“Macbeth and the Witches,” Macbeth, 1880. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive by Michael John Goodman)

It is commonly said that William Shakespeare‘s works cannot be fully appreciated until they are performed on stage, as the thirty-eight plays by “The Bard” were meant to be seen. Actors trained to convey the pain of Romeo upon finding Juliet in the tomb, the strange humor of the woodland characters who frolic on a Midsummer Night, and the cold cunning of Lady Macbeth. Dramatic monologues, such as Hamlet to the skull must be said in proper cadence.

While reading Shakespeare's works is still a thrilling experience for literary fiends, illustrations can help bring a little of the stage's magic to the page. Michael John Goodman—who describes himself as an “independent researcher, writer, educator, curator and image-maker”—has made this magic easy no matter what edition you have. His Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive collects over 3,000 illustrations from 19th-century British editions of Shakespeare’s Complete Works.

Peruse the website however you wish, whether by play or by historic edition. The latter include those edited by Charles Knight, Kenny Meadows, John Tallis, and others. Many illustrators and engravers are also represented. The works span the Victorian period, a segment of British history that roughly tracks the lifespan of one of Britain's longest-living monarchs.

Goodman has developed an innovative way to search the archive. He has created word clouds describing the subjects of the illustrations. Find “animals,” “crowns,” “death,” and your favorite characters. This immersive experience can show you how the Victorians imagine life in Elizabethan London or ancient Egypt, with varying accuracy and cultural awareness.

The artists responsible for these historic sketches conveyed emotion in each face using different artistic styles, some more Romantic, others like a children's book to modern eyes. Check out a collection of wood engravings, or browse, and you will notice that famous actors of the day were shown in their roles. They are depicted through a process known as photogravure plates. In this process, a negative is essentially transferred to a copper plate through a delicate operation that then allows for mass printing. The Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive is not just a window into Shakespeare but also a glimpse into how people have read, admired, and interpreted his work over the centuries.

Aggregated by Michael John Goodman, the Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive is an enchanting collection of illustrations from prominent British Victorian editions of Shakespeare’s Complete Works.

“Cleopatra, Charmian and the Death of Iras,” Antony and Cleopatra, Illustrated by H. C. Selous and engraved by Frederick Wentworth, 1860s. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive
by Michael John Goodman)

Check out Hamlet, Macbeth, Henry VIII, and more notable characters from The Bard's works.

“Mr. George Bennett as King Henry the Eighth,” from Henry VIII, From a Daguerreotype by Paine of Islington, 1850. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive
by Michael John Goodman)

“Titania and Bottom,” A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1880. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive
by Michael John Goodman)

“Garrick as Richard 3rd,” Richard III, illustrated by Hogarth and engraved by Porthbury, 1850. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive by Michael John Goodman)

“Hamlet Full Page Introductory Illustration,” Hamlet, Illustrated by H. C. Selous and engraved by Frederick Wentworth, 1860s. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive by Michael John Goodman)

“You Spotted Snakes (II),” A Midsummer Night's Dream, illustrated by John Gilbert, 1862. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive by Michael John Goodman)

“Falstaff choosing his Recruits,” Henry IV, illustrated by R. W. Buss, circa 1839. (Photo: Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive by Michael John Goodman)

Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive: Website
h/t: [Open Culture]

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READ: Explore Over 3,000 Victorian Illustrations of Shakespeare’s Works

America has always had a unique relationship with film. Movies have shaped the United States in more ways than one, from drive-in theaters to classic blockbuster films. Amid these iconic cultural symbols, there is also a vast array of short films that have been nearly forgotten. The Prelinger Archives‘ goal is to prevent these movies from being lost in the ether.

Rick Prelinger started the archive in 1983 with a focus on preserving “ephemeral” films, which are typically educational or industrial in subject matter. Many of the films listed in the archive are from the mid-20th century and include vintage documentaries, instructional videos, political propaganda, and home videos that provide a glimpse into what life in the United States was like many decades ago. Of the 30,000 films in the Prelinger Archives, over 9,200 can be found at the Internet Archive or uploaded to the official YouTube channel.

Many of the films are as strange or campy as you might imagine, from heavily sanitized sexual education videos on puberty and dating to an uncomfortably long and detailed 31-minute tutorial on how to handle raw meat. But there are hidden gems in the vast online repository as well, including rare performance footage of Billie Holiday, playful Felix the Cat cartoons, and same-day news coverage of major historical events, including the Hindenburg explosion or the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Vintage home videos are where the collection really shines, as these tapes offer an uncensored, unedited look into the lives of everyday Americans. Watching footage of family vacations, road trips, and Christmas celebrations provides a unique glimpse into the past. While the clothes, styles, and social norms have changed drastically since many of these videos were created, they do serve as a reminder that people have always found ways to enjoy themselves and that humans have always been undeniably human. Even though it may take some digging, you are bound to find something that stands out to you in the Prelinger Archives and makes your day a little bit brighter.

The Prelinger Archives has the goal of documenting and preserving vintage films that are normally instructional, educational, or home videos.

