I receive portraits from all over the world for our portrait competition and sometimes I receive works that are not hand drawn or painted but are manipulated in some way. A lot of artists are very clever in manipulating a work and pass it off as a hand drawn or painted portrait. There is no place in this competition for computer generated art or photo manipulation, meaning a drawing or painting superimposed over a photo and then touched up and variations of this which are quite easy to spot.

Every month I receive such works so don't be surprised if your portrait isn't displayed in our competition, this competition is for genuine artists and honest works which are hand drawn or painted which takes more skill than any photo or computer generated art. Every now and then someone who has entered the competition emails me and says he or she doesn't agree with the results and that there portrait should have won or at least received a place. There are many elements in a work of art that some artists may not be aware of, it isn't just about drawing or painting a nice and neat portrait with a good likeness.

There needs to be more if you want to win or be placed in our competition. What we look for in a portrait that has been drawn or painted is something that is honest and true, showing personality, vitality, freedom of expression, mood, it might be some effect that has been attained with the pencil that gains points or the way you have used graphite to interpret your subject. It might be the way you have used colour to achieve a certain effect, the texture that you have used, variety of line and tone or it might be that your portrait just has something that the others doesn't have.

So to sum up please don't be disappointed if your portrait hasn't been displayed in our competition, believe me there is good reason why it hasn't.....

If you have any questions regarding our competition please email me...

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