As I've said before [Link], I have already started my planning process for Quals. I've had two sit down sessions where I thought about the categories, what my strengths were and what I could enter there, and what my weaknesses were and what to stay away from. While my goal is only to achieve the average score of 3, I personally don't like just entering crap either. Most of my entries I prefer to prepare specifically for Quals, while a few of them I will choose from items I have created in the recent past to be able to cushion myself.
Strengths:
Writing
Cooking
Painting
Drawing
Aromatics
Construction
Weaknesses:
Armor
Sewing
Performing
Sculpting
A Regent only needs to pass with 10 entries; I personally feel that one should always enter in more than what is required just in case you don't make that average score because one or two judges didn't like your apple pie. (This is just an example.)
Categories:
Categories (those in parenthesis are subcategories):
Jewelry (wire, beading, metal, textile/hemp, other)
Active Construction (weapon, shield, armour, siege, reach, open [spell ball, etc.])
Passive Construction (metal, wood, ceramics, leather/horn, mixed media [bone/steel knife, etc])
Bardic (singing, oratory, instrumental, physical, other)
Written (factual/non-fiction, how to, poetry, fictional, other)
Garb (court, fighting, accessory, monster garb, other)
2D Art (painting, drawing, photography, 2D on 3D medium [painted miniature, etc.], other)
3D Art (subtractive sculpture, additive sculpture, low relief, display, other)
Food (main dish, beverage, dessert, side dish/appetizer, drink, other)
Textile (embroidery/cross-stitch, appliqué/felting, crochet/knitting, weaving/braiding, other)
Open (open, rose, new media [promo movie, website, etc.], heraldic display, multidisciplinary)
Categories have sub-categories which are the categories that are counted when the person running for Regent must get 10 entries. Sometimes one entry can be entered in more than one category. This is easily achieved by simply filling out two entry forms for the same entry. In retrospect the term "entry" is a bit ambiguous when this rule is in play. For this Quals, that rule is in play; which can be an excellent strategy when trying to pad the total # of your entries. I like to think of it like the +1 enhancement bonus you get to x because of y.
Food entries I usually wait to decide on these until closer to the event. I like to consider the season, the weather specifically around the time the event is (I live in a place where the weather changes like crazy and can be spring weather one day and then snowing the next.), and foods that aren't too extreme. This is because taste buds can be a fickle thing, and sometimes people just hate certain foods. Sweets are usually a definite, drinks are also good. Drinks can also be really bad though if you are trying to enter things that have complicated chemical processes like fermentation.
So I wont talk about foods for awhile.
Generally you can guess a lot of the categories. There will be art, there will be bardic, there will be construction, garb, written, open, and food. Art is comprised in two major categories; 2D Art and 3D Art. I decided to start planning for those categories in December. I decided I would have a painting, a drawing, a poem, a how-to, an aromatic, a necklace, and a rose. I put a few things on my maybe list as well: a song, a sculpture, a candle, bracelets, and a mask.
During my second planning sit down I actually started thinking of specific concepts for the entries.
Painting: The Dryad, a painting I've been working on for the past few months.
Drawing: Charcoal, some fruits or veggies.
Poem: One of the poems I'm currently in the rewriting phase with. (I like to do this for the feedback.)
How-To: An A&S how-to, book necklaces.
Aromatic: Cold Remedy
Necklace: Book necklace
Rose: A gift book necklace.
Singing: Song of Exile
Sculpture: Clay
Passive Construction: Candle
Heraldry: Bracelets
Garb: Mask.
At this point my maybes get listed in their specific category for when I get done with the projects I feel more confident about and its time for me to starting picking my overage. When I reach this phase I usually have 80% of what projects I want picked out or finished. When it comes time to really pick out that last one or two entries for Quals, I usually double up in a category I like.
The next time I thought about Quals I decided to get to work, choosing book necklaces and a bird house to be my first projects. Now I know that bird house seems to come from no where, but it happened because I knew I could build things and that I would be spending a lot of time at home in the next few weeks. This meant I would have the tools at my disposal to be able to complete these projects quickly.
This week I actually started working on my first projects. I've already started the book necklaces. I plan to decorate them on the inside with calligraphy and printmaking. For me, Quals are the best time to try a new craft. Also I can keep in mind that I can have the necklaces judged on the jewelry category and possibly two 2D categories. Most likely I won't have to do this, it's only something to keep in mind in case of emergencies. Next week I plan to start working on the bird house.
In the upcoming weeks I will write the How-To on book necklaces and post pictures.
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