Hi everyone! It's time for FAIC's very first contest!

The Contest

Design a fan character, from any fandom you like. FCs are often where fan artists take the most flak, and it's true that there is a large number of bad ones out there. But, as we like to think our Features prove, there are plenty of GOOD fan characters out there - so let's see them!

How do I enter?

Submit a deviation with your fan character, with the following stats in the Artist's Comments:
Fandom Source:
Name:
Age:
Family:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Special Abilities:
Relationships With Canon Characters:
You may add other stats if you wish, however, all of the above must be completed. Note that 'strengths and weaknesses' refers to personality as well as ability.

Once your entry is submitted, just note it to the club.

Can I use preexisting fan characters?

Absolutely! We do ask that you make a new deviation for the contest, but characters you've already made are perfectly acceptable.

I don't draw.

That's fine! Text submissions are accepted. A full description can take the place of a drawing.

Who decides the winner?

You do! Once the contest ends, the entries will be put to popular vote. Voting will be open for one week; when the week ends, the winners will be announced. In the event we have more than ten entries, the votes will be handled tournament style - a certain number of entries will be voted on every day(or every other day, depending on numbers), with the daily winners going to the vote on the final day.

Anyone bashing another contestant's entry will be automatically disqualified. Constructive criticism is always welcome - or should be - but nasty, unconstructive comments will get your own character booted.

Can I enter multiple times?

You may submit up to three characters, but you may only win one prize. Should you win more than one, you will be awarded the higher prize while your closest competitor takes the other.

The Deadline

All entries must be submitted by 12AM Eastern Time on Sunday, December 6. Voting will begin on Monday, December 7, and continue through Saturday, December 12.

The Prizes

First Place receives one request each from *WingedHippocampus, ~Gojira007, and *nikkicub, plus a month of features in the club journal. Second Place receives a request from any two of the above and three weeks of features. Third Place receives one request and a week of features. First and second runners up will receive a week of features. For the features, first, second, and third place get three features a week, changing weekly; runners up will get one each. You may request that certain pieces be featured.

All entrants will have their entries featured in a News Article, to invite nonmembers to come, peruse our members' galleries, and vote.


That's it! Get to designing, revamping, or just drawing your usual FC, and good luck! Feel free to Note any questions to the club.

Welcome To FAIC!

It is a common misconception that fan works and integrity* are mutually exclusive. This has led to fan works being largely considered wasteful and uninspired ripoffs unworthy of protection or praise.

With so many people tracing, recoloring, painting over screencaps, outright stealing, and churning out Sues/Stus by massive truckloads, it's no wonder those outside our fandoms view us as inferior. These people and their practices give the rest of us a bad name, and hurt the chances we have at gaining respect from the art community at large.

This club is about supporting art and writing created on the artist or author's own merit, skill, and originality. We will support fan characters that are interesting, believable, and well thought out. We will encourage beginning fan artists/writers and nudge them in the right direction, helping them keep in mind that a less-than-stellar piece made by one's own power is infinitely better than a pretty, shiny lie, and that someone who is trying will at least get better, while a faker remains a faker forever.

Membership in this club means that you will NOT support those who trace, recolor, vector over, paint over, or steal works that they did not create. To help cover the fan fiction aspect, members of this club will also try to encourage originality in fan characters to cut down on Mary Sue/Gary Stu aspects.

In short, the aim of this club is to champion those fan artists and writers who honor their fandoms the right way: by making tribute in an ethical and creative fashion, NOT by raping the existing works of other fans or official sources.

WHAT THIS CLUB IS NOT

This is not a hate group. You WILL NOT harrass artists in our name. If you find a violation of DA's rules, report it, but do not send in the troops. In the interest of this, please familiarize yourselves with said rules, so that you know what is and is not legal here. Here's a brief rundown, but we encourage you to read the FAQ and rules yourself, and not just the part I've provided a link to.

Tracing, Coloring of Ripped Lineart, Vector Traces, Screencap Paint-Overs - [link] - This starts off sounding very agreeable, but then you get to the part where it says if it's in the Fan Art gallery, it's generally acceptable. If you find that insulting, then you're in the right place!

You may report these on principle, and sometimes, they will be successfully removed. This is rare, and the "Fan Art" clause makes it pretty much allowed. Allowed does not mean it is okay, and this club does not condone these pointless grade-school practices. Keep in mind that screencaps that have not been completely painted over are REPORTABLE.

The tracing or line ripping of other Deviant's fan works is still not legal, this is reportable, but remember that action is most likely if the report has been made by the artist it has been stolen from to begin with.

Incompletely Painted Screencaps, Raw Screencaps, Other Artist's Work - REPORTABLE. Do so.

Again, do NOT harrass violators in our name. Report, quietly get other people to report them as well if you'd like, but do not form a virtual lynch mob. Do remember that you can be permanently banned for harrassment much faster than someone else can be banned for repeated copyright infringement.

While we support the idea of reporting infringements where you see them, please try to also hold to the -positive- aspects of this club. Instead of concentrating on violators, support those who have not fallen so far, especially the young and those older ones who may be new to fan art.

IF YOU AGREE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THIS CLUB then by all means, join on up by Watching us and sending us a note! We will then add you to the list. Do keep in mind that the watchback is for roster purposes only, everything is unchecked, so for contests and such, you'll still need to drop us a line to let us know where to find your work!

The main inspirations behind this club, and t'was their demises that spurred me to create FAIC - ~stop-tracing and ~Anti-Recolor-Club R.I.P, you fought the good fight while you could.

Creators:
*WingedHippocampus and *nikkicub

Moderators:
~Gojira007 ~MaruHatesGravity

*_{The adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. - Dictionary.com}

Live Clubs of Similar Interest:
- a club for people tired of seeing Sonic Fans rip eachother's faces off over shipping. Support ALL Sonic shipping!
- A place for you to strut your stuff with your original FF fan creation! No Sues/Stus allowed.

EDIT: I have gotten so many requests to be an affiliate for various clubs that I'm making two lists. Clubs that more or less specifically support an ideal of ours (anti fandom drama, couples tolerance, anti tracing/recolor, anti Sue/Stu, etc.) and more specific interest clubs that have volunteered to be affiliates but are not themselves a cause-club.

Clubs of Support (affiliates that support the ideals of this club) :