Embedded Files
Art entries for most of our activities and events require "Fullbody Colored with Complex Background". Since every group defines these differently, here's a bit more detail on what that means in Fields of Valhalla.
Fullbody
Fullbody
Activity entries must be fullbody, which means each Rukaan being rolled for the activity must be at least 90% visible. If the legs are blocked by grass or other groundcover, the body must at least be visible down to the knees.
Some leeway is given for unusual poses, angles and perspectives.
Examples
Examples
Both Fullbody
Both Rukaan here are lying down with the view of some legs blocked by their poses. Both will count as fullbody, since their legs are obscured by their own bodies due to the angle. Blades of grass are also causing an allowable amount of obstruction because they are covering less than 10% of each Rukaan and you can still see the Rukaan through them.
All Fullbody
Some of the appaloosa Rukaan's legs are not visible, but this is due to the perspective and angle of the piece. They are only being blocked by their own body, so they will still count as fullbody.
Left and Middle: Fullbody | Right: Partial Body
The Rukaan pictured on the right here is only visible enough to be considered partial body, and would not be able to be rolled as an activity roll. The view of the olive Rukaan is obstructed by the piebald Rukaan in front.
Left: Fullbody | Right: Partial Body
The Rukaan on the left is visible enough to be considered fullbody because they are visible down to their knees. The Rukaan on the right is not considered fullbody because less than 90% of them is visible; the left Rukaan's head is obstructing some of their hindquarters, and their head is cropped out of the frame. The Rukaan on the right can still be considered partial body; the parts of them that are visible are greater than 50%, and they are identifiable from their markings even though their head is not shown.
Colored
Colored
Activity entries must be colored, which means at least 50% of the canvas must be covered by something other than empty or uncolored space. This can include digital or traditionally colored artwork, greyscale art, or drawings where relative tone is indicated by hatching, pointillism or similar techniques.
In order to count as colored, the colored areas must be different enough from the canvas color that the rolling admins can easily tell that the piece has been colored and the space was not left blank. This can sometimes be a problem for traditional work which is photographed or scanned, and can usually be fixed by changing the settings or altering the brightness, saturation or contrast in an image editing software to make the coloring more visible.
Greyscale pieces, monochromatic pieces, limited color pallet pieces and other pieces where the colors do not correspond with the import's color pallet are allowed, but must show enough distinct features of the Rukaan (at least two of: markings, element, coat type, antler type) that they can still be easily identified by our rolling admins.
Examples
Examples
Color Pallets and Non-Representational Color Choices Count As Colored
Colors do not have to be realistic or be strictly representative of what is shown on the Rukaan's import sheet as long as the markings are visible and distinct enough for us to confirm the Rukaan's identity. Element, antler type and body type can also help with making the Rukaan easily identifiable if different colors are used.
Greyscale and Traditional Media Can Count as Colored
Here are a few traditionally colored pieces with enough markings visible to identify the Rukaan, and enough of the canvas covered to count as colored. It is alright for portions of the canvas color to show through as long as more than half of the space is covered and not blank.
Complex Background
Complex Background
A complex background must have at least three different background elements. These elements must be more complex than a few lines, and should be easily identifiable by our rolling admins. Complex backgrounds do not have to be shaded, and can be abstract as long as they are identifiable as the location/prompt specified in the activity. Leeway is granted on the number of elements if significant hand-drawn texture, detail and/or shading is present in the background.
A few examples of acceptable background elements include: flowers, shrubs, trees, twigs, logs, fallen leaves, hoofprints in the mud, distinct piles of snow, chunks of ice, rocks, rivers, pools, distant mountains, clouds, roads, fences, buildings, wagons, ruins, market stalls, man-made objects, animals (if they do not qualify for the Other ARPG or Handler rune mark bonuses)
A few examples of things that do not count as background elements:
handlers or other ARPG creatures
battle opponents in battle entries
tack or decorations the Rukaan is wearing
borders/frames around the piece
objects which are not clear or distinct enough to be identified
minimal objects which are comprised of simple dots or a couple of lines or brushstrokes such as:
distant flocks of flying "V"s without substance or detail
stars or snow which are simple dots
single blades of grass without shading, shape or other detail
Ground and sky do not count as background elements if they are a single color without any texture or detail. They can be considered elements if they have additional detail (for example sunset, clouds or stars; these elements may not qualify as complex enough to be considered an element on their own, but can contribute to making the ground or sky detailed enough to count as an element).
