourself and to re-sell to 3rd party.

Message to the supporters of said contest:
What are you people doing? Why are you lowering market value of DA artists on here?
Why do you support this corporate smack in the artist face? What you getting out of it?

Message to whoever came up with that contest:
Do you expect a plumber to fix your sink for a videogame? Do you expect an agent to sell your house for a free videogame?
This is a sad, sad kick at artists. Art takes time and skill and should be rewarded properly.
Just because our profession is to draw, please don't make idiots of us.
Tuna doesn't jump into our plates by itself.

Here's an article of interest for artists to consider: [link]

If you agree with me:

Reject that article.... or even better ask why the prises are so lame.
(there's a little "reject" button on the bottom of the article.


Don't let corporations abuse artists.
Don't sell out and don't let others be fooled into selling out.



If you disagrees with mah awesome rant:
Yell away, I'm open to arguments of interest.





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