Over 9,200 short films from the archive can be found on Internet Archive and the Prelinger Archives YouTube channel.

Prelinger Archives: Website | YouTube
h/t: [Open Culture]

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READ: You Can Now Download and Watch Over 9,200 Short Vintage Films for Free

The opening of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, with a portrait of the author: Lansdowne MS 851, f. 2r

Geoffrey Chaucer's compelling work earned him the title of “father of English literature,” and his influence can still be felt over six centuries after his passing. His most famous book, The Canterbury Tales, was published around 1400, meaning its earliest incarnations weren't easily accessible for readers and academics around the world—until now. Recently, the British Library announced that they've completed the digitization of all of their pre-1600 manuscripts containing Chaucer’s works.

The new archive features 25,000 images from more than 60 items related to Chaucer's works and life, all carefully photographed and uploaded. “We have digitized not only complete copies of Chaucer’s poems, but also unique survivals, including fragmentary texts found in Middle English anthologies or inscribed in printed editions and incunabula (books printed before 1501),” writes the institution.

As for The Canterbury Tales, the archive boasts at least 23 editions. “In addition to the surviving manuscripts of The Canterbury Tales, the British Library also houses some of the earliest printed versions of Chaucer’s poem,” they write. “These include rare copies of the 1476 and 1483 editions of the text made by William Caxton (d. c. 1491), the 1491/1492 edition by Richard Pynson (d. c. 1529), and the 1498 edition printed by Wynkyn de Worde (d. c. 1534).” Calum Cockburn, the British Library’s curator of medieval manuscripts, highlights a version with a portrait of Chaucer himself. “That is a really wonderful detail because there aren’t that many surviving portraits of him,” he tells The Guardian.

Medieval manuscripts of Chaucer's other notable works are also available. The archive features an edition of The Legend of Good Women, one of Chaucer’s four poetic dream visions, with printed and handwritten versions of the text side-by-side; translations of The Romance of the Rose and The Consolation of Philosophy; and the epic Troilus and Criseyde, which would go on to inspire William Shakespeare some 200 years later.

“Whether you are experienced scholars of Chaucer’s life and poetry, who know his words off by heart, or only just learning of his collected works for the first time, we hope you enjoy exploring the pages of these digitized manuscripts and engaging with the writing of one of the foundational figures in the history of English literature,” writes the British Library.

You can start browsing the entire Chaucer archive with the help of this PDF index. To learn more, visit the British Library's website.

The British Library announced that it has completed the digitization of all pre-1600 manuscripts containing Geoffrey Chaucer’s works.

A 16th-century portrait of Geoffrey Chaucer, holding a rosary and stylus: Add MS 5141, f. 1r

The new archive features 25,000 images from more than 60 items related to Chaucer's works and life in the British Library's collection.

The opening of Chaucer’s Legend of Good Women, showing printed and handwritten versions of the text side-by-side: Add MS 9832, ff. 3v-4r

“We have digitized not only complete copies of Chaucer’s poems, but also unique survivals, including fragmentary texts found in Middle English anthologies or inscribed in printed editions and incunabula,” writes the institution.

A woodcut of the pilgrims from William Caxton’s 1483 edition of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: G.11586, f. 20 c4

“In addition to the surviving manuscripts of The Canterbury Tales, the British Library also houses some of the earliest printed versions of Chaucer’s poem.”

The opening of ‘The Knight’s Tale’, from Thomas Speght’s 1598 edition of the collected works of Geoffrey Chaucer: Add MS 42518, f. 29r

The opening of Walter Stevins’ revised edition of Chaucer’s ‘Treatise on the Astrolabe’: Sloane MS 261, f. 1*r

The British Library: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [Open Culture]

All images via the British Library.

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READ: 25,000 Images of Medieval Geoffrey Chaucer Manuscripts Are Now Online

“The little one’s log” by Eva Erleigh. Courtesy of the New York Academy of Medicine.

The New York Academy of Medicine Library started Color Our Collections in 2016, which provides people with the fun opportunity to color in masterful artwork, all for free. In February, the program released its 2024 coloring page selections, allowing people to print and color images from 93 libraries and museums. This provides people with the chance to not only see collections that are normally in storage or not accessible by the public but also re-imagine them as they see fit.

Some of the most exciting pages on the list this year were taken from the Harley-Davidson Archives, the National Library of Medicine, and the Stanford University Libraries. The images vary from retro advertisements to sketches of fantasy creatures and nearly everything in between. No matter what style of coloring you prefer, you will probably be able to find something unique that speaks to you.

Upon clicking on a certain collection, you will likely be taken to a blank page, but don't despair. Simply scroll to the bottom of the page to click on the download link. To check out this year's collections, as well as the archives of all previous years, go to the Color Our Collections website.

Color Our Collections is an annual event that allows people to color in art from library and museum collections.

“Ornithologiae” by Ulysse Aldrovandi. Courtesy of the Bibliothèque municipale de Nantes.

This year, the event is offering coloring pages from 93 different institutions.