Examples
Examples
Complex background with three background elements
This complex background contains three elements: trees, undergrowth, and distinct distant mountains.
This complex background contains three elements: rocks, a skull, and banners.
This complex background contains three elements: carved pillars, an archway, and fallen rubble
This complex background contains three elements: Clouds with layers and depth, snowy background mountains and churned-up snow on the ground.
This unshaded complex background contains three elements: trees, boulders and a beam-lined sinkhole.
This abstract complex background contains three elements: a reflective pool, a planet, and a detailed purple and teal texture. (Note that abstract backgrounds must still call to mind the relevant location, exploration area or quest prompt as applicable to the activity being entered.)
Examples of complex background where substantial detail covering at least half of the background is used in place of the third element.
Examples of complex background where extensive detail covering most of of the background is used in place of the second and third element.
Minimum detail to count as an element
The identifiable birds in the foreground are complex enough to count as a background element because they have detail and distinct shapes. The implied birds in the background are too minimal to count as a background element.
This piece does not have enough elements or details to count as a complex background. Smoke arising from the volcano is the only element distinct from the sky or ground.
Background Size
Background Size
To count as complex, at least as much area of the background must be visible as all the characters pictured. For example, a good rule of thumb might be that the canvas will large enough if it is twice as wide OR twice as tall as the characters pictured in it. For example, if the Rukaan in a piece is 300 pixels wide and 200 pixels tall, the canvas should be at least 600 pixels wide and 200 pixels tall OR 300 pixels wide and 400 pixels tall so that it is either twice as wide or twice as tall as the Rukaan pictured in it. Note that this can also be a mix of height and width as long as it leaves an area of background equivalent to the area of all the characters in the piece visible.
Cutout backgrounds are allowed, but the same background size and visibility rule applies.
There is no minimum canvas size as long as we can clearly see what is going on in the piece and background. Pixel art is welcome!
Good Visible Background Area
The width and height together relative to the Rukaan are enough to leave enough visible background area without being extremely wide or tall.
Good Visible Background Area
The width and height together relative to the Rukaan are enough to leave just enough visible background area without being extra wide or tall. While background area is lost in the corners due to the circular shape, there is enough space between and around the Rukaan pair to see the background.
Good Visible Background Area - Wider than the Rukaan
The canvas in this piece is twice as wide as the Rukaan pictured in it. The visible area of the background is at least as great as the visible area of the Rukaan. Or you can think of it as: there is enough space in the pictured background to fit in another fullbody Rukaan.
Good Visible Background Area - Taller than the Rukaan
The width of the two Rukaan pictured is equal to the width of the canvas, but the canvas height is more than twice the height of the Rukaan pair pictured. This leaves plenty of space to see the background around them.
Cutout Backgrounds
Cutout Background Without Enough Visible Background Area
The visible area of the background in this piece is not large enough to count as a complex background. It could be counted for a simple background, but could not be rolled for an activity.
Cutout Background With Enough Visible Background Area
The visible area of the background in this piece is large enough relative to the Rukaan in it to count as a complex background.
Simplified Characters
Simplified Characters
Simplified or chibi art will count towards activities, to a point! To count for activities, characters must:
Be recognizable through their features (coat type, element, markings, antler type). Not all of these need to be visible (antlers are always optional, and marking may be obscured by lighting) but enough features need to visible for us to figure out which Rukaan is pictured.
Have volume to their heads, necks, bodies and legs (no stick legs or necks).
Bases, Reused Art and Crafted Art
Bases, Reused Art and Crafted Art
Art which includes any bases (for example premade lineart or backgrounds made by another artist) cannot be used for activities.
Art which includes any reused art (for example backgrounds, lineart, etc) cannot be used for activities, even if they are by the same artist.
Art which is rolled as Crafted for rune marks cannot be used as an activity. Crafted pieces are quite variable in content, but often contain reused elements such as models and grant a large amount of rune marks. Currently they are not allowed to be used for activities.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse