Criteria for Judging a PPFA Competition

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Cliff Wilson

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I have received the new print competition piece. I thought I'd "play" around with it a little. In play, I came up with a design that "the locals" are oohing and aahing over. However, it is not "advancing" the state-of-the-art or using any "tricky" or "major" construction techniques. (For example, Pamela in the last competition designed and made her own frame "from scratch," Carol Rimon's crew cut 15 pieces of frame to construct two arches in the moulding, Barbara Froelich's crew "built" a mini-easel inside the frame to hold the piece.)

So, my question is ... what IS the criteria for judging? How much are "tricks" or customization worth? Having a "pleasing" design? And what makes a "pleasing" design to expert framers??? How about just "doing it right," materials, etc.?

Thanks to anyone who can help?
Cliff
 
Cliff it's been a LOOOOOONg time since I checked the actual guide lines but I think if you call PPFA/PMAI they could send you a copy. In Fact I just was talking to Ron Rowley the Other day about what he thought of the TFG thread about competitions and the lack of participation .He found it very interesting and in our conversation he mentioned the fact that a very concientious member had volunteered to rewrite the guidlines and after he had looked them over he found the proposed ammendments very user friendly.So give them a call you might like what you find.And don't forget the Association offers a class on competition guidelines if you have the time.Maybe it's one of those Phone-in things.If nothing else maybe Pamela Desimone or John Ranes will set us all straight.They both should know them by heart.LOL
BUDDY

[ 06-06-2003, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: BUDDY ]
 
Cliff, officially I don't know (though I'd better find out in the next few months.) But here's what I'd look for - what I WILL look for:
</font>
  • Good use of color, texture, proportions and weight.</font>
  • A moulding that fits the mood and "feel" of the object or art.</font>
  • Good corners on the frame, and no overcuts on the mat.</font>
  • Appropriate hanging hardware and a nice, tidy back.</font>
  • Use of C/P materials as appropriate to the art.</font>
Innovative techniques and design are a nice plus but, in my mind, secondary to all those other things.
 
Susan, The print is available from the president of your local chapter. If you don't have a local chapter, or don't know who your prsident is, contact the PPFA directly. You are a member, so you will find the phone numbers on your membersghip card. The print is first judged at the local level. The date would be different for each chapter. Ours isn't until October, and I would imagine others would fall around the same time. Start early so there is no pressure and you can work on it as time allows.
Cliff, nobody can predict what the judges like, but in my opinion, the design should not be overdone. The quality of the work is very important. Corners must match. If you use a frame with a pattern, the pattern should match in the corners. If you want to use a fabric liner, I would do a continuous liner, not a joined liner. The piece must be properly mounted. Conservation or museum glass is a must. Please pay attention to the fact that water-white glass, although it looks great, is not conservation. Use Tyvek as a backing if possible, but nothing less than blue-bufferd paper. Use Flangers for hanging. If your piece is deep, make sure your work does not stick out the back. Build up the frame if you have to, but the back must be flush. Make sure there is no dust or dirt behind the glass. Make sure the glass has no flaws. The mats cannot be torn or have overcuts. The grain of a fabric mat must be perfectly straight, the corners square, and the wrap tight. All these things I have listed are problems I have seen with pieces entered for competition, so I'm clueing you in. I have taken the judging course, so I know some of what is looked for quality-wise.
Again, I would keep the design simple. Some framers do too much and ruin the concept. The scrimshaw piece I did last year was simple in design, but difficult to execute. The same for the Riman's piece and the others.
Cliff, I hope this helps. Even though we are competing in the same chapter, I sincerely want you to do well. Believe me, it was tough to start competing, knowing I was going to be up against the Riman's. But I did my homework, as you are doing, and have held my own against them. Good luck. I hope to see you June 16.
 