“Mariana Pineda” by Federico García Lorca. Courtesy of the CRAI Library at University of Barcelona.

These institutions range from university libraries to specialized archives, such as the Harley-Davidson Archives.

Drawing of 165 model from a 1957 Harley-Davidson® model flyer. Courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Archives.

With everything there is to offer, there should be something for everyone.

Courtesy of South Street Seaport Museum.

h/t: [Open Culture]

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“Irises” by Vincent Van Gogh. 1889. (Photo: The Getty, Public domain)

As home to one of the nation's most thorough art collections, The Getty has found an innovative way for it to reach more audiences. By launching their Open Content program back in 2013, they've made hundreds upon thousands of their cultural artifacts freely accessible online to anyone in the world. Throughout the years, this priceless resource has only grown, with The Getty recently announcing that nearly 88,000 high-resolution images of artworks from its collection are now available for free download under Creative Commons Zero (CC0).

“Users can download, edit, and repurpose high-resolution images of their favorite Getty artworks without any legal restrictions,” writes the museum. “Add a print of your favorite Dutch still life to your gallery wall or create a shower curtain using the Irises by Van Gogh—the possibilities are endless.”

Browsing an archive this size can feel like a daunting endeavor. That's why The Getty has designed a user-friendly platform that allows people to search by artist name, title, date, culture, medium, dimensions, object type, and more. The museum has vowed to continue to grow this resource as it acquires more works and others enter the public domain.

Getty's Open Content program is home to iconic works by trailblazing artists. One can explore the last two centuries of painting with creations by Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Édouard Manet, and Edvard Munch; study historical marble sculptures, like the famed Alexander the Great portrait; or get lost in the intricate details of the medieval Book of Hours.

“We’re glad the art community has adopted CC0 as the industry standard to help broaden the impact of collections worldwide and remove barriers to experiencing art,” says Richard Rand, associate director of collections at the Getty Museum. “We hope the public continues to enjoy exploring and using our images in creative ways for years to come.”

Start exploring The Getty's Open Content platform here.

The Getty recently announced that nearly 88,000 high-resolution images of artworks from its collection are now available for free download.

“Landscape with Ceres (Allegory of Earth)” by Jan Brueghel the Younger, Hendrik van Balen. 1630s. (Photo: The Getty, Public domain)

“Users can download, edit, and repurpose high-resolution images of their favorite Getty artworks without any legal restrictions,” writes the museum.

“Sunrise (Marine)” by Claude Monet. 1872 or 1873. (Photo: The Getty, Public domain)

The Getty's Open Content program is home to some iconic works by trailblazing artists, from modernist painters to historical marble sculptures.

“Landscape near Arnhem” by Piet Mondrian. 1900-1901. (Photo: The Getty, Public domain)

The Getty: Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
h/t: [Open Culture]

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An elementary school teacher teaching, 1877. (Photo: National Institute for Educational Policy Research)

What did your school textbooks look like? Chances are they were old, ripped, and written in. Their computer-printed images were certainly not fine art, especially with other students' layering doodles over the years. However, textbooks do not always have to be boring; they can be works of art. An online archive of historic Japanese textbooks from the 19th and 20th centuries—hosted by the National Institute for Educational Policy Research—exemplifies the textbook as an art form. Decorated in everything from hand painting and calligraphy to traditional block printing, the books are explorable in PDF format for free.

The collection includes artwork such as hanging drawings, elementary primers, and brushwork guides for calligraphy. These works span a broad period, from the 19th century till after World War II—a time of immense change for Japan. Some texts are many pages long, combining elegant writing with detailed illustrations. Horses dance across a page beneath simple characters; whereas in another book, plants found in the garden are illustrated. Others depict teachers and small pupils cross-legged in front of their lecturers. It's fascinating even for those who cannot read Japanese.

Chiefly on display is the artistry of the books' many makers. Woodblock printing is an ancient art, dating back to the 8th century in Japan. These abilities to create books long pre-dated the European invention of the printing press during the Renaissance. Sometimes a block print might create the lines of a drawing, which was then colored in by hand. Other times, artists utilized the “brocade” method, nishiki-e, of using multiple blocks in multiple inks to create an image. It was not until the 20th century that modern print technology began to replace these methods. While modern textbooks might be more conducive to mass production or regular updating, they surely cannot match the charm, elegance, and beauty of these historic tomes.

An archive of centuries’ worth of Japanese textbooks hosted by the National Institute for Educational Policy Research is available online.

A 19th-century elementary school text. (Photo: National Institute for Educational Policy Research)

Many are incredible examples of block printing and illustration.

“Garden Lessons” picture book, 1828. (Photo: National Institute for Educational Policy Research)

An elementary reading book, late 19th century. (Photo: National Institute for Educational Policy Research)

An elementary reading book, late 19th century. (Photo: National Institute for Educational Policy Research)

h/t: [Colossal]

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“Owl” by Curtis Hylton, 2022, Royal Mews, Southend, Essex (Photo: Tracy Jenkins, courtesy of Art UK, © the artist)

By its very nature, street art is ephemeral. Due to weather, theft, or demolition, mural art is vulnerable to many potential risks. But as a result of the work of one organization, street art in the United Kingdom now has a permanent home online. Art UK is a digital archive with over 300,000 works belonging to public art collections nationwide. Thanks to a new three-year initiative, 5,000 pieces of street art across the UK will be added to the collection. This ensures that their legacy remains long after they may fade from view.

