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Student Connection

Excellence in Drawing Calendar Contest

The Delaware Foundation for the Visual Arts Excellence in Drawing Program was initiated to stimulate interest in the arts and to give recognition to the Delaware high school artist. We have concentrated on drawing because this is the traditional time honored method of study that ensures a strong foundation for future artistic development.
Click here for the Excellence In Drawing Application. (PDF Format)

Awards

  • A minimum of twelve drawings will be selected for the 2011 Calendar
  • The “Riva Brown Award” for excellence in lettering, calligraphy or illumination. Artwork may be submitted as part of a drawing or by itself. The award will consist of private sessions held at the artist’s studio in Wilmington, Delaware.
  • The “E. Jean Lanyon Award”. This is an award open only to students in the ninth grade. It is a drawing scholarship which consists of twelve lessons, is valued at $180.00 and takes place at the Lanyon Studio in Wilmington Delaware.
  • The “Cynthia Swanson” award. This is a series of four private lessons given at the artist’s studio in Avondale Pennsylvania. Each lesson is 11/2 to 2 hours long. Student may chose from oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing, pastel, or portfolio preparation.
    Note: Students receiving these awards must provide their own transportation to the artists’ studios.
  • Certificates of recognition

Eligibility

Students in grades nine through twelve who are presently attending high school in Delaware may submit drawings. Participating seniors are invited to enter the DFVA scholarship contest. Please refer to the scholarship entry instructions.

Rules

  • Drawings must be original and the unique creation of the student.
  • Work should be based primarily on personal observation.
  • Only original photographs taken by the artist should be used for reference.
  • No work may be directly copied from any published or unpublished source.
  • Drawings may be in pencil, ink, or charcoal. Black and white scratchboard is also acceptable.
  • Each applicant may submit one drawing.
  • No computer artwork is eligible for the competition.
  • Size: no smaller than 81/2” x 11” and no larger than 18”x 24”
  • Drawings must be matted and unframed. Use a white or black mat no larger than 3”. Please attach artwork to a backing board for protection.
  • The printer removes the matting in order to take photographs for reproduction. Use a top hinge mat to facilitate removal. Do not glue your mat board the backboard.
  • Use a cover sheet to prevent smearing. Clean newsprint paper is acceptable for this.
  • The application form filled in completely must be taped to the back of each entry. Please note the instructions to use black marker on the lower part of the application form. This part of the form will be removed and photographed for record keeping purposes and must be dark, large, and legible
  • Any illegible entries will be disqualified. Please type or neatly print all information.
    ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY MARCH 12, 2010
  • Do not send artwork by UPS or Federal Express as the do not deliver to a post office box.
    Mail applications and drawings protected for bending to:
    DFVA
    PO Box 298
    Rockland Delaware 19732
  • Label: Artwork Do Not Bend

Guidelines

The judge(s) will look for the following characteristics:

  • Imaginative content
  • Technical drawing skill
  • Personal style

Subject matter may range anywhere from traditional still life to abstract design.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are made to help you submit your drawings.

  • Light pencil drawings do not reproduce well and therefore cannot be selected for the calendar.
  • Drawings labeled untitled are more vulnerable to error in the listing, handling and printing process. Use your imagination. Give all drawings a title.

Additional Information

  • Drawings are not insured and the DFVA does not accept liability for damage or theft.
  • Judging will be based on originality, execution, neatness and overall ability to follow directions.
  • Drawings selected for calendar will be exhibited at the DFVA Art and Antiques Show. This exhibition will be held at the Hagley Museum in Greenville, Delaware in March.

REMEMBER APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR EXCELLENCE IN DRAWING AND SCHOLARSHIP CONTESTS:

MARCH 12, 2010

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY THIS DATE

Art Scholarship Information

Please read the following information carefully. The DFVA will offer five awards. The recipient may use the award at any school. If the recipient chooses to go the Delaware College of Art and Design, that school will match the amount of the DFVA award. This will double the amount of the of the award for those students choosing to go to the Delaware College of Art and Design. The Delaware College of Art and Design, located in Wilmington Delaware, is a partnership between Pratt Institute in New York City and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC. For information about DCAD please call the school at 302-622-8000, or visit the website at www.dcad.edu.
Click here for the Art Scholarship Application. (PDF Format)

Awards

  • $1500 First Place Award
  • $1000 Second Place Award
  • $750 Third Place Award
  • $500 Fourth Award
  • $300 Fifth Place Award

The DFVA will send the awards directly to the colleges or universities to be deposited into the students’ accounts. Remember, the above amounts are doubled through the Matching Program if the student is attending the Delaware College of Art and Design.

Eligibility

Applicants must be high school seniors attending a Delaware High School who have submitted a drawing to the DFVA 2009 Excellence in Drawing Competition, and plan to major in a visual art.

Directions

  • Application forms must be complete and neatly printed.
  • A letter of recommendation from your art instructor is required. This may be included with the application.
  • Up to six works may be submitted for consideration
  • Work should be submitted on a CD disc jpeg format only and must be readable on both a PC and a Mac. Include a numbered list of work which includes title, size and medium.
  • Any 3 dimensional works should have three pictures taken from different viewpoints. Note: if you are submitting 3D work, you may have more than six pictures in your entry.
  • Submit only one picture of two dimensional work.

If you wish to have the CD returned, include a self-addressed stamped mailer/envelope
ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY MARCH 12, 2010. Mail entries to:
Delaware Foundation for the Visual Arts
PO Box 298
Rockland, Delaware 19732