Hints for the 2013 Grand Photo Contest: Part One

Some people don't really seem to 'get' our 2013 Grand Photo Contest.

Basically you take 3 pics and you email them to us. That's pretty much it.

But perhaps our clues/themes are too obtuse? confusing? obscure?

Not sure what is going on there.

Your pictures don't have to be artsy. They can be, but they don't have to be.

It is more of thinking about what the themes mean to you and then take a coordinating picture.

In an effort to help y'alls out... we have written up little suggestions for each of our themes/clues.

You can also suggest your own theme/clue and we can approve it.

All Entries Are Due on or before March 6th.

Read about the contest here: http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2012/12/2013-grand-photo-contest-curators-game.html

Our suggestions, ideas....

These are to help you get your wheels turning.
We went through the "E"s -- we will do more later -- 
especially if you guys need the suggestions very badly.

So let us know if these are helpful.

____________________

Abstract

Take a photo of abstract shapes, perhaps your doll from a unique angle.

Or the doll and her shadow on the ground, creating abstract patterns.

Or the doll through a fence, creating abstract shadow shapes on her face.

Or the doll painting an abstract artwork.

Acquisition

Samantha acquired a dog on her birthday.

Acquisition is the act of acquiring something.

Did your doll receive something?

Did she maybe borrow something she shouldn't have?

Molly acquired her sister's hair ribbons without asking for permission...

See you can use a theme to tell a little story.

Action

Pretty straightforward.

Running, jumping, biking, falling on your face, etc.

Action is movement.

Shoot your doll in the midst of 'moving' in some manner.

Foot race.

Horseback riding.

Game of tag.

No need to throw your doll up in the air or anything like that. ;-)

Allegory

This one is more difficult.

Allegory is a device in which characters or events in a story, poem, 

or picture represent or symbolize ideas and concepts.

So you could do your doll as an allegory of spring for example.

Put her in a pretty dress, in a field of flowers, watering the daisies.

Spring is just one thing -- can be any idea or concept really -- 
seasons, time, hope, victory, justice, etc.

Your doll as Wonder Woman catching a criminal and bringing him to the police could be an allegory of justice... and a cool picture....

Art

Your doll can be creating any type of art.

Taking an art class.

Teaching an art class.

Selling art, buying art.

Decorating her room with art.

All good ideas.

Artist

Your doll can be an artist.

She can be visiting an artist.

Interviewing a famous artist.

She can dress up as a famous artist and pretend to be that person.

Like Van Gogh with a bandage around his head after he cut off his own ear.

(He was a little bit crazy.)
(Don't cut off your doll's ear.)

Authentic

Authenticity refers to the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, 

sincerity, devotion, and intentions.

Something genuine, true, real, original.

So you could show off your 'authentic' Pleasant Company collection items.

Or show a scene of Romeo expressing his 'authentic' feelings for Juliet while 

reciting a poem at her window.

Or Mama showing her daughter how to make her 'authentic' homemade tortillas.

Blurred

The picture can be blurred.

Part of the picture can be blurred.

Or something in the narrative can be blurred.

Julie received a Valentine's Day card, but it got wet in the rain.

So the signature of the person who sent it got 'blurred' from the raindrops.

Now she doesn't know who sent it!

See -- you can work any of these words into a narrative.

Bright

Richard got his teeth whitened, so they are very bright. Haha.

(Top Gear reference there.)

Your picture can be bright, bold.

There can be bright sunshine in it.

There can be a bright light in it.

Kit got an A+ on her math test and she shows it to her mother.

She is very bright.

Brushwork

Doll painting with a paintbrush.

Doll painting a fence like in Karate Kid.

Doll brushing their teeth, their hair.

Think of brushes.

What kind of work can you do with brushes?

Canvas

Canvas that you paint on.

Canvas sneakers.

Canvas tote bag.

Do you have something canvas?

Can you make a creative pic of it with your doll?

Carve

Carve your initials into a tree trunk.

Carve a statue.

Carve a pumpkin.

Carve a turkey.

Carve a swan out of ice blocks.

What can your doll carve?

Chiaroscuro

An image with high contrast of light and dark.

A very bright light surrounded by shadows.

Like one candle or light in a dark room.

Perhaps your doll in the woods at night with a lantern?

You can edit your photo to create this type of image as well.

Classic

Classic literature.

Classic cars.

Classic fashion.

Traditional. Enduring.

A typical example of something.

Also refers to the Greek and Roman literary classics.

Or classical art.

Greek and Roman art.

Doll reading Jane Austen.
Doll as Jane Austen.
Doll as a classic book character.

Doll dressed as the goddess Athena.

Lots of directions this could go in.

Close-up

Also pretty straight-forward.

A close-up of something.

Probably a doll.

Her face, her hand, something doll-ish.

Collage

Lots of images put together into one image.

Can be images of anything.

Or a shot of your doll making a collage.

Collection

We all collect things.

What does your doll collect?

What do you collect?

Stamps? Clothing? Shoes?

Coins?

Stuffed dogs?

Empty water bottles?

Shots of your doll collection.

Shots of your doll collecting something.

Like collecting shells on the beach for example.

Shots of your doll with her collection.

Color

Well, color.

Pretty straightforward.

Your photo could be a color.

Like tinted red -- highlighting that color.

Or it could be full of colors.

Like a rainbow of colors.

Doll wearing a colorful outfit.

Doll painting with colors.

Doll sewing a rainbow flag.

Doll in a sea of colorful flowers.

Doll with something that is her favorite color.

Complementary

This refers to complementary colors.

Like blue and orange.

Opposite colors that look good together.

You can do an image that uses complementary colors.

Or you can use two opposite things that come together to make 

something perfect, whole, complete.

"You complete me."

Mashed potatoes and gravy.

Best friends.

Yin and yang.

Composition

Composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients 

in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work.

So this might involve you 'composing' a complex scene to photograph,

carefully considering where all the elements are in your photo.

Or you can think of it in other ways.

Composition notebook.

Musical or dance composition.

What can your doll compose?

Contemporary

Hip. New. Now.

What is contemporary in your doll's world?

Can refer to contemporary art, fashion or music.
Modern is also on this list.
They are similar concepts.

Creation

Doll creating something.

The act of creation.

Creativity being shown.

Culture

There are many meanings for culture.
Maybe the simplest: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of 
a racial, religious, or social group.

So what is your doll's culture?

What is her cultural heritage?

How does she celebrate her cultural heritage?

Cutout

Can be a cutout image.
Which is a setting in Photoshop.
Doll can also be cutting something out.
Cutting shamrocks out green paper to make a St. Patrick's Day banner
for example.

Display

What do you have on display?
A doll collection?
Your doll's bedroom?
Her toys?
What does your doll display?

Dramatic

Similar to Theatrical, also on the list.
Drama. Emotion.
Can be dolls acting.
Can be dolls having an argument about what is better -- pink or red.
Being dramatic themselves.
A dramatic action.
A dramatic scene.

Drawing

Drawing a picture.

Drawing a bow with an arrow.

Drawing money from a bank.

A drawing itself.

A doll drawing a picture on a chalkboard.

A doll drawing water from a well.

Environment

The space around us.

Where we live.

Your doll's room.

The outdoors.

Planet Earth.

Lindsay petitioning for recycling to save the environment.

Exhibition

Exhibition of art, of paintings, of crafts, of anything really -- 

even rare comics for example.

Sort of like display.
A fair. A show. An exposition.
JoJo exhibited her baby chicks at the state fair.

Again, let us know if these were helpful and we will continue giving 

hints for the rest of the themes/clues.