The Art Order -F(r)iction Cover Challenge

Whether you take on this weeks ArtOrder® challenge for the chance to practice your cover illustration skills, the chance to get your art in front of some world class jury members, or for the chance to take home some cold hard cash - this challenge is set up to give you the opportunity to practice some real-world skills, affords you the opportunity to expand your toolbox, learn about a new potential client base, or just get some time on the drawing board. If you are itching to get into the editorial art world, or just practice your cover skills - this is the challenge for you.

A new client base
As freelance illustrators, we are always looking for new clients. One of the best opportunities we can find, are often those right under our nose. This challenge grew out of just such an opportunity. I was recently contacted by a Editor/Owner of a local literary magazine. She was introduced to me through a contact I have at the Denver Comic Con. She had been talking to them about running portfolio reviews to find new artists, and instead got directed to me...go figure. Me knowing something about portfolio reviews. In the course of the conversation, I learned a lot about her 2 magazines that she creates. The F(r)iction magazine felt like a good fit for an ArtOrder® challenge, and the conversation started. The important thing to take from this is two fold:
• Constantly growing and expanding your network is critical
• Finding local opportunities can be used to leap frog your way into new industries, or opportunities.

With that, let's dive into the challenge.

Cover Art Challenge for F(r)iction #2
(Blue Edition)

About F(r)iction
F(r)iction Series is a literary and art collection dedicated to pushing the boundaries of traditional publishing. We embrace the strange, the different, and the challenging. As part of this mission, F(r)iction commissions original artwork with all of our literary offerings, providing our readers an experience that is both intellectually and visually stunning.      

About the Cover Challenge
We are seeking striking artwork for our next cover. In particular, we always seek cover art that embodies the mission of our publication: art that pushes boundaries, that juxtaposes the extraordinary among the ordinary, art so intriguing it inspires literature of its own.

Each issue of F(r)iction is united by a color theme, and for F(r)iction #2, we are seeking artwork that explores the color blue. In particular, we are looking for artwork that explores the mysteries that lie within the ocean. Simultaneously beautiful and ominous, the ocean holds many undiscovered secrets. Society has long been fascinated with this idea, from classics like Moby-Dick and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea to more recent works like Bioshock and Pirates of the Caribbean. For the cover of F(r)iction #2, we want to embrace the strange, the undiscovered, and the out-of-this-world that lie within the murky depths.

Challenge specifics

• Dimensions (click here for template)
  • With Bleed: 14.75 x 10.25”
  • Final dimensions: 14.5 x 10”
  • Resolution: minimum  300dpi
• Must incorporate the color blue
• We accept artwork from every medium
• Content should be somewhat surreal in nature
• Artwork should fit and flow within the provided cover layout (below)
• Final art must be provided as .tif or .psd to magazine
• Challenge submission art should be submitted as .jpg, highest quality, and no larger than 2500 pixels on the longest side.
• Winner receives cash prize of $300 and publication on the cover of F(r)iction #2, published Fall 2015