Exotic Blanks Advanced Beautiful Pen Contest

[mredburn]

This year we have an exciting new advanced pen making contest opportunity.

The Exotic Blanks Advanced Beautiful Pen contest.

Start your designing and let see some great pens this year. You will have until Monday the 18th at 11:59 pm EST. to finish your pen. The rules and any changes deemed necessary to them will be posted on the First of Febuary with the start of the IAP Birthday Bash.



Rules For the Exotic Blanks Advanced Beautiful Pen Contest.

1 - This is a contest challenging advanced pen makers to make the most Beautiful Pen.

"To participate in this or any other IAP activity your public profile must contain your real first and last name as well as you place of residence (city & state or equivalent). Please be advised that information contained in the public profile is not viewable by non-members of the IAP. Members who have failed to successfully complete any previous IAP activities, and who have been notified by the Activities Manager of such, are not eligible to participate in any IAP activities."

2 - It may be either a Roller Ball pen or a Fountain pen. NO! Ball Point Pens, there are other contests for ball point pens. It must be a conventional style Pen. NO musical Flutes, Enterprise Space Ships, or cigar shapes, etc. Those are for the Free Style pen contest.

3- Materials and Methods; The pen may be constructed from whatever materials(s) you choose. Conventional or unconventional. You may make the pen with ready made components from kits, completely kitless or any stage in-between. You can make the pen using any tools available to you as long as you make the pen. That includes but is not limited to wood lathes, metal lathes, cnc equipment , Mills, casting equipment,etching, etc.

4 - Only one pen per person, It may not have been entered in any of the other Bash contests. Take the best pictures you can because the quality of your pen will be based on what we can see. Keep your backgrounds and props simple so they do not distract from your pen.
A maximum of 3 photos will be allowed.
We would like to keep the entries anonymous through the use of the entry form. The entry form will be available in the official "Exotic Blanks Beautiful Pen Contest" thread.

5 - The pen must be made for the contest by the person entering the contest and not have been shown before Feb 1 2013 on IAP or any other site. If it is determined that it has been, it will be disqualified and any prize won will be forfeited. As a follow-up to clarify this, do NOT post a photo of your entry ANYWHERE until the contest is over and the winners have been announced.

- Finalists will be chosen based on
Workmanship- The Overall fit and finish. It should be flawless.
Use of material- Composition and originality.
Over all looks – We want the most beautiful pens.
Apparent writing comfort.- Does the pen look comfortable for writing.
Durability- How well does it look like it will hold up to use.
A panel of judges will choose the top 5 pens and the winner will be chosen by an open poll.
Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third places.
Submissions:
All entries are due 11:59pm EST. Monday Febuary 18th
You must use the entry form that will be provided to submit your pen.
The poll will be posted on Feb. 21st, and voting will end on Feb. 28th and the voting results will become public at that time.

All entries will be posted at the same time following the contests deadline. This will give all entries the same time "in the spotlight".

1st place ---TBA
2nd place---TBA
3rd place---TBA

I expect to see some really great pens and wish all of you good luck .

Mike Redburn

 

[ed4copies]

Dawn and I are very grateful to Mike Redburn for chairing this "new" event. Several people who talk with us regularly have asked for a contest to show a "really nice, functional pen without 'gimmicks'". We hope that a large number of the outstanding penmakers on IAP will make an entry for this contest.

Our only regret is that one of the finest, Mike Redburn, is not able to participate because he saw this in the planning stages and unselfishly asked to chair it. Mike will run a spectacular contest---we are honored with his participation.

Now, everybody show your "best pen"!!!!

Dawn & Ed

 

[walshjp17]

Do we have to use a blank from Exotic Blanks? Can we use EB's Guest Artist blanks, e.g., Teri's, Eric's or Jeff's?

 

[hunter-27]

Dawn and I are very grateful to Mike Redburn for chairing this "new" event. Several people who talk with us regularly have asked for a contest to show a "really nice, functional pen without 'gimmicks'". We hope that a large number of the outstanding penmakers on IAP will make an entry for this contest.

Our only regret is that one of the finest, Mike Redburn, is not able to participate because he saw this in the planning stages and unselfishly asked to chair it. Mike will run a spectacular contest---we are honored with his participation.

Now, everybody show your "best pen"!!!!

Dawn & Ed

Pretty sure I have a contest he can participate in. :biggrin::wink:

 

[mredburn]

Exotic Blanks Is sponsoring the event but you are free to use what ever supplies you wish, from whom ever you choose. Judges are picked independently and are not known by Exotic Blanks. The source of your materials is irrelevant to the judging.
Ed and Dawn are simply supporting The Iap and Birthday Bash for the enjoyment of all. Several vendors and individuals donate to or sponsor activities during the bash. Even I have donated to the bash since I joined.

Use of an artists blank(s) is most certainly allowed.