The program began in January 2024 and includes many different types of street art. While painted murals will form the bulk of what will be digitized, Art UK will also be documenting “sculptural murals in concrete, brick, wood, stone, tile, and other materials.” By adding this work to its database of institutional public art, Art UK is also helping elevate what can sometimes be seen as an outsider art form.

Once the street art has been added to the online database, its record will be continuously updated. This means anyone can discover if the work has been removed or defaced. Each piece will also be incorporated into Art UK's public education programming, which includes workshops, films, accessible audio versions of the record, and learning resources for teachers.

“Battle of Cable Street” by Desmond Rochfort, Dave Binnington, Paul Butler, and more, 1976–1983, St George's Park, Cable Street, Tower Hamlets (Photo: Anthony McIntosh / Art UK, © the artist)

“As well as highlighting more well-known artists and adding to their legacy, this project will reveal the stories, artworks, and practice of lesser-known muralists, who may not previously have received as much attention,” shared the organization in a statement.

Some of the work entering the database dates from the 1960s and 1970s, while other pieces are much more recent. By incorporating painted murals into its scope of work, Art UK is acknowledging the increasing importance of street art. It is also another sign of the increased acceptance of street art in the contemporary art world.

Banksy, of course, is present in the database, along with a mix of established and lesser-known muralists. You can take a peek at what's been digitized already and keep checking back as more is added.

Art UK is embarking on a three-year project to digitize the country's street art.

“Saint Enoch and Child” by Smug, 2018, George Street / High Street, Glasgow (Photo: Gordon Baird / Art UK, © the artist)

“Viking Longboat Mural” by Phelgm, 2022, Shore Road, Peel, Isle of Man (Photo: Patricia Tutt, © the artist)

Over 5,000 painted murals, public sculptures, and mixed media work will be added to the platform.

“Endangered Dreams Mural” by Artur Bordalo, 1998, Aberdeen (Photo: Andy Hayes / Art UK, © the artist)

“Market People” by
Helen Bur, 2021, St Martin's Square, Basildon, Essex (Photo: Tracy Jenkins / Art UK, © the artist)

Art UK: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [artnet]

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READ: UK’s Most Significant Street Art Will Be Digitized Over the Next Three Years

Photo: Khara Woods
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If you’re creating amazing art but struggling to gain exposure, art contests are a great opportunity for publicity. And if you’re living the infamous “starving artist” lifestyle, this is also a way to pull yourself out of a rough spot by potentially winning cash prizes, allowing you to gain an extra financial boost towards your dream creative projects.

There are loads of different competitions out there, from world-renowned painting contests to inspiring digital art challenges, that will place you in the art world. With so much to choose from, we’ve created a guide to help you decide which visual arts competitions are best suited to you and your artistic talents. Depending on your eligibility, you can try for these annual awards year after year.

Ready to show off your art to the world? Check out our guide to some of the best art contests to enter this year.

Painting Competitions

“Tower of Towers” by Kimball Geisler, 12th Annual PleinAir Salon Competition Grand Prize Winner

PleinAir Salon Art Competition

Prize: $50,000 in All Cash Prizes. $15,000 Grand Prize for annual competition, $24,200 in additional annual cash awards, and $25,800 in cash awards throughout the year for monthly competitions.
Entry Fee: $29 for the first entry, $12 for each additional entry (early bird fee, expires the 15th of each month). Regular Fee: $38 for the first image, $16 for subsequent images.
Requirements: Open to international artists, not just plein air artists, age 18 years of age and older.
Closing Date:  Each monthly competition ends at midnight Pacific Time on the published final day of that competition. Winners are announced on the last day of the month following the competition. The Annual Competition closes on March 15th, 2025.

PleinAir magazine hosts monthly painting competitions that award artists across a variety of painting mediums. The winners of the monthly competitions will be entered into the annual competition with a chance to win $15,000. The winner of the annual competition will also see their work placed on the cover of PleinAir magazine, the #1 representational art magazine at Barnes & Noble. There are 19 categories to select from, some reserved specifically for plein air painting, while others also accept studio paintings. The winners will be showcased in PleinAir magazine, and all winners and finalists will have their work promoted online on sites like FineArtConnoisseur.com, OutdoorPainter.com, PleinAirSalon.com, and in a variety of e-newsletters.

Enter now

AcrylicWorks 11

Prize: $2,000 first prize, $1,000 second prize.
Entry Fee: $45 ($35 before February 27, 2024).
Requirements: Open to artists in the United States and Canada.
Closing Date: April 9, 2024

For the AcrylicWorks 11 competition, the organizers are looking for the best in acrylic painting over a variety of styles and subjects. The eligible entries will be judged in two rounds according to artistic technique, handling of the medium, design, and creative elements, as well as overall impression and impact. Winners’ works will be featured in Artists Magazine.

