The 2007 Newbold Challenge

Post by **mahon** » 12 Oct 2007, o 09:30

All entries of high quality. Wasn't it discouraging?

Post by **Nameless** » 12 Oct 2007, o 09:34

great stuff Ian!

IanNewbold · Post by **IanNewbold** » 15 Oct 2007, o 15:19

Hi Mahon. Not certain what you mean.

I don't find the small number of high quality entrants discouraging. It's a good start to what should be an annual event from now on (not with those figures of course).

I would like to see more entrants in future of course and and I would like to see entrants of all levels of ability.

I don't know whether the high quality of the initial entrants detered other entries or not. I can't do much about that as they are the ones that came in first and I wanted to use the first ones in to advertise the competition. I could have held them back I suppose but then I might still not have had any other entries to advertise the competition with!

I'm not sure it is a deterrent though. Eveyone knows that GD Golden Demon winners will be outstanding paintjobs but that doesn't stop thousands of others having a go.

What do you (or others) think?

Post by **mahon** » 15 Oct 2007, o 15:23

What I mean is that at many Polish contest many people don't even bother to come and they say it's because they can't win anyway. I think it's a shame because there always have to be winners and losers, and participating is fun in itself... But many people feel discouraged in this way.

Just wondering...

IanNewbold · Post by **IanNewbold** » 15 Oct 2007, o 15:30

I agree with you that people should enter because it's fun regardless of whether they think they can win or not. Do you have any ideas of how we might convince them?

Post by **mahon** » 15 Oct 2007, o 15:32

I found that one motivating way was giving even a small symbolic prize to random participants. This way even if you're not a great painter you still have a small chance of winning anything if you just enter....

IanNewbold · Post by **IanNewbold** » 15 Oct 2007, o 15:45

I understand and will consider that for next year.

Our equivalent for this year was to say that we would donate ?1 to Children in Need on behalf of everyone who entered. We thought that would help to encourage some.

Post by **mahon** » 15 Oct 2007, o 16:56

Well, I think it simply takes time to reach enough people to make the contest a popular one.

Several editions I think... Maybe more?
I think that you need thousands of people to get dozens of entries. Maybe one in 100 observers will participate? Just how I see it...

But it's definitely worth the effort. I hope to beable to participate in one of these events soon...

IanNewbold · Post by **IanNewbold** » 15 Oct 2007, o 20:31

I am certain you are correct but reaching thousands of people to get a dozen or more entries sounds like a lot of hard work for this poor old man!