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Brand New!! £35,000 Bp Portrait Honor 2018 - How To Come Inward Together With How To Snuff It Selected

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The value of the awards for the BP Portrait Award 2018 have been significantly increased - but that's non the solely argue to consider seriously why it's a practiced thought to come inward this exhibition.

Yesterday I wrote about What do paintings yesteryear BP Portrait Award winners facial expression like? going dorsum to 1990. That's because 2018 marks the Portrait Award’s 39th yr at the National Portrait Gallery together with 29th yr of sponsorship yesteryear BP - together with over a decade of me beingness invited to the Awards Ceremony together with taking photos of together with interviewing artists who win the awards

Below you lot tin read about:
  • why every aspiring portrait creative individual should come inward the BP Portrait Award
  • how the awards direct hold changed for 2018
  • my Annual Guide to the Call for Entries for the BP Portrait Award 2018 - how to enter
  • how to improve your chances of beingness selected for the major annual exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery side yesteryear side summer
before you lot submit your digital entry prior to  the deadline of 22 Jan 2018. 

In 2017, 53 artists had their portraits selected for the 2017 Annual Exhibition of the BP Portrait Award - from 2580 entries from 87 countries. (2016: comparable numbers were 2,557 entries from lxxx countries)

People who win prizes read this post every year. Maybe this yr it volition endure your turn?

Giving the awards a shine before the BP Portrait Awards Ceremony 2017 starts

Why you lot should come inward the BP Portrait Award


As in conclusion year's winner, Ben Sullivan, emphasised inward my video interview alongside him the REALLY IMPORTANT of import matter is to endure INCLUDED inward the exhibition rather than win a prize.

That's because being included inward the exhibition is the best possible marketing of your operate to those who may endure thinking of commissioning a portrait. 

Ben exhibited inward xiii exhibitions inward total together with every 1 for the in conclusion eleven years prior to his win this year. His way is really attractive for those who desire a realistic but non photographic portrait together with he has earned a lot of commissions over the years.

Now that's he's won firstly prize nosotros won't endure seeing his portraits inward the exhibition whatever more....

It's fourth dimension for someone else to reap the do goodness of beingness included inward the exhibition.

8 Reasons to come inward this competition

  1. This is a "game changer" exhibition - It's one of the most prestigious fine art prizes inward the ground and it tin alter your life. This is a prize that tin alter people's careers together with lives - if they are cook for it. If you lot are or aspire to endure a serious portrait creative individual you lot demand to think really seriously nearly entering the contest that inward the yesteryear has been characterised equally "the Oscars of Portraiture".
  2. All the prizes are worth winning. Plus nearly 10% of those portraits selected for the exhibition stand upwardly a hazard of winning 1 of the 5 major prizes. 
  3. It's an absolutely vivid way of raising your profile together with getting commissions. Just brand certain your website is published together with provides an tardily way for people to approach you lot for information together with pricing
  4. It's opened upwardly to international artists. 
    • This fine art contest attracts over 2.5k entries annually from some 80+ countries all over the ground - together with ordinarily around one-half the entries are from exterior the UK
    • it also regularly has prizewinners from all over the world!
  5. Just beingness selected for the BP enhances an artists career - this is the form of entry on your CV that galleries similar to see! 
    • This is the contest that artists boast nearly beingness selected for - and 
    • galleries similar to boast nearly your alternative too!
  6. A HUGE issue of people come upwardly to come across this exhibition. 
    • This is a major fine art prize inward a major national fine art gallery correct inward the centre of London. 
    • Around 200,000 people volition come across the BP Portrait exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery - together with that's before it tours around the UK! 
  7. If selected and/or shortlisted you lot may larn a committee from the National Portrait Gallery at some dot inward the future. 
    • You don't direct hold to win First Prize to bring together the listing of artists who have commissions from the National Portrait Gallery. 
    • Artists who direct hold been regularly selected and/or shortlisted inward the yesteryear direct hold gone on to create portraits for the Gallery.
  8. Get major exposure for your artwork via the publicity materials. The artworks chosen for the publicity materials are ordinarily non those shortlisted. Which agency you lot may observe your portrait hanging exterior the National Portrait Gallery on a banner - or on all the posters around the Underground - together with all around London!
The BP Portrait Award Banners hang exterior the National Portrait Gallery
in London for the duration of the exhibition
  • Have a actually practiced argue for visiting London. Many international artists come upwardly to the previews together with tin endure around for the events at the outset of the exhibition. 
  • Network together with brand lots of friends. In 2014, David Kassan (Third Prizewinner 2014) suggested that the networking together with friendships that painters brand alongside swain artists also exhibiting inward the demo are "unbeatable".