Enter now

Splash 26

Prize: $2,000 first prize, $1,000 second prize.
Entry Fee: $45
Requirements: Open to artists in the United States and Canada.
Closing Date: Fall/Winter 2024 (TBD)

For the Splash 26 contest, Artists Network is looking for original watercolor paintings. Each entry must be rendered predominantly with watercolor; however, some minor use of other mediums may be acceptable. Top winners and a selection of other winners will appear in a special edition of Watercolor Artist magazine.

Enter now

Jackson's Painting Prize

Prize: £6,000 first prize
Entry Fee: £5 per entry.
Requirements: Open to international artists of all ages.
Closing Date: March 1, 2024

Jackson's Painting Prize was created to reward excellence in two-dimensional works of fine art. Both painting and drawing media are accepted and in addition to the main prize, there are also awards for emerging artists, best watercolor, and people's choice.

Enter now

Digital Art Contests

Photo: Howard Lawrence B

The Lumen Prize for Digital Art

Prize: $4,000 first prize, with a $13,500 total prize fund.
Entry Fee: $40 for two works ($32 for two works if submitted prior to March 24).
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.
Closing Date: May 25, 2024

This digital art competition is organized by Lumen Art Projects Ltd, a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to providing new opportunities for digital artists around the world. The contest guidelines are relatively loose—the only requirement is that the submitted artworks must somehow engage with technology. Categories include Still, Moving Image, XR, 3D/Interactive and Artificial Intelligence.  Several awards categories are also rewarded with artist residencies and exhibitions in addition to the cash prize.

Find out more.

animago Award

Prize: €3,000 cash prize for Best Young Production, all nominees provided lodging and tickets to animago.
Entry Fee: Free
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.
Closing Date: TBD

For over 20 years the prestigious animago Award competition has spotlighted talent in the fields of 3d animation and stills, visual effects, visualization, and design. Organized by the German magazine Digital Production, all winners are announced during a gala at the annual animago conference in Munich, Germany. Though, due to the pandemic, animago has not taken place since 2019, artists are still encouraged to submit their work for the next time that the conference occurs.

Enter now

Illustration Contests

Photo: rawpixel

World Illustration Awards

Prize: A cash prize of £2,000 and more publicity opportunities.
Entry Fee: £29 (approximately $33)
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.
Closing Date: February 22, 2024

Anyone who’s into illustration is bound to have heard of the prestigious World Illustration Awards. Illustrators are invited to submit work created or published since January 2018 to 8 different categories. Winners will not only win a cash prize, but they’ll also be awarded invaluable global exposure, such as a marketing package in the Directory of Illustration, a feature in a major exhibition in central London, and an invitation to the Awards Evening in October.

Enter now

Society of Illustrators Annual Competition

Prize: Medals, work published in a full-color catalog and displayed in an exhibition.
Entry Fee: $20 for members ($35 for non-members)
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.
Closing Date: TBD

The Society of Illustrators Annual Competition is known as the premier showcase for illustrators and animators. Open to artists worldwide, work can be entered in one of the six categories: Editorial, Book, Advertising, Institutional, Uncommissioned, and Surface/ Product Design. The selected entries will be exhibited at the Society of Illustrators’ gallery in New York City and be printed in full color in their annual catalog. In addition to the entry fee, there is a hanging/publication fee of $90 for non-members and $80 for members.

Enter now

Drawing Contests

Photo: Stock Photos from Iuliia Tarabanova/Shutterstock

Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing

Prize: $2,000 first prize, $1,000 second prize
Entry Fee: $45
Requirements: Open to artists in the United States and Canada.
Closing Date: Spring/Summer 2024 (TBD)

The Strokes of Genius Competition celebrates original work made in drawing mediums; including pencil, charcoal, Conté crayon, pen and ink, scratchboard, silverpoint, colored pencil, pastels, and even some wet paint mediums if used in a linear or sketchy manner. Winning entries plus an additional 85+ finalists will be published in a special edition publication, The Best of Drawing, from the editors of Artists Magazine.

Enter now

Drawing of the Year

Prize: Total prize fund of £100,000, with £55,000 spread across six categories.
Entry Fee: Free
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.
Closing Date: March 17, 2024

Run by architecture and design collective Archisource, Drawing of the Year recognizes excellence in drawing and image creation, celebrating imagery and creations across all styles, typologies, and across digital and physical media.

Enter now

General Art Contests

Photo: Pixabay via Pexels

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

Prize: Over $65,000 in cash and prizes to be won (overall winner receives $10,000 to develop their practice). Plus global exposure through Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s 1 million+ social media community, along with website and print editorial.
Entry Fee: $40 per entry (artists can enter up to 10 times)
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide working in the representational visual arts.
Closing Date: midnight PT on July 17, 2024

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, now in its 7th year, is an annual non-acquisitive international art prize that celebrates diversity and excellence in the representational visual arts. It includes all static mediums including Traditional Art media, Digital Art media, and Photographic media; and all styles from realism and hyperrealism to pop surrealism and lowbrow. The Prize seeks to inspire creatives from around the world to pursue a life and career in the arts, and to help careers grow through funding and increased exposure of their work to galleries, collectors, and media, globally.