Thanks all,

Rick, A copy of The PPFA Competition Judging Guide came with the piece. Among other things it included the following:

GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT
Scoring (for all Chapter and National 'Open' and 'Print' Framing Championship Finals)
Judges will be scoring entries in four areas with the following point values
1. Overall Impressions 0-30 points
2. Creative Elements 0-35 points
3. Technique 0-35 points

Which didn't tell ME anything particularly useful??? Pamela's comments are the kind of things I was looking for. Thanks Pamela, and I will see you on the 16th. I may have at least one guest as well.

Anything that people have been "dinged" for in the past would be useful info as well.

Thanks,
Cliff

P.S. Pamela, YOU were up against the Riman's with their (now 50+) awards. I have them AND YOU! I'm hoping for third!!! ;)
 
Cliff, something you might want to know about the scoring. They have changed the score sheet this year, but I do know that most elements receive 5 points (overall impressions has been chanhed to 10). But, I do know that where the score is "5" points overall, EVERYONE starts at "3" and moves up or down from there. "3" is considered average, so anything scored above "3" would be considered an above average presentation, below "3", something needs improvement. When I complete a piece, or am near completion, I pull out the judging form and critique myself. If you think you have scored below 3 in any area, alter or improve, what you have done. You really need to score above 3 in all, or most areas, to place. Another thing, I have found the national judges to be more generous with points than our regional judges.
 
Pamela,

I'm surprised that you would recomend using Flangers as hanging hardware on a competition piece. The application of Flangers requires that you cut a slit in the dust cover and you would therefore destroy the integrity of the dustcover. On a conservation / preservation piece I would score the use of that hardware at zero.
 
I enjoy seeing quality framing, so I enjoy seeing competition pieces and I admire the people, like Pamela, that do well.

I have to say, though, that the initial question on this thread is the basis for one of my personal objections to competitions in general and framing competitions in particular. (Bob Shirk asked, on another thread, "why don't more people enter?")

Cliff should NOT have to ask what the judges are looking for. If anything, he should be able to ask, "What is good design, precise craftsmanship and appropriate use of materials?" Someone who knows the answers to those questions, and can execute them, should do well in competitions.

I'm not picking on you, Cliff. I think you're smart to ask the question you did. I would do the same if I were planning on competing - but I'm not. I'm very interested in this thread, though, since I've been asked to judge.

I suppose you could make the same argument - as many have - about the CPF exam. You shouldn't have to study for the exam to do well. You should study to be a great framer, which should put you in a good position to pass the exam.

I don't criticize the CPF exam, though, since I took it and passed it 17 years ago. ;)
 
Bob, I've always used Flangers. It was recently suggested a to put sealing tape over the slit, so that is what I will do from now on. Up intil that time, I had no negative comments about the use of Flangers. If you are not sure, use D-rings, but I would stay away from screw eyes. Pollutants can get in from behind the glass, anyway. How well can we truly protect something? I always tell my customers, we do the best we can with what is available, but nobody lives in a museum.
 
You are right Ron. No one knows what the judges are looking for. If we did, everything would look the same and creativity would be stifled.
You have to do what feels good and looks good to you. That is part of the design process. You do have to be careful not to over design a piece. One of the well-known judges says the key to good design is "perfected simplicity". I like that definition.
 
Much of what I'm going to say is repetitive, but it can't be emphasized too
much. In the list that Cliff posted at least some of the categories, if not all
are broken down into, for example, 6 questions worth a max of 5 points
each. You need to work for good scores on everything. Certainly design is
very important and it can be the deciding factor between 2 pieces with flawless
execution. However, flawless execution will get you a long way in
competition. At the local level I have seen entries place with flaws, but at
national the competition is stiff. The majority of the entries that are
eliminated are eliminated because because of flaws, misuse of materials,
sloppy execution and general bad framing practices. It's a competition,
pretend you are framing your entry for maximum preservation.

As Pam said, you need to think through every aspect and use the best
materials available. Pay attention when you fill out your description sheet,
use the proper terms and brand names for the materials you use. If you use
mylar it is important to use the correct mylar. Be sure to not put a store
label on the back of your entry.