The Awards


There has been a VERY important increment inward the prize pot for awards. It's increased from £61,000 to £74,000

These are the novel values for the diverse prizes:
  • First Prize: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 cash respect of £35,000 (previously £30,000), plus, at the judges’ discretion, a committee worth £7,000, to endure agreed betwixt the National Portrait Gallery together with the artist.
  • Second Prize: £12,000 (previously £10,000)
  • Third Prize: £10,000 (previously £8,000)
  • BP Young Artist Award: £9,000 (previously £7,000)
  • BP Travel Award: £8,000 (previously £6,000)
Artists aged betwixt xviii together with thirty should also note
All selected artists aged betwixt xviii together with thirty volition automatically endure considered for both the BP Young Artist Award and the BP Portrait Award, but an private cannot win both. If at that topographic point are no exhibitors aged thirty or nether so no Young Artist Award volition endure given together with the funds so available shall endure used to offering a Fourth Prize.
Thomas Ehretsmann (holding award)
who won the 2017 Second Prize for Double Portrait (November 2016)


The Exhibition


The BP Portrait Award 2018 exhibition volition run at 
  • the National Portrait Gallery from xiv June to 23 September 2018 
  • before it goes on tour around the UK (venues to endure finalised)
If you lot are successful your portrait volition endure seen yesteryear around c.200,000 people at the BP Portrait Gallery solitary - before it goes on tour

The electrical flow BP Portrait Award 2017 exhibition toured to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum together with Art Gallery Exeter (4 Oct – 3 Dec 2017) together with volition inward hereafter endure visiting
Meaning your portrait - if selected - volition in all likelihood endure seen yesteryear something similar 250,000+ people!


What are your chances of beingness successful?


This is a really prestigious portrait contest together with attracts a lot of entries.

That's why you lot should await that your operate volition NOT endure selected together with hope that it volition - fifty-fifty though you lot know the chances of it beingness selected are really slim.

That's because of these statistics
  • in 2017 at that topographic point were 2,580 entries from all over the world
    • 1,214 Entries came from the UK of Britain together with Northern Republic of Ireland - England, Scotland together with Wales (47%)
    • 1,366 Entries came from 84 other countries(53%)
  • 218 paintings (8.4%) of the master entries were selected from the digital entry together with made it through to the in conclusion judging session at Trinity Buoy Wharf. 
  • Around 75% of those sending inward their artwork volition endure disappointed that their operate did non boot the bucket far through to the exhibition
  • That's because the 218 paintings were whittled downwards yesteryear the Judges to the in conclusion 53 for the exhibition (representing 2% of the total issue of entries).

How to come inward for those who don't similar lots of small-scale print


Bottom trace of piece of employment you lot do demand to reread everything fifty-fifty if you've entered before - because "stuff" changes.

The NPG website contains:

What's unlike inward 2018


The things I've noticed that direct hold changed

  • The prizes direct hold all increased inward value
  • there is no separate FAQS document nearly the the digital entry procedure together with judging procedure - everything is at nowadays on 1 page called "Rules"
  • the deadline is 4 days before than in conclusion year - it keeps moving frontwards - but so so does the proclamation of the telephone think for entries!
  • the portrait dimensions direct hold changed - they are at nowadays all metric (no to a greater extent than inches!)  For to a greater extent than details come across below
  • the prototype dimensions for the digital entry direct hold changed - to emphasise the length of the shortest side - at nowadays a minimum of 800 pixels

Things which changed previously together with direct hold stayed the same

  • no postal entries; it's been digital entry at nowadays for some time
We are no longer accepting postal entries for the competition. All submissions must endure made online via the website.

