Sci-fi, fantasy, comics, games and all that stuff
OH!CON art gallery and competition
Calling all artists! The OH!CON gallery is returning for you to showcase your sci-fi, fantasy, game and comic artwork.
There’ll be recognition and prizes for the best artwork (categories: aged 11 or under, aged 12 to 17, aged 18 or over). Entries for the gallery will be judged by some of this year's fabulous guest artists, so it's a great way to get your work seen by industry professionals.
And if you don't want to enter for a prize, that's fine too – you can submit artwork just for the fun of it.
How to submit artwork
Getting your artwork displayed in the gallery is as simple as emailing it to us along with a few details. Here's what you need to do:
- Read the gallery guidelines. These'll tell you what we're looking for and what we don't allow.
- You can submit up to 4 illustrations or pages.
- Email your artwork to us as high quality jpg or pdf – one page or illustration per file, please.
- Include your name, your age and the title of each piece of artwork (if applicable). We'll display your name and the title next to your artwork. If you create your artwork under a different name than your own, make sure to tell us so we display the right name in the gallery!
- If you have a website or social media channel for your artwork, include the details and we'll put those next to your artwork too.
- If you don't want to be considered for a prize, make sure to mention that.
- Send your submission to: beammeup@ohcon.info
- We'll send you a confirmation so you know your artwork has reached us, but this may take a few days, so don't panic if you don't hear from us immediately.
- We'll print your artwork and details for the gallery. If there is high demand for space in the gallery, we may reduce large artwork to A4 (297mm x 210mm) when printing it, so that we can display as many artists as possible. We’ll try to print your artwork at the highest quality we can, but we can’t guarantee that the reproduction will be perfect (colours in particular can be difficult to match exactly from screen to print).
If you can’t submit your artwork by email or if you prefer to supply your own printouts for the gallery, get in touch with us at beammeup@ohcon.info and we'll try to sort something out for you.
Closing date for submissions
Make sure your submission reaches us before 9am, Monday 7th October 2024. Anything received after this may not make it into OH!CON.
Gallery guidelines
We want any artwork that is sci-fi, fantasy, superhero or comic-based. It can be a standalone illustration or a comic. You can create it in any medium - pencils, pens, Photoshop, CGI, whatever, but you'll need to send it to us digitally (so you may need to scan or photograph it, if your original is on paper).
IMPORTANT! OH!CON is a family event, so please keep this in mind when submitting – your artwork must be suitable for a family audience.
We don’t want to stomp all over your creativity, but in broad terms this means:
- No graphic violence – you can depict fights, just don’t go over the top. A brawl will probably be okay; blood, bones and body parts everywhere, not so much.
- No overt nudity/sexual imagery - if you wouldn’t get it out on the bus, it’s unlikely to be suitable to include in your submission
- No swearing (if your artwork includes speech bubbles or other wording)
Basically, if you could show it on the telly at teatime, it’ll probably be fine for OH!CON.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, our decision is final on what is too bloody, too fleshy or too potty-mouthed. Yes, it’s draconian, but that’s the rule.
If you’re not sure if your work will be suitable, send us a sample or tell us what you’re thinking and we’ll help.
Tips to help us display your artwork at its best
We'll try to print out your artwork at the highest quality we can. Here are some things that can help.
- For good quality printing, your artwork (or the photo of your artwork) should have a resolution of at least 150dpi (300dpi is better). This means that for an A4 page, it should measure at least 1240x1754 pixels (2480x3508 pixels is better). For A3 page, 1754 x 2480 pixels (3508 x 4961 pixels is better). If this technical mumbo jumbo means nothing to you, get in touch and we'll try to help.
- There's always a bit of colour variation between what you see on screen and on paper. Very vivid colours may not print quite as bright as they appear on screen. Very subtle changes in colour may not be as noticeable when printed. We'll try to match as close as we can, but do keep this in mind.
- Some things such as luminous and dayglo colours, glitter, metallic or reflective materials won't look the same when printed. If you're not sure if the materials you want to use will print well, get in touch and we'll try to help.
- Very dark artwork doesn't always print well. Batman at the bottom of a coal mine may sound like a cool idea, but do think about including some lights in the scene otherwise people may not be able to tell what it is.
Other questions
Do I have to draw something specifically for OH!CON?
Nope – as long as you created the artwork, you can submit it. It doesn't matter if it is new or old, created just for OH!CON or for something else altogether.
I draw fan art of characters and scenes from movies, comics, tv and so on. Can I submit that?
Absolutely, you can!
I design maps, characters sheets, boards for games and similar stuff. Can I submit those?
Yes. you can.
Do I have to be a professional artist?
What? No, definitely not! Everyone can submit artwork for the gallery.
I'm old school – I create my artwork with paper, pens and paint. How do I get that to you?
We're only accepting digital submissions for the gallery. No originals - sorry! But you could either scan your artwork or take a photo of it and send that to us instead.
What's the best way to photograph my artwork?
If you have non-digital artwork that you want to photograph to send to us, then you can use most digital cameras, including phones, to capture it. Here are some tips for a good result:
- Take the photo in strong daylight – dim lighting can dull the colours of your artwork.
- Avoid photographing it in direct sunlight – this can make the light areas of your artwork appear too bright and washed out.
- Check that there aren't any shadows across your artwork – make sure nothing is between the light and the artwork.
- Point your camera straight at the artwork (as close to 90° to the paper as you can). You don't have to be exact, but if you take the photo at an odd angle, it'll look odd when it is printed.
- Check the photo before you email it to us. Is it in in focus? Have you got all of the artwork in the shot (nothing clipped off the edges)? Do the colours look right? Are the blacks dark enough? Are the whites bright enough? Great! Send it to us!
I'm prolific! I want to submit more than 4 pieces. Can I do that?
We're limiting submissions to 4 per person so that everyone has a chance to display work. If you submit more, let us know which are your favourites or if you are happy for us to choose. If there is space on the day, we may display extra pieces, but we're not promising anything!
Is there an artists' alley or tables for artists at this year's OH!CON?
If you're an artist and want to come to OH!CON to display your artwork, meet fans and chat about your work, we'd love to have you. Get in touch with us at beammeup@ohcon.info and we'll weave you into the day.