The world is full of all kinds of painters, each one an individual with his or her own interests and goals with what to do with their work. While many people enjoy painting just for the fun of it, plenty of others enjoy entering into a serious painting contest. This can be for a number of reasons including the prestige, exposure, and cash prizes, or just the thrill of competing.

For the artist who is only at the beginner level, it can be very hard not only to find a place where their art can be exhibited, but also to find a way to gain the courage to do so. Subjecting a beloved and personal piece of art to the opinion of strangers can be very daunting and intimidating. The judges of contests are great people to hear advice from that can actually help.

The biggest mistake that many people who are new to contests make is selecting a piece of artwork that may be technically very good, but gets lost in the sea of other entries. It is hard to find any competition that doesn't have entries pour in because so many people have art to show. It is good to choose a piece that is unique and a little bit different.

Since there are so many different forms of art, there are all kinds of competitions that focus on different styles or mediums. Some artists are flexible and like to work in all kinds of different styles. Others who are more particular are better off if they can find an event that focuses on their particular type of art.

Looking of these types of contests online is the very best way for an artist to have a good chance of finding one that is perfect for their level of expertise, locality, and style. It is easy to find all the details on these events by looking them up. It is now easy to find out where these contests are happening and to get a piece sent in.

Some contests are free to enter, making it much more beginner-friendly and casual. These are helpful to invite first-timers to try out the competition because there is nothing to lose. People who are looking to get serious about their paintings and competing are probably looking for a cash prize, and those contests usually require the entrant to pay a fee.

There is always a level of risk involved when entering art into an event like this for the piece to be damaged in some way. Sometimes the paintings in the competition are displayed for the public to come in and see, and sometimes pieces must be shipped in the mail. It is a good idea to look into how much insurance would cost for the artwork.

While only the judges themselves truly know what they are looking for when they determine the winners of a competition, those who have won contests in the past can have some quite insightful knowledge. Many of these individuals have shared their secret with everyone online. It can also be very helpful to take a look at what they painted for those entries.