DRAGONMASTER XXXIDragonmaster will be held with WeaponMaster at Morningwood Glen on Saturday the first of September and at Pirates Landing on Sunday the second of September, pending park approval.
If you wish to be a judge, please email your regent at SearchingForClaudia@Yahoo.Com.
If you are interested in entering, please bring your beverages in enough individually SEALED containers that the judges can safely take them home for consumption without risking persecution from mundane law. Please bring enough written entries for each judge to have a personal copy to save on time and reduce having to pass around a single document. And, if you want to pre-register your entries, send them to the above email address where I will distribute them to the judges (when all have been picked). Please keep your descriptions detailed, but brief (a flaw I, myself am working on) to also save the judges time and eye strain. Please make sure to include any ingredients in foods to avoid accidentally triggering food allergies. And, please, please, please remember to have fun!
Thank you and sincerely,
Zelodie, Kingdom Regent & Royal Pain in the A$$P.S. Written Entries Must Be Sent to
SearchingForClaudia@Yahoo.Com 3 Days Before Dragonmaster!
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MIN: 5 in 5 Main Categories
MAX: 15 in 10 Main Categories and 3 in each Sub-Category
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A. MAIN CATEGORY: COOKING01. SUB-CATEGORY: Main Dishes
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Side Dishes
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Whole Meals
04. SUB-CATEGORY: Desserts
05. SUB-CATEGORY: Breads
06. SUB-CATEGORY: Novelty
07. SUB-CATEGORY: Edible Subtlety
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B. MAIN CATEGORY: BREWING AND BEVERAGE MAKINGEXAMPLES: Mead Making, Beer Making, Wine Making, Cordial & Liqueur Making, Non-Alcoholic Period Beverages, etc
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C. MAIN CATEGORY: GARB01. SUB-CATEGORY: Jewellery
EXAMPLES: Carcenet, Necklaces, Chokers, Torques, Armlets (upper arm bracelets), Bracelets, Cuff links, Bangles, Slave bracelets, Belly chains, Breastplates, Brooches, Chatelaines, Body piercing jewellery, Anklets (ankle bracelets), Toe rings, Barefoot sandals, Amulets, Medical alert jewellery, Prayer jewellery, Japa malas, Prayer beads, Prayer ropes, Rosary beads, Puzzle jewellery, Puzzle rings, Signet rings, Thumb rings, Pledge pins, Company/Household Membership pins, Cameos, Emblems, Findings, Lockets, Medallions, Pendants, etc
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Unisex Items
EXAMPLES: Shirt, Cape, Cloak, Muffin Cap, Biggins, Tunic, Unisex Court Garb, Unisex Monster Garb, Unisex Peasant Garb, Unisex Fighting Garb, Unisex Clothing Accessory, etc
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Women's Clothing
EXAMPLES: Bodice, Corset, Skirts, Chemise, Snood, Noblewomen's Court Garb, Performance Garb, Women's Monster Garb, Women's Peasant Garb, Women's Fighting Garb, Women's Clothing Accessory
04. SUB-CATEGORY: Men's Clothing
EXAMPLES: Jerkin, Doublet, Breeches, Slops, Codpiece, Hose, Noblemen's Court Garb, Performance Garb, Men's Monster Garb, Men's Peasant Garb, Men's Fighting Garb, Men's Clothing Accessory, etc
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D. MAIN CATEGORY: 3D ART01. SUB-CATEGORY: Textile Arts
EXAMPLES: Dyeing, Embroidery, Counted, Embroidery, Freeform, Felt Making, Knitting, Crochet, Macrame, Lacemaking, Needlework, Miscellaneous, Spinning, Weaving, Band/Inkle/Tablet, Weaving, Standard, Applique, Blackwork, Canvaswork, Couching & Laidwork, Lacis, Metal Thread, Openwork, Padded Work, Smocking, etc
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Leather Working
EXAMPLES: Leather Armor, Shoe Making, Leather Processing, Leather Art, Leather Mask, Quivers, Cases, Scabbards, etc
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Metal Working
EXAMPLES: Tankard (can also be Wood/Earthenware), Armor Making, Weapon Making, Coin Minting, Metal Casting, Metal Jewelry, Metal Sculpture, etc
04. SUB-CATEGORY: Earthenware
EXAMPLES: Pottery, Clay Sculpture, Earthen Building, Dirt/Clay as Medicine, Dirt in Farming, etc
05. SUB-CATEGORY: Stone Working
EXAMPLES: Sculpture, Stone Carving, Gem Cutting, Things Created with Ground Stone - paints, pigments, etc, Masonry Stone Setting, etc
06. SUB-CATEGORY: Woodworking
EXAMPLES: Carving, Furniture Making, Turning, Wood Instrument Making, Wood Inlaying, Wagon Building, Wood Structures, Wood Boxes, Carved Boxes, etc