Things that never change 

  • There is soundless no cap on entries. This continues to endure a really pop exhibition together with the issue of entries seem to grow each yr - but at that topographic point is no cap together with thence no demand to race to submit your portrait.  Just larn it submitted before the deadline
  • Must endure available for both the exhibition together with the tour
  • Must never direct hold been submitted before.

The RULES


 The Rules render the total together with consummate information for every entry.
Quotations immediately from the rules are indicated inward bluish italics
The Rules larn slightly improve inward format each yr (I've whined a lot inward the yesteryear nearly how unreadable they direct hold been) soundless they soundless actually do demand to do improve inward damage of:
  • have a improve trace of piece of employment peak and/or improve spacing betwixt the lines. 
  • more headings to assist people navigate the page
It's so really tardily to larn lost inward the text - which is one of the reasons I do this post!

You emphatically do NOT desire to create a operate for a contest together with then......
  • realise that it isn't eligible
  • submit it before you lot realise you lot breached the rules e.g. signed it on the front!
  • or you lot can't introduce it inward the correct way yesteryear a deadline
  • and/or you're inward a rush at the goal together with are non quite certain what you lot demand to do - which is when mistakes larn made.
All due to the fact YOU didn't read the damage together with weather condition and/or the rules properly.

Note inward exceptional that industrial plant tin endure disqualified - fifty-fifty if selected for exhibition - if they direct hold non adhered to the rules!

Last yr I separate the rules upwardly into sections relating to
  • the artist
  • the portrait

RULES: WHO tin enter

Artists:
  • MUST endure aged xviii years or over equally of 1 Jan 2017
  • can alive anywhere inward the world
Around one-half of those entering the contest come upwardly from non-UK countries. 
Artists should endure aware that all industrial plant are judged on an equal together with anonymous ground together with that at that topographic point is no segregated judging yesteryear portion or country.
To endure eligible for the BP Young Artist Award, artists must endure thirty years of historic menses or nether equally of 1 Jan 2018.

RULES: The Portrait


Pay exceptional attending to these. Over the years they direct hold larn to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than refined.  Where rules are at nowadays beingness spelt out to a greater extent than clearly 1 tin solely assume that they direct hold been ignored and/or misunderstood inward the past!  
The National Portrait Gallery reserves the correct to disqualify whatever slice of operate if the creative individual has non adhered to the rules, even if the operate has been selected for exhibition.
....meaning don't celebrate likewise shortly if you lot larn selected for exhibition but direct hold been naughty or negligent inward whatever way.  

This role of the rules agency the organisers direct hold the range to take your operate from exhibition if you lot direct hold non done everything exactly equally required.

Which is why it pays to read the rules really carefully iii times - together with why I highlight of import parts together with changes inward red 

 Each creative individual is express to ONE ENTRY PER ARTIST.

 The entry shape must endure properly completed. 
  • Incomplete entries volition non endure processed.
  • Everything that REQUIRES a reply is indicated alongside a blood-red asterisk * i.e. you lot cannot fille it out - if you lot do your entry volition endure binned.

What you lot enter 

  • SHOULD endure a prototype based on a sitting or written report from life AND the human figure MUST predominate. This is exactly what it says inward the rules - together with so again.....
The operate entered should endure a prototype based on a sitting or written report from life together with the human figure must predominate.
  • must endure recent i.e. completed AFTER 1 Jan 2017. You are REQUIRED to indicate:
    • the appointment of the firstly sitting
    • the appointment the portrait was completed (Bear inward hear that people volition tell the organisers if they've seen a portrait exhibited - inward individual or online - prior to 1 Jan 2017!  So don't resurrect an onetime portrait together with give it a few tweaks together with so come inward it....)
the stated appointment of firstly sitting should endure before the stated appointment of completion.....a appointment of completion should endure entered, fifty-fifty if it is prospective only
  • You demand to signal on the shape whether or non you lot direct hold met the sitter. The sitter can't endure anonymous - you lot demand to render their name.
Part of the entry shape that relates to knowing the sitter together with when they firstly sat for you
bearing inward hear that this portrait MUST endure based on a sitting or written report from life
  • The portrait tin endure a self portrait or a grouping portrait
  • MUST endure available for the entire menses of the exhibition together with the tour to ii other venues (not yet available - but assume upwardly until Apr 2018) 
  • must NOT direct hold been previously submitted for consideration.
  • should NOT endure signed on the front. All entries must endure anonymous for the purposes of judging. Consequently the judges volition turn down a operate if they determine that this dominion has been compromised.

