Contest: ENTER September 2024 Art Challenge - Suggest Your Themes!

[Starscape]

As of posting, here is our current Art Challenge state-of-play:

• Voting on July's Challenge, "Not Good Enough", will commence soon. Be sure to post your final entries in time.
• And August's Challenge Theme, chosen by vote, is "Toon Trek", the main contest thread will be posted by the winner of July's Challenge.

As we enter the, potentially, weird and wacky world of cartoons for August's Challenge we need to pencil in some more ideas for next month's challenge.

To help generate as much participartion as possible you might want to consider whether your Theme idea could encompass a range of some of the following:

• Skill Level
• Time Commitent
• Media (Physical, Digital, Photochop, 3D...)
• Subjects (Characters, Tech, Starships...)

Once you've thought of something, please post your idea here and feel free to discuss, ask questions and suggest ideas for entries for any of the submitted themes. If we can get a conversation started about the challenge it'll help to get those creative juices flowing.

The themes in last month's THE NEUTRAL ZONE did not get enough votes to be saved and so have been LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT making way for more Themes, that averaged the lowest number of votes, and are now in danger of being eliminated from future polls.


The Current List of Themes:

1. Specific Show -- Discovery
   Dedicated to art inspired by one specific Star Trek show or era. Each month you have the opportunity to vote for a different era cycling through: TOS/TAS --> TNG --> DS9 --> VOY --> ENT --> MOVIES --> DSC --> PIC --> LDS --> PRO --> SNW --> TOS/TAS --> ...
   
   
2. The More Things Change
   Time may move at warp speed, but not everything does. Show us how something Trek has changed over the years - landscapes, buildings, ships, people, beliefs.
   
   
3. Tall Tales
   Or, a funny thing happened on the way to Delta Vega. Dedicated to those adventures that are the most bizarre and unbelievable, the ones where if you described them to someone they'd reckon you'd done a little too much LDS - Abraham Lincoln floating in space, holograms taking over the Enterprise, being shrunk to the size of a toy, evolving into a lizard?! Or perhaps you can think of something even weirder than those we've seen on the show.
   
   
4. Timekeeping
   We know our Starfleet crews get themselves into all sorts of temporal scrapes, but how do they (and other galactic citizens) tell the time wherever they are? Apart from stardates, the odd PADD/viewscreen display, Sisko's Saltah'na clock, and a couple of "antique" 20th century watches, what do contemporary timepieces look like in the Star Trek time periods? Especially those from worlds other than Earth? After all, not everywhere has a 24 hour day...
   
   
5. Today Is A Good Day to Die-o-rama
   Release your inner child with a diorama demonstrating anything Trek - landscapes, ships, historical moments. Make it or draw it, if you prefer. Mixed media - use any material you want.
   
   
6. Gift Shop Goodies
   Who doesn't love souvenirs? Imagine what visitors, passengers, and tourists might bring home as a memory of their stay on the Enterprise, visit to DS9, vacation on Vulcan, etc. Whether it's an actual piece of the ship, a funny t-shirt, a pretty postcard, or something more outrageous, one thing is certain; it'll always remind you of your visit.
   
   
7. An Unexpected Perspective
   Mostly we see the Star Trek Universe from the point-of-view of our heros, but how do others perceive their life in the future? Show us an interpretation of life in the Trekiverse from a different perspective, perhaps from that of the villains or a small child, animals, space-aliens or pets (Livingston, Porthos, Grudge...) or maybe even from that of technology or the Starships themselves - the stranger, the better.
   
   
8. The Catwalk
   What fashion can be found sashaying down the catwalks (runways for the Americans ) of Cait, Fillandia (Ariolo), and Janus VI? Would a Xindi-Aquatic wear Tholian silk? And what would an Aurelian wear to pop to the shops?
   Your task is to design an item of apparel, an outfit, costume or uniform (not necessarily Starfleet) for a non-humanoid Federation citizen or other denizen of the Star Trek Universe. Preferably being worn by said non-humanoid!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Rough Draft
   Do a pencil sketch, a scribble on a napkin, a rough rendering, a chalkboard doodle - show us the "genesis" of a Trek idea. It can be one you've done for a previous contest, or a new idea.
   
   
10. Holosuite Dreams
    Space can be beyond your wildest dreams, or the stuff of nightmares. What do Trek characters dream about? Show us what goes on in those moments between sleep and waking.
    