07. SUB-CATEGORY: Glass
EXAMPLES: Beads, Glass Blowing, Glass Mosaics, Making Glass Items, Glass Jewelry, etc
08. SUB-CATEGORY: Flora and Fauna (Not cooked with)
EXAMPLES: Cosmetics, Gardening, Animal Husbandry, Flower Arranging, Botanical Creations, Herbalism, Soap Making, Candle/Incense Making, Basket weaving, Corn dolly making, Pressed flower craft, Straw Marquetry, Doll making, Dollhouse construction and furnishing, Egg decorating, Etching, Miniatures, Toy making, etc
09. SUB-CATEGORY: Sciences
EXAMPLES: Alchemy, Astronomy, Astrology, Navigation, Mapping Tools, Scientific Instruments, Mathematical Mysteries, Period Clock Works, Architecture, Period Engineering, etc
10. SUB-CATEGORY: Paper or Canvas Crafts
EXAMPLES: Paper craft windchime, Altered Books, Bookbinding, Decoupage, Embossing, Iris Folding, Paper-making, Origami or Paper folding, Papier-mâché, Pop-up book, Quilling or Paper Filigree, Paper model, Papercraft or Card modelling, Artist Trading Cards, Calligraphy, Parchment craft, Scrapbooking, Rubber Stamping/Acrylic Stamping, etc
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E. MAIN CATEGORY: 2D ART01. SUB-CATEGORY
EXAMPLES: Painted and Inked Visual Arts: Card-making, Calligraphy, Illumination, Calligraphy and Illumination, Oil Painting, Marbling, Miniatures, Frescos, Banners, Tryptics, Pysanky, Tin-glazed Painting on Pottery (Majolica), Painted Maps, etc
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Computer Generated Graphic
EXAMPLES: Algorithm art, ASCII art, Computer art scene, Computer Arts Society, Computer graphics, Computer music, Demoscene, Digital illustration, Digital morphogenesis, Digital painting, Digital art, Tradigital art, Evolutionary art, Fax art, Fractal art, Generative art, Generative music, Image development, Interactive art, Kisekae Set System, Motion graphics, New media art, Multimedia, Music visualization, Software art, Systems art, Video game, Video game art, Web Pages, etc
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Photography
EXAMPLES: Landscapes, Portraits, Still Art, Collage, Decollage, etc
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F. MAIN CATEGORY: WRITING 01. SUB-CATEGORY: Fiction
EXAMPLES: Dramatic Script, Short Story, Flash Fiction (Short Short Story), Science Fiction/Fantasy, Humor, Personna Write Up, Battle Game/Tournament Write Up, etc
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Non-Fiction
EXAMPLES: Journalism, Personal Essay/Memoir, Persuasive Writing, Informative, etc
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Poetry
EXAMPLES: ABC poem, Alexandrine Poetry, Allegory, Analogy Poetry, Ballad Poems, Blank Verse, Cacophony, Canzone, Carpe diem, Cinquain Poetry, Classicism, Conceit Poetry, Couplet Poetry, Dactyl Poetry, Doggerel, Elegy, Enjambment, Epic Poems, Epigram, Epitaph, Epithalamium Form, Free Verse, Haiku, Poetry, Idyll Poetry, Imagery Poems, Irony, Lay Poetry, Limericks, Lyric Poetry, Name Poem, Narrative Poetry, Odes, Pastoral Poetry, Quatrain Poetry, Refrain Poetry, Rhymes, Romanticism, Senryu Poetry, Rhyme Royal, Sonnets, Tanka, Terza rima, Verse, Prose and Prose Poetry, etc
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G. MAIN CATEGORY: BARDIC01. SUB-CATEGORY: Performance
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Dance
EXAMPLES: Egyptian, European, Turkish, Greek, Oriental, Middle Eastern, American cabaret, Tribal fusion, American tribal fusion, Fire, etc
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Instrumental Performance
04. SUB-CATEGORY: Vocal Performance
05. SUB-CATEGORY: Other
EXAMPLES: Comedy, Poetry, Living Statue, Flags, Veils, Hoops, etc
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H. MAIN CATEGORY: CONSTRUCTION01. SUB-CATEGORY: Ordinary Weapons: Must legal
02. SUB-CATEGORY: Unique Weapons: Does not have to be legal
03. SUB-CATEGORY: Shields
04. SUB-CATEGORY: Armor
05. SUB-CATEGORY: Banner
06. SUB-CATEGORY: Active Construction: Any equipment not already covered by another event that is made for battlefield use. It includes, but is not limited to; Siege Weaponry, Arrows, etc
07. SUB-CATEGORY: Passive Construction: Any item not covered by another event that is not made for battlefield use. It includes, but is not limited to; Chests, Furniture, Pavilions, etc
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I. MAIN CATEGORY: ROSEThis is one category for any entry whose principle function is to benefit the club. It can include, but is not limited to; Awards blanks, Newsletters, Fliers, Websites, etc.