Read the instructions so that you know what is expected. I remember the
Disney cartoon cel we had a few years ago. The papers that came with the
cel said very specifically that none of the Disney images could be reproduced
in anyway. Lo and behold some entrants did exactly that. Those had to be
eliminated. So, again, read the material that comes with the piece and
anything in the trade magazines or PMA publications that you can.

It is a wonderful learning experience. After you have done what you believe
to be the very best design, it is amazing to see all the entries hanging
together and discover all the things you didn't think of. It's a real eye
opener. Study the entries and try to identify what the judges liked in the
design. Go back to other competition winners in magazines and study those
designs and continue to try and identify the similarities running throughout all
the competitions. It's very educational and I think it's fun.

[ 06-07-2003, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: jframe ]
 
I don't think so. Like art shows, exhibits are often hung on peg board. It could happen at either the local or national level. Competitions are enough work without having to deal with different kinds of hangers.
 
Carol Riman has been chasing John Raines. She wants to have won more awards than anyone in the industry. She's doing very well I'd say!!

Everyone here is right when they say entering a competition teaches you new things and hopefully how to see your own work better. I know they look different in the shop than they do on the wall with your peers work.

Having judged lots of competitions, I want to see the art first, frames and matting second and craft is very important, but so is design.

I was very happy to see so many enteries, and very good ones in Las Vegas at the PPFA show. It was a very good competition and worth going to the convention for that alone. I took my color and design class to look at the entries and we did a critque on them. I think everyone saw how hard it is to judge and what to look for.

Nona Powers, CPF
www.nonapowers.com
 
In my honest but personal opinion and opinions are personal and therefore subject to error, when Cliff asked; “what IS the criteria for judging? How much are "tricks" or customization worth? Having a "pleasing" design? And what makes a "pleasing" design to expert framers??? How about just "doing it right," materials, etc.?”
He really was asking TWO different questions.
He later quoted part of what Rick suggested to read: GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT
Scoring (for all Chapter and National 'Open' and 'Print' Framing Championship Finals)
Judges will be scoring entries in four areas with the following point values
1. Overall Impressions 0-30 points
2. Creative Elements 0-35 points
3. Technique 0-35 points

While this states what the scoring criteria is according to the PPFA it doesn’t make any suggestions about what the “TRICKS” are or what the judges will be looking for.
Then Pam made some very nice suggestions as to things to remember but these are things that Good framers doing a GOOD job should do anyway. So I think The misunderstanding is that the GUIDELINES are going to tell you how to win. I don’t think so ! I think what they tell you is what the weighting of the total scoring is.
But then Pam make some nice suggestions about how to keep your DESIGN simple which is in keeping with the KISS principle but then she very correctly pointed out that no one can predict what any group of judges will like. After all One of them could be the next mat decorating genius. But the Point is the guidelines aren’t intended to influence your design. Furthermore the simpler you make your design the easier it should be to get all the TECHNICAL aspects correct. Should be. Also I have seen some very involved designs that were done extremely well and enhanced the ART to a TEE.
When Ron Eggers posted: Cliff should NOT have to ask what the judges are looking for. If anything, he should be able to ask, "What is a good design, precise craftsmanship and appropriate use of materials?" Someone who knows the answers to those questions, and can execute them, should do well in competitions. I think he was saying almost the same thing I am. He also mentioned The other thread of Bob Shirk and I think it is very much related to this question also. I say this because I think some have the Idea that there is some deep dark secret formula that makes some Framers to win more than others and the rest don’t enter fearing a lack of knowledge. This simple isn’t true. It is once again as Ron said like the CPF exams: You should study to be a great framer, which should put you in a good position to pass the exam. So to the competitions should be a display of the Talent you have developed over the years and all those little “Secrets “ will show up in your choice of materials and design when you execute your techniques as you have grown to do over your many years of experience. And as has been already stated there are as many judge’s choices as there are different choices so NO ONE can say what they will like or WHO they will be.
I am sorry if I am redundant but after reading and rereading theses Two related threads, I couldn’t help but think there were some very misunderstood concepts that kept people from competing.
BUDDY
 