 

[mredburn]

I would also point out that originality is one of the key features in any contest. An artists blank on a full kit would not show much as much originality as an artists blank on custom made components.

 

[mredburn]

Helping you avoid the wolftat Sambrook thread at all cost. A shameless bump .... Doing the bump Wasnt that a song?

 

[Monty]

Helping you avoid the wolftat Sambrook thread at all cost. A shameless bump .... Doing the bump Wasnt that a song?

I think that was "Do the hussle"

 

[mredburn]

There was a song during the 70s "doin the bump" I found the artist, "Johnny Spruce" but you tube does not have a copy of the song that I can find. "OH yeah doin the bump"

 

[Dale Lynch]

I would also point out that originality is one of the key features in any contest. An artists blank on a full kit would not show much as much originality as an artists blank on custom made components.

Does this mean that if it's not kitless it's not gonna win?

 

[ed4copies]

Hey Dale!

Any contest that has judges introduces the "human element" and replaces objectivity with subjectivity. Or, in English----WHO KNOWS what the judges will like??

Our concept of this contest is to encourage nice looking, highly functional pens. Personally, I would use as few components as possible. HOWEVER, a "kit" coupler has very reliable threads, giving better durability than plastic threads. So, were I a judge, I would add points for durability. A threaded piece is pretty much a threaded piece, HOW Innovative can you get with threads????? If you make the chrome plating look like it "belongs", it should be just as accepted as a hand-made ebonite piece.

I have NO sway over the judges, and the final decision is a poll of IAP membership. So, realize this is all JUST my OPINION. Since we don't know who is judging, and entry is FREE---make a pen and take a chance!!!

Ed

 

[mredburn]

There is only one way to find out, make the best pen you can. This is an advanced pen makers contest. I cant say you will lose but I cant say you will win either. It will come down to who submits what kind of pens and what the judges think and then what the members choose. ( I know not much of an answer)
I expect to see kitless and semi-kitless pens but the rules do not exclude an all kit pen. As Ed states there is no cost to enter. You will have the cost of building a pen but darn, dont we make pens here anyway? You get to keep your pen win lose or draw. You get to have a lot of fun and challenge yourself like never before. The only real way to lose is to not make a pen and enter it.

 

[Dale Lynch]

Thanks Ed and Mike.

 

[ed4copies]

Psssst--Dale,
Your signature line mis-spells "conquer".

I won't tell a soul!!

 

[mredburn]

Good Morning, just a shame less reminder to start planning your entries. As a new contest we are eager to have everyone show their stuff. The Bash will kick off in 18 days and we dont want you to miss out on the fun because you did not know about it.

 

[D.Oliver]

Good Morning, just a shame less reminder to start planning your entries. As a new contest we are eager to have everyone show their stuff. The Bash will kick off in 18 days and we dont want you to miss out on the fun because you did not know about it.

In other words......"Bump".

And with that Mike takes the lead in the bump-off

Mike - 3
Landon - 2

 

[hunter-27]

Good Morning, just a shame less reminder to start planning your entries. As a new contest we are eager to have everyone show their stuff. The Bash will kick off in 18 days and we dont want you to miss out on the fun because you did not know about it.

In other words......"Bump".

And with that Mike takes the lead in the bump-off

Mike - 3
Landon - 2

can't allow that now can we?

 

[peterborough66]

Entry Form

Mike, when will the Entry Form be available?

 

[mredburn]

Entry forms will be available the first week of the bash, if all goes as planned.

 

[hunter-27]

Sneaky.........

 

[Dale Lynch]

Psssst--Dale,
Your signature line mis-spells "conquer".

I won't tell a soul!!

Thank you.

 

[mredburn]

We were waiting for Landon but I OR Derek to speak up but I will have to sneak in a bump while they are napping

 

[hunter-27]

uh err...............Bump?

 

[mredburn]

Well its finally Friday and time for another bump. Your invited to join us in this new endeavor and help make it a great new contest. Make your best fountain or ball point pen and submit for fame, prizes, 100 atta boys.

 

[ed4copies]

Hey Mike??

Isn't it limited to fountain or rollerball? NO ball points???

 

[Carl Fisher]

He must have been leaving himself an error requiring correction to get a cheap bump when he fixes it.

 

[D.Oliver]

He's sneaky like that.

 

[mredburn]

:redface::redface::redface:BUSTED!:biggrin::biggrin: I meant to say roller ball really I did.

 

[hunter-27]

:redface::redface::redface:BUSTED!:biggrin::biggrin: I meant to say roller ball really I did.

Cheaters never prosper. :wink:

 

[Dalecamino]

Can Bash Helpers play in this one?

 

[mredburn]

A worthy question Dale. Hmm. ...... after carefull consideration by the Chair person....Yes! Only the 3 judges and myself, Ed and Dawn, members that are employees of Exotic Blanks will be excluded.