    
11. Transformative Experiences
    Characters get turned into all sorts of crazy things by tech, mysterious medical conditions, weird energy fields, warp 10. What else might they have become? Animals, other humanoid species, machines, holograms? Use your imagination to turn your favorite character into whatever you wish.
    
    
12. Alien Aesthetics
    Design or draw anything that pleases you, but with an alien flair. Pick a species and use elements of design that reflect their natures, heritage, symbology, language, etc. So show us a Vulcan bedroom, a Klingon abstract artwork, etc
    
    
13. Deep Space Dine
    Fancy yourself a chef? Create your version of a classic Star Trek food (include your recipe, if applicable) and plate it with perfection in a photograph or invent something brand new. Alternately, if you're a kitchen nightmare, draw us the perfect mouthwatering (or gag-inducing, depending on who you ask) meal.
    
    
14. Fish Out of Water
    Oh no! Somebody has kidnapped one of your favorite historical figures or fictional characters and brought them into the Trekverse. Or perhaps they accidentally traveled through a portal. Whatever. In any case, they're having more than a little trouble adjusting to their new surroundings. Show us what difficulties they're encountering.
    
    [THE NEUTRAL ZONE]
15. Positively Planetary
    What makes a planet truly unique? Show us a world that's like nothing else in Trek. Alternately, prove that any world looks beautiful from thousands of miles away by showing us a side of a well-known Trek planet we've never seen before.
    
    
16. Picture Day
    It's Starfleet Picture Day! Show us your favorite character posing for the camera - headshots, full-length, class pictures (away teams, shifts, departmental)
    [THE NEUTRAL ZONE]

[LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT]
The New Next Generation
What's next for Star Trek? Show us what could follow your favorite incarnation of Star Trek or the future of fandom itself: the Next Generation of Star Trek fans.

Beginnings
A New Year is here so taking inspiration from that show us some Trek Art related to new Beginnings. It could be inspired by something from the start of your favourite series or show us the beginning of a new mission, the introduction of a new character, ship or family member.
[LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT]


Voting for September's Theme will commence ~18 August. Please post your ideas by then for inclusion in the poll.

Have Fun!

Spoiler: Archived Holiday Themes

CHRISTMASTIME THEMES:

That Rings A (Jingle) Bell
"Hmmm...I remember this, but I can't quite put my finger on where I've seen it before." Place something that looks uncannily Trek in a place you'd never expect to find it. Bonus replicator credits if it's hiding in a holiday-themed setting.

Every Problem Has A (Re)Solution
What New Year's resolutions are your favorite characters making for themselves and each other? Depict your favorite Trek characters facing their fears, learning a new skill, or quitting an old habit.

As Prophecy Foretold
Portray a scene from a species's religious texts or show a character taking part in a spiritual activity, visiting a religious site, etc.

Season's Greetings
Show us what you imagine our favourite Star Trek characters might send or receive in the way of gifts or greetings cards at the this time of year - a family picture of the Rikers, a Quark's Bar gift voucher, a personalised coffee mug?

Christmas Crossover
Taking inspiration from your favourite festive stories, movies, music videos (?) show us how they might manifest if they played out in the Star Trek Universe. Which character would be your choice for Scrooge or what would happen if Wesley was left Home Alone?

VALENTINE'S DAY THEMES

Where My Heart Is, Beyond Antares
How do characters/species show their love for each other? Friends, parents and kids, true loves...anything you want.

Hearts and Flowers
Happy Valentine's Day! Incorporate imagery of hearts and flowers into any Trek-themed project you choose. (Doesn't necessarily have to be directly related to Valentine's Day)

Be Mine, Space-Time Valentine
What kind of Valentine cards and candy would Trek species dole out? Design a card or gift, alien/Starfleet style.

 

[Starscape]

Oops, the middle of the month snuck up on me. I'll get the Theme voting thread posted later today. In the meantime, here's another idea for the list:


Alphanumeric Soup
The Star Trek universe is littered with initialisms and acronym for devices, technology and organisations: GNDN, UESPA, ODN, EPS, PADD, DS9, DTI, MACO. Take your favoutite(s) and use them as inspiration for your piece of art. Alternatively, you could coin your own initialism or take one from the modern day and show us how, in the future, it might become the GOAT.


ETA - The voting thread is now live:
https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/september-2024-art-challenge-vote-for-your-theme.317440/