Media together with Size:

  • MUST endure predominantly painted inward oil, tempera or acrylic (or a mix of these media)
  • MUST endure on a stretcher or board, preferably framed together with unglazed.
The operate entered must endure predominantly painted inward oil, tempera or acrylic together with must endure on a stretcher or board, preferably framed together with unglazed. No watercolours, industrial plant on newspaper or pastels volition endure considered.
  • The dimensions of the prototype direct hold changed to METRIC (no to a greater extent than inches). Portraits MUST be 
  • Minimum size: 25cm x 20cm unframed. Any industrial plant smaller than this volition non endure considered.
  • Maximum size: 244cm x 244cm framed. Please complaint that nosotros cannot direct hold whatever industrial plant larger than this.
  • Multi-part portraits - upwardly to iii parts - must comply alongside the size constraints for 1 operate when installed together with must come upwardly alongside consummate instructions for installation.

Digital Entry - Image together with Fees

  • Digital entry to the First Round is at nowadays good established for this contest - equally it is for others around the world. It's the solely way to enter. 
  • do brand certain you lot generate the best possible prototype of your portrait. Download and read helpful pdf document nearly how to photograph your work.
  • The dimensions of the digital prototype direct hold changed to emphasise the length of the SHORTEST dimension. (previously it's e'er stated the minimum length of the longest dimension)
Images must be:
  • Saved inward JPEG (.jpg) format
  • Smaller than 3MB (3,000k)
  • At to the lowest degree 800 pixels on its SHORTEST side (width for portrait format images, peak for landscape format images).
Extract from the Digital Entry Form
  • Note that you lot tin also submit an optional additional prototype of a exceptional of your operate - I'd recommend you lot do this.
  • You also demand to endure able to pay your fee of £40 online.

How to enter

It's simple! You tin submit your digital entry betwixt at nowadays together with the deadline of 22 Jan 2018. 
  1. agree to the damage together with weather condition (the shape does non opened upwardly up until you lot do!)
  2. upload the best possible photograph of your finished prototype to the BP Portrait Award website
  3. Complete the shape - making certain you lot consummate all items with a blood-red asterisk *
  4. Pay the fee
Your entry volition so endure viewed anonymously yesteryear the judges inward the firstly circular of the competition. 

If you lot are successful inward this circular you lot volition larn a alphabetic quality inviting you lot to hand-deliver or courier your operate to a venue inward London (which is NOT the National Portrait Gallery) for the instant circular of judging together with in conclusion exhibition selection.

You volition so have a alphabetic quality notifying you lot of the outcome


BP Travel Award 2018


All selected artists volition endure eligible to submit a proposal for the BP Travel Award.
The aim of the Award is to render the chance for an creative individual to sense working inward a unlike environment, inward Britain or abroad, on a projection related to portraiture which volition so endure shown equally role of the BP Portrait Award 2019 exhibition together with tour inward 2019 – 20.
The creative individual chosen equally the winner of the go respect volition have £8,000.

The Judges

The Judges this yr direct hold non yet been announced. 

How to larn selected


I predict, based on previous years that just 2% of the artists who come inward volition larn their operate selected for the exhibition. Hence it's a major achievement but to larn selected.

Below I tell you lot what I've noticed when viewing exhibitions over the years - together with equally trends (and Judges) come upwardly together with boot the bucket - based on:
  • track record 
  • the artwork 
  • technical aspects which tin improve

Track record


What tin you lot do to assist improve your chances?
  • Build upwardly a rails tape of beingness selected for the exhibition. Those who win the firstly fourth dimension they come inward (eg Aleah Chapin) are few together with far betwixt but a issue of prizewinners inward the yesteryear direct hold been BP regulars (eg in conclusion year's winner Benjamin Sullivan) - together with I'd been predicting he would win a prize for some time!
  • Enter the competition - you lot can't create upwardly a rails tape of beingness selected if you lot don't enter!