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J. MAIN CATEGORY: AMTGARD HERALDRYDisplayed on whatever medium, scrolls, favors, banners or garb and entries must be described in heraldic terms as much as possible. For Heraldry the score is based two main elements. First, how appealing the design is to the eye and how well presented it is and second on how well the items fulfills the purpose of Heraldry. An item which is well made and beautiful that only happens to have a design on it would score less than an equally high quality item where the symbols displayed had meaning and relevance. Entrants in this category should do their homework before presenting the items.
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How to Judge in an Amtgard A&S Tournament
By Baron Master Thalen TannonI’ve been entering Arts and Sciences competitions since 1992 and judging tournaments since 1995. In all that time, I’ve only noticed a decline in A&S in the last few years. Not particularly in terms of quality, but definitely in terms of quantity. I believe that the decline is caused by the lack of faith in the A&S system. The methods of the system aren't as clear cut as a fighting tournament because the judging criteria can change with every competition.
More often than hearing artisans tell me what they hope to enter in an upcoming tournament, I hear several complaints from entrants about the lack of organization of the tournaments themselves and about the quality of the judges. I suggest restructuring and standardizing the organization of our tournaments for Arts and Sciences. To achieve that goal, we should train our Masters and Knights in the Art of Judging: something that we expect from them, but rarely teach.
These pages contain a proposal for a standardization of judges and for the method by which those judges score an A&S entry.
Selecting a JudgeWhen you’re dealing with such a wide variety of artistic endeavors, it’s improbable for any one judge to know the ins and outs of all of the possible categories and sub-categories. So if it’s improbable to find one judge, then likely it’s impossible to find three or more. So what is an autocrat to do when faced with such a Herculean feat? In the past, they were resigned to ask their friends or ask those Knights and Masters who are usually called upon to fill such roles and hope for the best. I offer another option.
First, it’s important when selecting Judges that an autocrat chooses a variety of talented individuals. For example, if possible, choose a Dragon, a Garber, and a Owl rather than three Owls or three Garbers. While the Judges don’t have to be Masters, choose Judges with at least 5 orders of aparticular ladder award. It’s important that the Judges have enough experience to perform their duties. Additionally, try to choose Judges who understand the impact of their duties. It may just take an hour or two out of their event time but it could have a lasting effect on the entrants. Once the autocrat selects the judges, then it's time to show them what they're looking for.
The Judging CriteriaIn order to regain the confidence of the artisans, it’s imperative that we standardize what the judges are looking for in any given entry. In this way, the competitors know in advance what’s being expected of them beyond the initial creation of their entries. Then, with proper presentation at the tournament, the playing field is leveled and the judges can more efficiently do the job we’ve asked of them. There are five different criteria that the judges should look for when judging any entry:
Documentation aka “The Write Up”Documentation is the foundation of a good entry. It provides the judges with the necessary details of the conception and creation for the item entered. It shows the entrant’s understanding of the overall techniques and the adaptations that had to be made for this specific project. Many times the competitor is more knowledgeable in the specific entry than the judge and the documentation should reflect that knowledge. It should answer any questions that the judge may have in regards to that entry. Judges may give a lower score to entries for a lack of color pictures or for not putting the write up into a binder. However, while organized documentation should score higher than disorganized or hard to read write ups, this is less important than a document that shows an overall understanding of the work involved.
Scope of Work This section is used to determine the depth and breadth of the work. The judges should try not to look at the piece as it is, but what the entrant was envisioning from the start from what is written in their documentation. For example, if they are trying to produce a piece of court garb, their documentation might indicate that they were attempting to replicate an outfit from a movie. They may include stills shots of the outfit from that movie. This would be their scope of work. The Judge would then attempt to determine how closely the finished product matches the intended result. Various factors that increase the scope are the level of complexity of the piece, availability of source information, number of elements, time required, etc.
