Rules

Rules

AGE REQUIREMENT:

  • All individuals entering must be at least 18 years of age to accept cash prizes.
  • Competition is open to residents of any state or country where acceptable by law.
  • Please read Rules and Category descriptions before entering. 

FEES:

  • Each entry must be accompanied by an entry fee.
  • Early Bird Incentive from the 1st to the 15th: First entry is $29, $12 for each additional painting. (USD)
  • Regular Price from the 16th to Month End: First entry is $38, $16 for each additional painting. (USD)
  • All entry fees are non-refundable and must be paid via credit or debit card prior to entering.
  • Any purchased credits will need to be used during the same monthly competition in which they were purchased. Unused credits will not roll over to the next competition. 
  • See also "Why Are Entry Fees Required in our FAQ" 

ENTRY DETAILS:

  • Because this competition is created by PleinAir magazine, which features not only plein air paintings, but also studio paintings, all types of paintings are eligible and do not need to have been completed in plein air (unless entering a plein air only category). As we know, many studio paintings start with plein air sketches. Our interest is in rewarding great paintings.
  • All entries must be original compositions and cannot be based on anything that has been published elsewhere. Copies of other artists’ work are NOT considered original and are not eligible. Paintings based on another person’s photograph (even if copyright-free) are NOT eligible. All entries must be 100% painted by the artist entering and cannot have been painted partially by an instructor.
  • Paintings from photographs that the artist took are eligible.
  • Photography, Digital, printed or painted over photographs are PROHIBITED. The PleinAir Salon reserves the right to refuse any artwork if the method with which is was created is questionable.  
  • Entries do not need to be new or fresh. Older paintings are accepted.
  • There is no limit to the number of images you can enter in each monthly competition. Because there are multiple categories you might increase your odds by entering multiple categories.
  • An image, which has not previously won in a category can be re-entered in subsequent competitions as many times as you wish, until it wins a category. Note: All category winners are included in the judging for the Grand Prize, so there is no need to enter a winning painting multiple times.
  • Images can be entered in multiple categories. Please note that if you enter the same image in multiple categories, that image can be selected as a winner of only one category. Separate entry fees apply for each time a painting is entered.
  • Grand Prize winners are not eligible to win the Grand Prize again within 12 months of winning.
  • When first entering the PleinAir Salon Art Competition, you’ll be asked to create a profile on ArtCall.org. If you do not have an artist account at ArtCall.org, click here. This takes just a few minutes, and then you can upload quality images of your paintings and select the categories you wish to enter.
  • PleinAir magazine reserves the right to reject or not display any image that it feels is inappropriate or distasteful, if the image’s resolution quality is poor, if we believe the image is a copy of another painting, or it does not meet the above criteria.
  • Employees or associates of Streamline Publishing, Inc., or their immediate families may not enter.

IMAGE DETAILS:

  • Before uploading your images, make sure they are smaller than 4MB, but at least 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi. Images should be in JPEG format, sRGB color space. Help in photographing your work and properly sizing your images can be found HERE.
  • If you need help entering your images or are unable to, please use our CONTACT PAGE to reach out to us. 
  • Please add pleinairsalon@streamlinepublishing.com and do-not-reply@m.artcall.org to your safe senders list to ensure notifications are received.

JUDGING:

  • After the close of each monthly competition, an invited guest judge (top artist, museum or gallery professional) selects the best paintings from each category based on a blind judging system. This means that the judge never sees who the artist is. The winners will be announced on the last day of the month following the competition. View our judges HERE. 
  • In the event a judge who has been promoted is unable to judge for any reason, an alternate judge will be appointed. If one cannot be found, judging will be done by an editor or publisher of either Fine Art Connoisseur or PleinAir magazine.
  • There will be one Winner and one Honorable Mention selected in each category of each monthly competition, and three overall awards.
  • Winners of each monthly competition, including each category winner, will be entered into the judging for the annual PleinAir Salon competition. Honorable Mention recipients are not entered into the annual competition and can therefore re-enter their paintings into subsequent competitions.
  • In the event a category does not have enough entries or paintings of high enough quality, judges may decide not to award recognition in that particular category for that competition period.

By entering the PleinAir Salon, you agree that you are submitting images of your own original artwork and not that of other artists or material in which you do not hold the copyright. The original work does not have to currently be in your possession. You are also agreeing, in advance, to have your submitted artwork and your image published to any print or digital/electronic property of Streamline Publishing, Inc. This includes, but is not limited to, print and digital magazines, newsletters, websites, e-mails, social media pages, and promotional materials in perpetuity.

At times, Streamline Publishing, Inc. may request a higher-resolution image than was submitted through the PleinAir Salon. When entering, you agree to fulfill this request in a timely manner in order for Streamline Publishing, Inc. to promote the competition winners.

Each monthly competition ends at midnight Pacific Time on the published final day of that competition.

Only electronic submissions through the competition’s official website will be accepted. Entries received by email, mail or physical delivery in the form of photographs, discs, or actual paintings will not be accepted.

ADD TO CONTACTS:

Please add the following emails to your safe sender list so that you receive all communications from the PleinAir Salon.

  • pleinairsalon@streamlinepublishing.com
  • art@streamlinepublishinginc.com
  • do-not-reply@m.artcall.org