Enter now

Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition

Prize: Over $29,000 in cash prizes and publication in Artists Magazine.
Entry Fee: $40
Requirements: Open to artists over 18 worldwide working in a traditional medium.
Closing Date: Spring/Summer 2024

Artists Magazine’s Annual Art Competition celebrates traditional 2D artistic mediums such as painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, digital art, and much more. Winners will be chosen from a variety of categories including Portrait/Figure, Still Life, Landscape, Abstract, and Animal/Wildlife.

Along with generous cash prizes, this contest provides a huge opportunity to gain exposure—all winners’ work will be featured in the January/February 2025 issue of Artists Magazine.

Enter now

The Sunny Art Prize

Prize: A total cash fund of £6,000 plus a month-long art residency in China, and a solo exhibition in London.
Entry Fee: £25 for one artwork, up to £45 for four artworks.
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide age 18 and over.
Closing Date: June 30, 2024

One of the most inclusive and diverse art competitions in the UK, the Sunny Art Prize offers unique exposure for both emerging and established artists. Winners will be granted an opportunity to have their work shown in an exhibition in London, and develop their work during a month-long residency in China. A £6,000 (approximately $7,600) total cash prize will be split between the first three winning artists.

The art contest accepts entries in a diverse range of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramic art, printmaking, installation art, mixed media, video art, and photography.

Enter now

YICCA International Contest of Contemporary Art

Prize: €3,000 first prize and solo exhibition, €1,000 second prize and exhibition opportunity
Entry Fee: €50 per entry (up to 6 submissions possible)
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide
Closing Date: April 11, 2024

YICCA is an international call for artists, open to professionals and not only from any country in the world. All kinds of contemporary artworks are allowed in the art contest: drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, graphics, mixed media, video, installations, and performances. The jury's final decision will lead to a selection of 18 artists who will participate in the final exhibition in Venice. The overall winner will also receive a solo exhibition.

Enter now

Wildlife Artist of the Year

Prize: £10,000 for the overall winner (including a £5,000 conservation donation to a DSWF project of the winner’s choice), £2,000 for the runner-up (including a £1,000 conservation donation to a DSWF project of the winner’s choice), and category prizes of £500 each.
Entry Fee: £25 per entry (£15 per entry for youth category)
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide (age 15 and over)
Closing Date: March 11, 2024

Organized by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, this contest encourages artists to use the natural world as a source of inspiration for a piece of art and, in doing so, raise vital awareness for some of the most pressing environmental issues our planet faces. Mediums can include but are not restricted to, oil, acrylic, watercolor, pencil, mixed media, bronze, plaster, wire, collage, and textiles, with styles encompassing traditional, abstract, monochrome, and many others.

Enter now

This article has been edited and updated.

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The universe is so vast that it would be impossible to map all of it. However, with 383,620 galaxies under its belt, the Siena Galaxy Atlas (SGA) covers a significant portion. The online archive uses data from three Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Legacy Surveys collected between 2014 and 2017 (known as the DESI Legacy Surveys) to present images and detailed information about what lies in outer space.

The SGA is free for anyone to browse online, but is geared more towards astronomers and scientists due to the technical content. Users of the atlas can find locations, shapes, and sizes of thousands of large galaxies that are close to our own. “Nearby large galaxies are important because we can study them in more detail than any other galaxies in the universe; they are our cosmic neighbors,” John Moustakas, SGA project leader and a physics professor at Siena College, said in a statement. “Not only are they strikingly beautiful, but they also hold the key to understanding how galaxies form and evolve, including our very own Milky Way galaxy.”

The DESI Legacy survey data has helped make the SGA extremely accurate, ensuring that it will become an invaluable resource, especially for those who are seeking to observe specific parts of the galaxy or study samples from across several galaxies. “The public release of these spectacular data contained in the atlas will have a real impact not only on astronomical research, but also on the public’s ability to view and identify relatively nearby galaxies,” says Chris Davis, NSF Program Director for NOIRLab. “Dedicated amateur astronomers will particularly love this as a go-to resource for learning more about some of the celestial targets they observe.”

While it is definitely a data-heavy resource, anyone can enjoy the images. NOIRLab astronomer Arjun Dey remarks about the SGA: “In addition to its scientific utility, it has a lot of pictures of beautiful galaxies!”

You can browse the Siena Galaxy Atlas here.

The Siena Galaxy Atlas compiles data from three Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Legacy Surveys so people online can explore over 380,000 galaxies.

The SGA is free for anyone to browse online, but is geared more towards astronomers and scientists due to the technical content.

“Not only are [large nearby galaxies] strikingly beautiful, but they also hold the key to understanding how galaxies form and evolve, including our very own Milky Way galaxy.”