RelevanceWhile we aren’t “Period Specific” like they are in the SCA, Amtgard DOES have a time period and place that we’re trying to represent. The Rules of Play define that period by declaring that “Every persona must be
either of an ancient, medieval, or swords and sorcery related background.” That gives us a lot of time and space to work with. Keeping that in mind, the entry should bear some relevance to what we do in Amtgard. The obvious things like garb and weapons are easily recognizable as relevant, but it might take some real thought to decide if a bardic entry is “Amtgard Relevant”. A Judge should ask themselves “If Amtgard were real, would this (insert entry here) be out of place?” If so, the Judge would need to determine to what extent and critique the piece accordingly.
Skill + Complexity = WorkmanshipThis is the section where experience in the field of the entry is the most helpful. In this section, the judges will determine how well the entrant completed the piece. Complexity is the degree of difficulty in creating the item. Consider how much physical time the entry took to construct, the useof elaborate or sensitive processes, and the availability of materials used in the creation of the item. Workmanship is the degree of quality of the item created. It shows the entrant’s skill in the use of the documented processes
and materials.
CreativityCreativity is the degree in which the entrant shows their understanding of the processes and materials to create an original item. It also shows how well the entrant can adapt and interpret what they have learned. Is this an original work? Did they do anything innovative or creative in the production? Did they employ a degree of experimentation in the creation of this item? For example, the entry is a sword. Is it “Old Tech” or “New Tech”? Did they use foam other than the typical noodle? Is the grip wrapped in a new technique? Does the cover match their heraldry or their company colors? Any deviation from the standard Rules of Play sword would be an example of their creativity.
Judge's Observations / AestheticsThis section is designed to cover how all the other sections fit together; what is the overall effect of the piece? Aesthetics is the degree in which the entry is pleasing to the eye. This is the judges’ one spot to let their personal feelings through. If the entry has documentation, matches its scope of work, is well crafted and original but the judge just does not like it, this is where that opinion goes. On the contrary, if you like the piece you're judging, score high! The corollary, however, is that for all the other criteria, the judges must remain impartial and objective.
The CritiqueThe most difficult task for a judge is offering a meaningful critique on the entry. The critique should tell the entrant how well they did in regards to the judging criteria. It should also tell the entrant areas in which need improvement and offer comments about the entry. The critique is also the appropriate place for the judge to ask questions about the artist's work.
The Points AwardedOne of the most important duties for a judge is to rate the item upon the criteria by assigning to it a point value. A judge should develop a set of standards for each criterion that they compare the item to for assessment. For the two 5 point values, use these criteria and divide by 2. The following is a suggestion on establishing such a standard:
9-10 Points: The item meets the criteria perfectly or near perfectly. There is little to no room for improvement for the item in regards to the specific criteria and it is exceptionally done.
7-8 Points: The item exceeds expectations for the criteria. There may be room for improvement but it is well done.
5-6 Points: The item meets all expectations determined. There is room for improvement but it is properly done.
3-4 Points: The item is lacking in meeting the expectations you have determined for the criteria. A definite effort has been shown and it is adequately done.
1-2 Points: The item shows a rudimentary effort in meeting the expectations. A basic effort has been shown and it is marginally done.
0 Points: No effort at all made to meet the criteria.
At the end of the scoring, the result will be a number from 1-50. Once this number has been obtained, moving the decimal one space to the left gives us the 5 point score that we traditionally use. The method of determining the winner based off the score may vary with the Autocrat.
Dos and Don'ts for JudgesDo• Read the entrant's documentation thoroughly - The answers to any questions you may have may well be present in the documentation, but may not be obvious at first glance. Entrants will complain about being marked down for items that were explained in their documentation.
• Ask for help if you are not sure how to interpret a specific line or wording in the criteria.
• Let the tournament-crat know if you have any food allergies or aversion to alcohol when signing up to judge cooking or Brewing/Vintner entries
• Keep an open mind to new and different techniques and approaches.
• Make comments frequently; it is especially good to make a comment whenever you give a less than perfect score to answer the inevitable entrant's question "Why?"
Don't• Don't judge an entry you are uncomfortable judging; it's okay to say no!
• Don't judge a project based on your own research. Personal research and/or experience with a project certainly aides in interpreting skill and scope and helps you give useful comments. However, entering into judging with predetermined ideas of how a project should have been done and/or how the final result should appear can result in you unfairly penalizing the entrant.
With the application of the methods and concepts within this proposal, the standardization of the judging process should help restore the confidence in the Arts & Sciences tournaments. Once implemented, I believe there will be a noticeable growth in both quantity and quality of entries and informed judges.