Artists, start your paintbrushes.
A competition is about to burst out of the starting gates especially for local visual artists, but be warned, an arts superhero awaits the victorious challenger.
Northern FanCon is only weeks away, and one of the added features this year is the first official Art Duel.
"Art is a key element of FanCon," said event coordinator Norm Coyne. "We bring in all these artists from all over the world, and the best of our own city. This is one more way to shine a big bright light on our local art talent."
First, this Art Duel has its preliminary round and that is underway now. Artists get in on in by submitting a photograph showing what you've already done. Send in a single digital image of one piece of your art to normcoyne@unltd.me by April 15 at 11:59 p.m.
"We will post it to the FanCon page on Facebook," said Coyne.
"From there it will be judged by a panel of experts and also voted on by the public, a combination system. That's how the final four will be chosen."
Those four will be called forward to compete in a live paint-off on April 27 at the Centre Court of Pine Centre Mall during the annual Northern FanCon Pre-Party. Two painters will slap canvas at 11 a.m., the other two will joust colours at 1 p.m., and the two winners go head to head at the 3 p.m. final showdown.
"We are so honored to be able to host the Fancon Pre-Party at Pine Centre again this year," said mall manager Jessica Brown. "This is such an amazing event that highlights local talent, creativity and individuality. We are thrilled to showcase some of the incredibly talented individuals that call Prince George home during the Pre-Party's Art Duel in centre court."
Whomever walks away victoriously from these wars of the canvas will have one final siege to wage. This final, epic Art Duel will be fought on the Northern FanCon Mainstage at CN Centre during the celebrity convention. The opponent will be none other than Andy Poon, the animation and illustration celebrity artist who designs the look of so many of the CW Network's superhero characters on television (Flash, Arrow, Deathstroke, Canary, etc.). He has also been involved in designing for Nerd Corps Entertainment, and he was also the grey matter behind the front cover of FanCon Legacy, the new graphic book commemorating the first five years of Northern FanCon.
"Andy Poon is, as far as B.C. artists go, a complete superstar," said Coyne. "He is a major name and a master of many mediums. Andy has been with us since year one, he's an O.G., and Northern FanCon was also his first convention so in a way we were born together, we grew together, and now we duel together."
Artists with the courage to wage an Art Duel with Andy Poon are encouraged to submit their image for judging as soon as possible.
