Palaeoart illustration contest

As palaeontology also involves anatomical illustration and scientific reconstruction, APC3 is organising a contest to promote palaeoart and palaeoartists.

1. Themes

Two themes are represented, Life reconstruction and Anatomical illustration. Each candidate can only submit one illustration per theme, but may participate in both themes.

  • Life reconstruction: artistic or realistic depiction of one or more organisms, with or without a palaeoenvironment.
  • Anatomical illustration: drawing of fossil material (e.g., isolated anatomical elements, or complete or incomplete articulated specimens).

Artworks can represent fossil life of any type, but representation of modern humans (prehistoric men) is not allowed. In both themes, artworks should be based on scientific data, which precludes interspecific anachronism, unrealistic reconstructions and science-fiction illustrations. Artistic interpretations are accepted if they are rely on sound scientific sources.

Any technique may be used, including digital 2D or 3D illustrations. However, although becoming increasingly common, AI-generated images or illustrations created with the aid of AI are not allowed.

Artwork should be accompanied by a title and a short description including an explanation of the illustration and the technique used to produce it. The title and text must not exceed 100 and 800 characters respectively, spaces included. Information such as the name of the taxon, age and locality are expected to be included, but this is left to the artist’s discretion (particularly for scenes depicting multiple taxa).

The organising committee reserves the right to reject applications which do not comply with these guidelines.

2. Participation

This contest is open to participants of any nationality. Candidates do not need to be registered for the congress and do not need to attend the event in person (although strongly recommended). They are divided in two categories, Professional and Amateur, and can only participate in one.

  • Professional: Illustrations produced professional artists, i.e., people with a specialized training in the artistic field, or recognized as professional by their peers, or making art a part of their professional activities, or with a history of public presentations or publications.
  • Amateurs: Illustrations produced by non professional artists, including scientists, students, amateurs.

3. Exhibition

After receiving the formal submission, the artworks will be published online on the conference’s website and associated medias and communications channels to promote the APC3 PaleoArt Contest and the conference.

Printed reproductions of the artworks will be exhibited in a dedicated room throughout the meeting. A slideshow of the digital versions will be projected in the conference rooms during the breaks and displayed on the website, before and during the conference.

Artworks will be printed by the organising committee in A2 format (landscape or portrait). To ensure good quality, please adjust the resolution accordingly.

4. Selection of the award recipients

Two prizes will be awarded in each category. The Jury prize, awarded by a jury composed of scientists and artists, and the People choice’s award, following a vote by the APC3 participants.

5. Registration

Participants must submit their application by email to apc3@msu.ac.th, with the following information:

  • Complete name
  • Country of residence or origin
  • Email address
  • Name of the artwork
  • Description of the artworks
  • Techniques used to produce the artwork
  • A statement saying that “I hereby allow the organisers of the APC3 PaleoArt Contest to display without restriction my artwork in the APC3 venue, on the official website and on any medium or communication channel associated to the conference.”
  • A digital copy of the artwork (JPG or TIFF, maximum size 20mb).

6. Copyright

Participants retain full copyright of their submitted artworks. However, by entering the contest, they authorise the organisers to display their artworks without restrictions in the conference venue, on the official conference’s website and on any associated medium or communication channel before and during the conference.

Participants must be the sole copyright holder of their artwork. All artworks must not infringe the right of third parties (e.g., other authors, publishers, copyright holders, institutions).

7. Submission deadline

Applications should be received no later than 31 January 2027.