My heart is trembling, knees are shaking, butterflies in my stomach, and that feeling of excitement with doubt, questioning myself if I can do this, or another waste of time and materials.
I always fear that I will not do my best or disappoint the Grade level that I’m representing. I never got that idea of joining this kind of contest. I always do Art to express my thoughts and feelings, my happy place, or stress reliever when I’m at my darkest moment.
The first contest was way back when I was In Elementary. It was a nerve-wracking moment as I can remember, a first-timer with no plans, practice, or any clue of what is an On the Spot-Poster Making Contest. I’m just sitting there with a blank mind, holding a pencil, and had no idea. It was a Celebration for “Buwan ng Wika” I didn’t even know what the theme is or what are the criteria where I can base my work. That day I lost, I was sorrowful, but I never gave up and joined again.
Years have passed, a lost streak slapped me. I was thinking of giving up and planning to end it. I was a 1st-year Highschool I joined another contest about Nutrition Month. That day I was Calm and excited with no pressure. I enjoyed the 3 hours of sketching and coloring even my hands are in pain, the results came up, and I was 3rd place. There is still hope I continued practicing like watching tutorials and asking pieces of advice from my teachers to improve my abilities, and everything paid off.
I am still not a pro in this kind of competition, but I want to share some tips based on my experience in joining an On the Spot Poster Making Contest.
1. If you are a beginner in this kind of competition, always think positive. Never let your doubts and fear gobble you to the point you’ll lose hope and confidence.
2. Calm Down, it’s ok to be excited or be nervous but never let these things overshadow yourself, Over excitement and being apprehensive might lose your focus during the contest.
3. Prepare, Aside from buying materials that you’ll need, listen to the announcement of the Given theme and criteria. Think in advance of concepts and ideas that you want to tell based on the given theme.
4. Originality, getting ideas from the internet is ok, but Use your imagination and explore.
5. Pay attention to every detail of you drawing, Use bright colors that will create contrast and make good use of space.
6. Focus on what you are making, never compare your work to your fellow participants.
7. Use your time wisely, Moving too fast will make your poster messy, and moving too slow might lead to unfinished work.
8. Enjoy ( the most important)
“I am the one who made this. I made this back in 2016 when I was a Grade 9 student. My friend requested me to do a poster about out of school youth and how education can change their lives, it is for a youth organization that promotes and teaches the importance of education. I used oil pastels and watercolors to create this masterpiece. It won, as the First runner up and I was happy because everything was worth it. This poster tells about how education can change the perspective and lives of many people. Better quality of education sparks inspiration and hope for those who are living in poverty and ill-educated ones. It can transform a person into a better version and creates a domino effect on others who are willing to improve themselves. Knowledge doesn’t only apply individually but as a nation that helps the country to rise and grow. Posters can deliver meaningful messages that can inspire and motivate in different ways based on the interpretation of the image. With the use of abilities in Poster Making, I am proud that I am one of those people who inspire and somehow can change a person’s life.”
I hope you learned a lot from my story and tips about Poster Making. Be a model and continue to inspire with your God-given talent.
“TRY NEW THINGS, FIND OUT WHICH YOU LOVE AND DO IT OFTEN”
L'amour de L'art 