Please note: if you viewed these rules prior to July 27, 1999, there have been some last-minute changes just prior to the official opening of the contest. Please review the rules carefully. Primarily, the categories have been changed based on feedback from fractal artists.   Participation 1. Anyone may submit entries. Categories 2. 2D images must be entered into one of the following categories:     Emotion     Organic     Mechanical     Abstract     Quote Interpretation     Limited Color 3D images must be entered into the 3D category. Animations must be entered into the animation category. Please note that some categories may require additional information to be submitted with the image; please see the category descriptions for more information. 3. All 2D images will also be considered for all of the following categories:     Color     Lighting     Texture     Artistic Expression     Best Overall 2D 4. If, by the best determination of the contest officials, an image has been entered into an inappropriate category, it will be returned to the artist with an explanation. The artist may either resubmit the same image into a different category, or enter a different image entirely. If you are unsure whether your image is 2D or 3D, please see our statement regarding 3D images. Submissions 5. A total of no more than three images (either 2D or 3D) may be entered by any person. Also, a total of no more than three animations may be entered by any person. (Thus a single person may enter up to six items, but only three still images and three animations.) Entries do not all need to be submitted at once. A participant may submit as few as one entry, if desired. 6. Any fractal software may be used. Any post-processing may be used (however see our statement regarding post-processing). 7. Titles on images are strongly encouraged. 8. Images must be without signatures. Furthermore, contest entrants should refrain from identifying which entries are theirs until after the voting period is concluded. 9. A brief summary by the artist describing how the image was created, including which software was used, is encouraged. This information will be posted along with the image and made available to voters. 10. Parameters and formulas are welcome. If you provide parameters, they will be posted after the voting period is concluded. If you do not wish your parameters to be published, please don't submit them. 11. Images previously published on a web site, newsgroup, or mailing list are not eligible. New works created for the contest only, please. Contest entries should also not be published on a web site, newsgroup, or mailing list until after the voting period is over. 12. 2D and 3D images should be 640x480, 512x512, or 480x640. Other sizes are acceptable as long as the largest dimension is no larger than 640 pixels. Anti-aliasing is strongly encouraged. Submissions may be in GIF, PNG, or JPEG format; JPEG is preferred. PNG images will be converted to JPEG for display on the web site. 13. Animations may be any size up to 640x480. Animations may be GIF, AVI, MPEG, QuickTime, or Java applets. Sorry, no executable programs besides Java applets will be accepted, and Java applets must be playable through a web browser, and not be interactive. While there is no size limit on animations, we suggest no more than one megabyte as a reasonable size. 14. Submissions will be accepted from July 28, 1999 to 10PM PDT, September 4, 1999. (This gives you nearly six weeks to send in your submissions.) Voting 15. Beginning September 5, 1999, all entries will be displayed on the contest web site. The order of entries will be scrambled. 16. All visitors to the contest web site are encouraged to vote once the images are on display. (That is, you do not have to enter in order to vote.) 17. We suggest that you view all images at full size before casting your votes, as thumbnails do not accurately convey the detail in fractal images. Thumbnails are provided as a navigational aid, not as a substitute for viewing the images. If viewing all the images is difficult due to the cost or time of downloading the material, we recommend getting the contest CD. 18. Full votes in every category except animations are required, in order for the votes to be counted towards the final results. 19. Within each category, voters must select a first-, second-, and third-place image. Votes cast in the overall 2D categories do not have to be for images already voted for within their specific category. 20. Individuals may vote for their own entries if they wish. If you do not feel that you can properly judge your own entries against the others, we suggest that you do not vote for your own entries. 21. Final rankings in each category will be based on a point system. A first-place vote is worth three points; a second-place vote, two points; and a third-place vote, one point. 22. Voters are encouraged to include comments along with their choices. These comments (sans voter name) will be sent to the artist automatically. 23. Votes will be sent via e-mail. The web-based form will record the vote and send a confirmation message; if the vote is not confirmed, it does not count. Each person is permitted to vote only once. 24. Voting begins at 10PM PDT, September 4, 1999 and ends at 10PM PDT, October 23, 1999. (This gives you seven weeks to view all the entries and vote.) Results 25. Following the voting period, all artists' names will be shown on the web site, and the results of the voting will be mailed to each voter and entrant and published on the web site. CD-ROM 26. All artists, by submitting images to the contest, consent to have their images included on the CD-ROM. 27. The intent of this CD-ROM is not to make a profit, but to aid in judging. To that extent, the CD-ROM will be sold at minimal cost, to cover the expense of producing, duplicating, and shipping. 28. CD-ROMs may be ordered through September 25, 1999. The cost is $7 (to the US) and $10 (elsewhere). CD-ROMs will be shipped as they are ready, following September 4. Copyright 29. All artists, by submitting images to the contest, consent to their images being displayed on the contest web site, in both full-size form and thumbnail. 30. Artists retain full copyrights on their work. Being shown on the contest web site does not restrict the artist from selling, licensing, or otherwise profiting from their work. 31. Images entered will not be used to promote the contest or the contest web site without the artist's permission. No attempt to sell the images, outside of the limited-edition contest CD, will be made. 32. Inquiries to contest volunteers regarding re-use of any images will be forwarded to the artists. Awards 33. The only prizes are graphic awards which may be placed on the winners' web sites. First-place winners may use the first-place graphic; second-place winners may use the second-place graphic; third-place winners may use the third-place graphic. All contest entrants may use the participation button.     Return to contest entrance