Siena Galaxy Atlas: Website
h/t: [Open Culture]

All images via Siena Galaxy Atlas.

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Photo: Stock Photos from RossHelen/Shutterstock

When it comes to painting, everyone starts out on an even playing field—those that paint well have built their skills over time. Doing so, however, requires patience, and for you to put brush to canvas (or paper) and increase your aptitude stroke by stroke. We’ve seen this happen in a drawing; just a few years of drawing practice can mean the difference between a sketch that’s just okay and one that shows extraordinary talent.

We've put together a list of painting ideas that anyone can try.

Photo: Stock Photos from Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

What type of paint should you choose?

Choosing a type of paint for your work can be quite overwhelming at times given all the varieties out there. Some paint types can be more durable than others or can completely change the look of your final work of art. The right paint choice can be very important in accomplishing your artistic goal, depending on what you are creating. The different paint types vary in style and properties making a big impact on your next painting quest. Some popular types of paint are watercolor, acrylic, oil, and gouache. Read our comprehensive list of types of paint to get a better idea of which one is right for you and your project.

What supplies will you need?

Once you choose the paint type you want to work with, you can focus on other supplies. Outside of your paint set, you will need brushes, possibly a canvas or painting paper, and maybe even an easel if you're feeling fancy. We have recommendations for three of the most popular types of paint. Check out our guides for the best watercolor paint sets, top acrylic paint, and best oil paints that beginners and pros will love. Although these paints are the most popular, you can go beyond a brush and pick up a paint marker. We even have a guide for the best paint markers, too.

Once you’ve got your watercolor, acrylic, or even oil paint, you can get started right away on honing your craft. But even having all the right supplies can’t save you from the dreaded creative block; sometimes, you just can’t think of anything to paint! Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of prompts that are jumping-off points for your work. The easy painting ideas are divided into two lists—one is inspired by life while the other challenges you to use your imagination.

When looking through the list, consider the following: what sounds like fun to paint? What will challenge you to get better? Are there certain techniques you’d like to try? A leafy tree, for instance, gives you the opportunity to experiment with texture, while imagining these subjects in monochrome is a great exercise in understanding tonality, light, and shadow.

Photo: Stock Photos from Kuznetcov_Konstantin/Shutterstock

Easy painting ideas inspired by real life:

Your favorite coffee mug

Photo: olies/Depositphotos

A prickly pear cactus

Photo: AndreYanush/Depositphotos

Your furry friend

Photo: yakimenko/Depositphotos

A tranquil lake scene

Photo: Max5799/Depositphotos

Your eye and eyebrow (try observing from real life)

Photo: Nataliass/Depositphotos

A leafy tree

Photo: borojoint/Depositphotos

Your childhood home

Photo: Max5799/Depositphotos

Someone sitting on a chair

Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos

Fluffy clouds

Photo: cat_arch_angel/Depositphotos

A bouquet of flowers in a vase

Photo: Marinka/Depositphotos

A small bird on a branch

Photo: borojoint/Depositphotos

A wise owl

Photo: brita.seifert@googlemail.com/Depositphotos

A curling ocean wave (check out Ray Collins’ wave photographs for inspiration!)

Photo: balaikin/Depositphotos

Copy a masterpiece painting of an artist you admire

Photo: Rawpixel/Depositphotos

A bowl of fruit

Photo: natalia88/Depositphotos

Fish under water

Photo: VitalikRadko/Depositphotos

A portrait of yourself when you were a kid

Photo: re_bekka/Depositphotos

Your hand or foot

Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos

Your favorite collection of things

Photo: Alexis84/Depositphotos

A building façade you’ve always admired

Photo: segun007/Depositphotos

Someone standing under an umbrella while it’s raining

Photo: Max5799/Depositphotos

A streetlamp illuminating a dark street

Photo: Marsea/Depositphotos

A peacock’s colorful plumage

Photo: DeepGreen/Depositphotos

The Eiffel tower, or any other memorable landmark

Photo: martinm303/Depositphotos

An avocado cut in half

Photo: AntonMatyukha/Depositphotos

Your mode of transportation (car, bike, scooter, skateboard…)

Photo: samot/Depositphotos

A reflective object such as a vase or glass

Photo: Wirestock/Depositphotos

Your favorite insect

Photo: DeepGreen/Depositphotos

A collection of seashells

Photo: Viktoria_Karpunina/Depositphotos

A pair of shoes

Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos

Take your art supplies outdoors and paint a park en plein air

Photo: Afonskaya/Depositphotos

Different athletes

Photo: 7slonov/Depositphotos

The night sky

Photo: KostyaKlimenko/Depositphotos

Mountain landscape

Photo: Elinacious/Depositphotos

The moon

Photo: svetas/Depositphotos

The beach

Photo: itmuryn/Depositphotos

A butterfly

Photo: sun_tiger/Depositphotos

A cherry blossom tree (with q-tips instead of a brush)

Photo: Marinka/Depositphotos

A pumpkin

Photo: shoshina/Depositphotos

The sunset sky

Photo: samillustration/Depositphotos

Paint on rocks instead of on canvas

Photo: Wirestock/Depositphotos

What did you have for lunch or dinner?

