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Wildlife Artist of the Year Competition 2013: Call for entries

18th October 2012

Submitted by Jo Price

Wildlife Artist of the Year 2013 competition launch spread.

Prime your palette and sharpen your HB - enter your finest work in our art competition for the chance to win a fabulous painting safari.

Last year, the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year competition got really fierce.

Well over 1,000 entries flooded in from the UK and overseas – artworks arrived from as far afield as Malaysia, Tasmania, Israel, Nepal and Canada.

Our panel of expert judges was dazzled by the variety of styles, media and artistic interpretations of nature – so choosing the best images proved harder than ever.

Our 13 category-winning entries were beautiful, powerful, technically excellent and exquisitely composed.

Winner of the title BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year 2012 was Heather Irvine for her picture The Last Winter, an atmospheric oil of an old moose in Wyoming that enchanted the judges with its beautiful composition, confident brushwork and striking simplicity.

Heather won a painting safari in Botswana with chief judge and renowned artist Pip McGarry. Admire her painting – as well as the other category-winning artworks in the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year 2012 winners' gallery.

You could win a place on Pip’s painting holiday in Botswana and see your art take pride of place in two prestigious exhibitions in autumn 2013. So please read the rules, then go wild – and get arty!

THE CATEGORIES

OPEN ONLY TO UK RESIDENTS

These categories are exclusively for artists who live in the UK, as all artworks that are selected for the final round of judging must be delivered to the final judging.

British Mammals Entries can be portraits or depict behaviour.

British Birds Entries can be portraits or depict behaviour.

In Praise of Plants Entries should feature species in Britain or worldwide.

Beneath the Water Entries should feature marine and freshwater species.

Animals in their Environment In this category, the habitat should be equal in importance to the species; can be British or worldwide.

World Mammals Entries can be portraits or depict behaviour.

World Birds Entries can be portraits or depict behaviour.

Black and White Nature For pencil, linocuts, woodcuts, etchings, etc.

Visions of Nature Entries should convey creative impressions of wildlife.

Frozen Planet Entries should feature animals seen in polar or cold regions.

Endangered Species Entries must feature species officially listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

OPEN ONLY TO INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTS

These two categories are exclusively for artists who live outside the UK, who are prohibited from entering any other category; entries are judged digitally. This is to save our international entrants the great costs of sending artwork to the UK.

International Artists – Birds

International Artists – Mammals

PLEASE NOTE: International artists can enter up to eight images in these two categories only.

NOW READ THE RULES CAREFULLY

Read the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year competition rules in full.

MEET THE JUDGES

Pip McGarry
The founder and chairman of the Marwell International Wildlife Art Society (MIWAS), Pip has been a highly successful professional wildlife artist for many years.

Sophie Stafford

Sophie is the editor of BBC Wildlife and works closely with many artists and illustrators. Watch out for details of our new painting holidays.

Chris Rose

An internationally acclaimed wildlife artist, Chris is best known for his bird paintings. He is a leading member and secretary of the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA).

David Cromack

Co-publisher of the Buckingham Press stable of birding books, David has been a magazine editor for 25 years (Birds Illustrated and Bird Art & Photography).

Mandy Shepherd

Over the past 30 years Mandy has painted both military and wildlife subjects, but it is her lifelong passion for conservation that is reflected in much of her work.

THE PRIZES

WIN A PAINTING SAFARI IN BOTSWANA

The BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year 2013 will win a place on a 10-day painting safari in Botswana (worth £3,450) courtesy of Elephant Trails Safari Company.

Journeying from Maun to Victoria Falls via Botswana’s richest wildlife areas – the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and Savuti and Chobe National Parks – you’ll spot big (and little) game along the way, taking photos for reference and gaining valuable insights into animal behaviour that will improve your artwork.

Pip McGarry, one of the UK’s top wildlife artists, will be on hand throughout the trip to share his wealth of experience, helping you to capture the ‘jizz’ of the wildlife and the splendour of the African landscapes in a variety of media.

This incredible trip will run in October 2013. The prize includes flights from the UK and accommodation is in comfortable camps – a truly unforgettable experience.

See the full itinerary and find out more about the prize.

Or visit the website of Elephant Trails Safari Company.

GET YOUR WORK EXHIBITED

All of the category-winning pieces will be showcased at the prestigious annual exhibition of the Marwell International Wildlife Art Society in autumn 2013, in a special display alongside the work of 200 other artists and sculptors. The awards ceremony will take place on the opening night of the exhibition.

The overall winning artwork will also be displayed at The Natural Eye, the annual exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists at the Mall Galleries, London, in autumn 2013.

GET PUBLISHED

The category-winning artworks will be published in the September 2013 issue of BBC Wildlife (on sale August). The winning, runner-up and commended pieces will also be published on www.discoverwildlife.com

NOW ENTER YOUR ARTWORK BELOW (Please note, this is not a photography competition)

Please remember: