Friday, August 9, 2013

Lionfish Contest



In this illustration from Dinotopia: The World Beneath (center), I tried to imagine how a Tyrannosaurus would look if it were designed in the style of a Chinese parade dragon. The idea was to portray how an unusual subject might have been interpreted by a different design vocabulary.

With that idea in mind, I would like to invite you to enter a GurneyJourney contest: How would an Art Nouveau designer (such as Alphonse Mucha or Henri Privat-Livemont) design a label for an imaginary product called "Lionfish Shampoo?" If you're not familiar with it, the lionfish is a remarkable looking (but dangerous) real fish, but you can take it in whatever direction you would like.

I'll be the judge, and the five best entries will be featured on the blog. First prize is a signed and remarqued copy of the expanded Calla edition of Dinotopia: The World Beneath.  Second prize is the ZBS World Beneath Audio Adventure with a signed bookplate. Third prize is a signed Dinotopia map. No fee to enter. Deadline is August 24. Winners will be announced August 26. Your entry can be a quick sketch concept—it doesn't have to be highly finished or rendered. Submit your drawing, painting, or digital art to gurneyjourney@gmail.com, subject line "Lionfish."
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Meanwhile, you can purchase a signed copy of Dinotopia: The World Beneath from my online store
Amazon:Dinotopia: The World Beneath: 20th Anniversary Edition
Listen to a sample of the audio adventure
Skull photo from Bone Clones

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Challenge Accepted!

Kyle Rafferty said...

I like it. Maybe cuddlefish conditioner is next?

Keith Parker said...

This sounds very cool. I'm in!

Unknown said...

hiya Mr. Gurney,

Can you clarify on if the contest will just be a single illustration of a [Lionfish Arte Nouvaeu], or if the contest would also require to design a backside to the bottle label, and/or even have to render the shampoo bottle with the label on it as well.

Thanks, I look forward to seeing what everyone creates.

Kindest regard,

-Pui

James Gurney said...

Thanks, good question, Pui. Just a single label would be fine. It could be rectangular or another shape. No need to do an elaborate rendering.

Unknown said...

So where is the winning entry? I'm sort of familiar with the lionfish, and being a remarkable and dangerous specie, it's a fascinating subject for art. And “Lionfish Shampoo” is quite an interesting concept. I wish luck to those who joined this contest. Lucius @ Skild.com