Photo: suslik83/Depositphotos

A shiny balloon

Photo: OlhaArt/Depositphotos

Someone who is doing an everyday activity such as sleeping, cooking, putting on makeup

Photo: Leonid_Eremeychuk/Depositphotos

Go big: show peonies blooming on a giant canvas or piece of paper

Photo: Valenty/Depositphotos

A snowy landscape

Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos

Good painting ideas inspired by the imagination:

A person with flowers growing from their head

Photo:Nongkran_ch/Depositphotos

An image inspired by your favorite song

Photo: agsandrew/Depositphotos

A majestic unicorn with a rainbow-colored mane

Photo: milanawork@mail.ru/Depositphotos

A self-portrait in a Cubist style (try using a limited color palette)

Juan Gris, “Portrait of Pablo Picasso,” 1912. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Reimagine a scene from your favorite Disney film

Photo: Liuzishan/Depositphotos

Imagine a dog could walk and talk like a human. What would they say and do?

Photo: Gastello/Depositphotos

A repeat pattern

Photo: Molesko/Depositphotos

A mandala-inspired design

Photo: outsiderzone/Depositphotos

A cat in a fancy hat

Photo: rm211171/123RF

Your dream home

Photo: luzaazure/123RF

Try painting with your fingers

Photo: golubovy/Depositphotos

The sky imagined in colorful swirls like in Van Gogh’s Starry Night

Photo: whatawin/Depositphotos

A scuba diver swimming through a galaxy instead of the ocean

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ᴄ ᴏ ꜱ ᴍ ɪ ᴄ ✨ ᴀ ʀ ᴛ ɪ ꜱ ᴛ (@lanchendesigns)

A person made out of balloons

Photo: kamenuka/Depositphotos

Tiny people moving throughout a regular-sized world

Photo: Golsa Golchini

Hide a face in a repeating pattern (like Lee Wagstaff)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lee Wagstaff (@lee_wagstaff)

A spooky scene in the woods (try painting it on a wood slice)

Photo: Melpomene Chatzipanagiotou

Animals in the place of humans

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Guillermo Lorca García H. (@guillermolorcagarcia)

Salvador Dali-inspired interior

Living underwater

Paint a fantastical garden of imaginative plants

Photo: nikahgeh/123RF

Merge two of your favorite animals into one

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sujay Sanan (@sujaysanan)

Try painting in an Art Deco style (like Tamara de Lempicka)

Photo: mayaartworks/Depositphotos

Hide a person's face in an unusual way

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Amy (@amyjuddart)

Imagine that you're a giant

Photo: PHOTOGRAPHER NAME/123RF

A person whose skin cracks like porcelain

Photo: KseniyaOmega/Depositphotos

Create your own fairytale

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Thanh Nhàn (@xnhan00)

Fuse day and night into a single scene

Photo: maxfilitov/123RF

An easy quote

Photo: rawpixel/123RF

Metallic abstract

Photo: denisined/123RF

Geometric art

Photo: theromb/Depositphotos

Splatter art

Photo: tsyew/123RF

Animals outside of their natural habitat (look to Marina Kusraeva for inspiration)

Photo: Marina Kusraeva

A landscape inspired by an enchanted forest

Photo: altitudevisual/123RF

Life in the future

Photo: alfazetchronicles/123RF

Combine a realistic subject with abstract elements

Create a painting just of loops. What designs can you make with that?

Photo: braindamage/123RF

Something that slithers (doesn't have to be a snake or a slug!)

Personal self-portrait inspired by Frida Kahlo

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Museo De Arte Moderno MX (@museoartemodernomx)

Painting Tutorials

Photo: Joanna Kosinska

If you don't have a vast knowledge of painting, any one of these ideas can be daunting to start putting pigment to canvas. Here are some painting tutorials to try which will teach you how to paint a particular subject while giving you confidence for future works of art.

Dream Your Own Abstract Floral Paintings — In this online course on My Modern Met Academy, artist Nitika Ale will walk you through painting techniques to create luscious acrylic blooms.

Dappled Light: Learn Abstract Paintings With Acrylics — Have you always admired the light as it shines through the trees? In another on-demand class on My Modern Met Academy, artist Megan Elizabeth shows you all you need to know about painting these beautiful scenes.

This Step-by-Step Tutorial Shows You How to “Grow” Watercolor Flowers on Paper — Get a supplies list and a look at all the steps involved in bringing flowers to life on the page.

Learn How to Paint a Colorful Sunset in Easy to Follow Steps — Want to recreate the beauty of the setting sun? Here's another step-by-step painting tutorial that will give you the foundation for it.

Fluid Art: How to Start Acrylic Pouring & Create Psychedelic Abstract Paintings — Pour your way into a masterpiece when you get the proper tools and practice the techniques of fluid art.

15+ YouTube Channels to Teach You How to Paint for Free — As expected, YouTube is chock-full of videos by artists who want to help you learn to paint. Here are 15 of our favorites.

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