The Artwork

  • Enter your really best work. You demand to endure a practiced gauge of the touchstone of your ain operate to know whether or non you lot are ready. In the video below Aleah Chapin- who won alongside her really firstly entry discusses belongings off from entering until she thought she was inward alongside a practiced hazard of beingness selected. (Plus she talks nearly the whole procedure of submitting together with getting selected - but do demeanour inward hear this was before digital entry together with the filtering of the entries prior to submitting operate for the instant circular of judging)


  • Paint to a greater extent than than a caput - demonstrate you lot tin do commissions involving hands! Remember the firstly prize winner may endure offered a commission. If you lot pigment hands you lot seat yourself inward a stronger seat to stand upwardly out together with impress the judges alongside your skills. Also you lot volition complaint that lately commissioned portraits added to the NPG collection really ofttimes direct hold heads/upper torsos/hands. You may good heighten your chances yesteryear demonstrating an might to pigment to a greater extent than than a head. 
  • Review my yesteryear videos of the BP Portrait exhibitions (see my YouTube playlist) to come across the nature of the portraits which boot the bucket far through to the final
  • Paint to a greater extent than than 1 person! Painting ii people together with creating a narrative tension betwixt them creates to a greater extent than than twice the chance to impress! It's also a slap-up way of submitting a portrait that's unlike - together with inward 2015 (when I counted) 20% of the selected portraits were of ii or to a greater extent than people. 
  • Don't endure a "me too" painter. Paint for yourself together with non for the Judges. I come across portraits (outside the competition) on a regular ground which 'copy' the styles of successful portrait painters. However it's my belief that Judges don't select "me too" painters. They direct hold no involvement inward how good you lot tin endure similar some other creative individual - they desire to come across people who direct hold their ain master way - together with who tin pigment a practiced portrait.
  • Think really carefully nearly size. In 2015 I did an analysis of the exhibition (see BP Portrait Award Exhibition 2015 - video together with analysis) which provides an in-depth analysis of iii portrait factors - size, type together with number.

Technical hurdles 


Below are some observations nearly the to a greater extent than technical aspects of getting selected - based on sense together with observation:
  • Create a timetable to consummate your portrait on time
    • Diary your fourth dimension commitment to getting the portrait completed inward practiced fourth dimension BEFORE the deadline for entries 
    • note the appointment it needs to endure dry out plenty to go if selected for the instant round. To do this you lot demand to direct hold plenty sense to know how long a prototype volition convey together with how long it takes to larn photographed. 
    • (That said I've known artists who maintain working on a portrait afterwards they sent off their submission - together with the shape does recognise that some painters may non direct hold finished at the fourth dimension of submission of their digital entry!)
  • Do brand fourth dimension for studying the actual entry procedure together with completing the shape together with uploading the prototype BEFORE the in conclusion days prior to the deadline. 
    • You tin mess upwardly your entry yesteryear messing upwardly your digital entry. 
    • It gets very, really busy towards the goal - together with lightheaded mistakes tin endure made if you lot are inward a rush.
  • Excellent digital images ALWAYS brand a difference. The photograph also needs to endure both accurate together with totally illustration of your portrait. 
    • DO READ the technical advice on How to photograph your work
    • Don't disappoint the judges yesteryear making the photograph facial expression improve than the portrait when 'face to face' or it won't larn selected. 
    • When judges are looking to lose portraits from the alternative don't boot the bucket far tardily for them yesteryear submitting a digital prototype which is the incorrect size / out of focus / alongside a resolution or color that are are 'off' and/or misrepresents the existent thing!

About the BP Portrait Award Exhibition


 Below are my spider web log posts nearly exhibitions inward previous years - which include other posts which direct hold videos plus how you lot tin come across the exhibition equally it tours the UK

BP Portrait Award 2017

BP Portrait Award 2016

BP Portrait Award 2015

BP Portrait Award 2014

BP Portrait Award 2013

BP Portrait Award 2012

BP Portrait Award 2011

BP Portrait Award 2010

BP Portrait Award 2009

BP Portrait Award 2008

BP Portrait Award 2007

More information

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