In my honest but personal opinion and opinions are personal and therefore subject to error, when Cliff asked; “what IS the criteria for judging? How much are "tricks" or customization worth? Having a "pleasing" design? And what makes a "pleasing" design to expert framers??? How about just "doing it right," materials, etc.?”
He really was asking TWO different questions.
He later quoted part of what Rick suggested to read: GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT
Scoring (for all Chapter and National 'Open' and 'Print' Framing Championship Finals)
Judges will be scoring entries in four areas with the following point values
1. Overall Impressions 0-30 points
2. Creative Elements 0-35 points
3. Technique 0-35 points

While this states what the scoring criteria is according to the PPFA it doesn’t make any suggestions about what the “TRICKS” are or what the judges will be looking for.
Then Pam made some very nice suggestions as to things to remember but these are things that Good framers doing a GOOD job should do anyway. So I think The misunderstanding is that the GUIDELINES are going to tell you how to win. I don’t think so ! I think what they tell you is what the weighting of the total scoring is.
But then Pam make some nice suggestions about how to keep your DESIGN simple which is in keeping with the KISS principle but then she very correctly pointed out that no one can predict what any group of judges will like. After all One of them could be the next mat decorating genius. But the Point is the guidelines aren’t intended to influence your design. Furthermore the simpler you make your design the easier it should be to get all the TECHNICAL aspects correct. Should be. Also I have seen some very involved designs that were done extremely well and enhanced the ART to a TEE.
When Ron Eggers posted: Cliff should NOT have to ask what the judges are looking for. If anything, he should be able to ask, "What is a good design, precise craftsmanship and appropriate use of materials?" Someone who knows the answers to those questions, and can execute them, should do well in competitions. I think he was saying almost the same thing I am. He also mentioned The other thread of Bob Shirk and I think it is very much related to this question also. I say this because I think some have the Idea that there is some deep dark secret formula that makes some Framers to win more than others and the rest don’t enter fearing a lack of knowledge. This simple isn’t true. It is once again as Ron said like the CPF exams: You should study to be a great framer, which should put you in a good position to pass the exam. So to the competitions should be a display of the Talent you have developed over the years and all those little “Secrets “ will show up in your choice of materials and design when you execute your techniques as you have grown to do over your many years of experience. And as has been already stated there are as many judge’s choices as there are different choices so NO ONE can say what they will like or WHO they will be.
I am sorry if I am redundant but after reading and rereading theses Two related threads, I couldn’t help but think there were some very misunderstood concepts that kept people from competing.
BUDDY
 
Buddy, You have illuminated my question more. Although everyone has been very helpful, maybe I can give you an idea what I was trying to discover.

A little story ... when I was taking a two week "live-in" refresher course for my MBA there was a "real world" business simulation at the end. We divided into teams of two person companies and "competed." I asked some questions about the simulation's algorithm. Everyone else was thinking about what they'd studied about business. My "company" made more money and grew larger than any company in the ten year history of the course. Why? Because I played the GAME, not what it "should have been." I am terribly sorry if I offend someone, but competitions are GAMES! They are NOT JUST a test of your design/framing skills, although you clearly MUST have those skills to compete. I needed an understanding and skills in the marketing/business world, but it was my study of the GAME that gave me the edge in the simulation.

Buddy, I take your comments in combination with Pamela's to say ... Good design with great execution should win; the more difficult the design with the great execution will have a better chance. OK, ... that's a general recipe for most (all?) competitions. As I've looked at the last two years here in the New England Chapter and the results of this last "Ivory" competition, I am convinced there is "something more specific" that the judges are looking for that I have not detected yet??? Maybe I just haven't mastered Ron's question; "What is good design, precise craftsmanship and appropriate use of materials?"

