Kontrast

Kontrast is an annual miniature painting festival that celebrates the skill and creativity of miniature figure painters. The festival is organized by the Ursynów District Office of M.St. Warsaw, Ursynów Cultural Center “Alternatives,” and Miniature Night Painting. The festival accepts entries from all over the world, and the works are judged on their artistic value and the level of skill required to produce them.

The Kontrast contest is judged using an open system, where works are judged individually and not compared to other participants' works. The jury awards prizes for the value of the work, skill, imagination, concept, and creative potential. Participants must convince the judges with their work, not compete with other participants. The works can be judged as a “display” in situations where a participant submits more than one work in a given category, and the jury treats this submission as a “display.” The system of awarding prizes at the Kontrast competition is carried out in an open medal classification, which means that we provide for the award of more than one/one bronze, silver, or gold statue/medal in each category.

Participants must declare that the works they submit are their own. The organizers allow, in exceptional life situations, the delivery of figurines by another person, such fact must be reported by the participant to the organizers. The works must be assembled and placed on stands/bases so that they can be safely carried and visually evaluated without exposing the models to damage. The registration of works for Kontrast 2023 is done electronically using a dedicated computer system, and the participant receives an entry list and entry stickers.

The Kontrast festival awards and prizes include standard level awards and medals, master level honors and statues, Grand Kontrast for the best work or display of the entire competition, industry awards, gaming categories, honors and medals (bronze, silver) and statuettes (gold), Best of Gaming, and all in-kind prizes obtained from sponsors, which will be given to participants in the competition in the formula of a raffle. Participants who have received a gold medal or gold statue in the Standard category in previous editions of Kontrast can only submit their entries at the Master level in the category in which they received the award. The winner of the “Grand Kontrast” award in the next edition receives an invitation to the judging panel in the next edition.

The Kontrast festival has two levels of competition: Standard and Master. Standard is a level for beginners as well as intermediate figure painters, while Master is a level for very experienced painters. The festival aims to draw a line between those who are just starting out or painting as a hobby and those who are engaged in professional or high-level painting. The categories have strictly defined parameters, but the panel of judges has the right to move the work to another category or a higher level.

The works are submitted at the participant's own risk, and it is not allowed to exhibit works in the competition that have already won awards in previous editions of the “Kontrast” competition. In conclusion, the Kontrast festival provides a platform for miniature figure painters to showcase their skills and creativity and compete among the best in the world.