And, maybe it is just a question of what "judge you draw." There is strong indication of the subjectivity involved with Pamela's comment that ... "I (Pamela) have found the national judges to be more generous with points than our regional judges."

Well, I still haven't quite decided whether the design I have been playing with is "fancy" enough??!!! I guess I have a few months to play around and see what else I come up with??!??

I still would like to know what others were "knocked" or "dinged" for. What did judges say they DIDN'T like?

Thanks, Cliff

[ 06-09-2003, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: Cliff Wilson ]
 
Pamela, your comment about being careful not to over design the piece has me intriqued! Clearly this is a matter of taste, but can you give examples of "over design" that you have seen?

Thanks, Cliff
 
The score sheet that was returned to us with our Scimshaw piece from the national competition in Las Vegas had two coments on it.

Under "Strongest part of design...Simplicity."

Under "Weakest part of design...Simplicity."

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

[ 06-09-2003, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: Bob Shirk CPF ]
 
Bob at the risk of beating a dead horse ,my conclusion would be it was simple enough to insure that your workmanship was Technically Done very well, But so Simply done that it didn't do anything to ENHANCE the work .
Despite the KISS principle I strongly belive it is possible to do intraciate work that brings out the beauty of the work with out over powering it. However The more you do the better your chances of making a flaw are.So if you do your work to perfection but it is no more memorable than all the others that do the same ,it may not create too much of an impression?
Now that I have given another of my personal observations for what little it is worth,I'll retire to hear those of the more experienced Framers.LOL
BUDDY
 
Originally posted by Cliff Wilson:
... Good design with great execution should win; the more difficult the design with the great execution will have a better chance.......
Click to expand...
Cliff,

I would state that "Great Design with Flawless execution" should win, and I believe it typcially does. As Buddy mentioned, the KISS principle is an excellent rule of thumb, but doesn't always apply in this situation, as we are looking for some "Exciting".....or as it has been described in framing competition designs, "a Creative Hook"......that special little element that makes a piece an indescribable winner!

It's this last area that I just identified, where many framers fall on their faces, in framing competitions. They often let this creative hook, over power the design and the artwork.

(Nona's design workshop using the competition as subject for discussion was a great use of material and unique opportunity for those who happened to take this course.)

Regards,

John (69 framing awards Carol!)

[ 06-09-2003, 05:33 PM: Message edited by: John Ranes II, CPF, GCF ]
 
Cliff, I have seen others, and am guilty of, overdesigning. When I see you, we can talk about my work, if you'd like and if time allows. I don't feel comfortable discussing the work of others in anything but a positive manner. I think you have enough information at this point to proceed with your project. Don't agonize over this so much. Do the best work you can. Submit a design you are comfortable with, and one that reflects your style. One of the things I like best about the competitions is seeing what others do. I am glad you will be part of this competition.
 
The last competition, the scrimshaw piece is a very good example of what judges are looking for, or should be looking for. One of the first questions the judge has on the judging sheet, is whether the art is visible first, in other words, is the art the dominent element in the design. The winner shows the art, it adds enough complexity to interest just about any viewer, even a framer, and the craft was superb.

The second and third place pieces were very well done, beautiful, but the art was not quite as dominant, although I don't know if that was part of the judges reasons or not for giving the first place to the one they did. The key is to use as many design elements as will work with the art, but not overwhelm it and craft will cause a wonderful design to be disgarded. It is a framing competition, so complexity is expected, but not so much complexity that the art is lost. Preservation isues are also very important. If the scrimshaw had not been done the way it was supposed to, that would have also disqulified it from winning.

It isn't easy judging competitions, nor is it easy entering them but it's a very educational experience and I believe that you really don't know how good a framer you are until you've entered and won some competitions, until you've seen your designs, knowledge and craft on a wall with your peers.

Nona Powers, CPF
www.nonapowers.com

[ 06-18-2003, 02:10 PM: Message edited by: nona powers ]
 
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