My End of Year Review

In 2006 and 2007 I did an end of year review about blogging and art and I'm continuing to do the same in 2008. In 2007, I introduced an interactive process for one of the Making A Mark Awards. This year I'm proposing that this process should apply to three separate awards and I'm posting the invites for you to nominate this week - so make sure you read the posts on the next three days!

This post marks the beginning of my Review of Blogging Art in 2008. It has three separate parts:

• The Making A Mark End of Year Review of Blogging and Art
• The Making A Mark Awards - to be nominated and voted by you
• My End of Year Review - and Plan for 2009!

Now one of the main reasons I write this post is so I can remember what happens when. But if you're interested in what's happening on this blog at the end of December OR you would like to nominate and/or vote on a Making A Mark Award - read on!

1. The Making Mark End of Year Review of Blogging and Art

This is where I get reflective and look back at the blogosphere and art bloggers and blogging in particular. I'll also be seeing how I did with my predictions for 2008, comment on the impact of things nobody expected and generally try and come up with some predictions for 2009.

• A review of the blogging practices of artists and illustrators in 2008 - in other words a review of blogging art and blogging basics from the perspective of the individual art blogger - posted on 22nd December
  
• A review of the influence of art blogs in 2008 - which looks backwards and forwards at the wider context for blogging and blogging art, communities of interest in a web 2.0 world and the actual and potential sphere of influence for art and illustrated blogs. This will be posted on 23rd December

2. The Making A Mark Awards - to be nominated and voted by you

This is the exciting interactive bit which involves all of you!

First a recap of what happened last year - and the introduction of an interactive process which involved the readers of Making A Mark nominating and then voting for The Making A Mark Award (MaMA) for the best picture (drawing or painting) on a blog in 2007.

• The value of giving awards and testimonials - and a prize!
• Nominations for the best artwork on a blog in 2007
• Vote for the best artwork on a blog in 2007

I so much enjoyed the involvement of MaM readers in the process that I've decided to repeat the experience AND enlarge the number of awards that you get to both nominate and vote for.

The interactive awards this year that you can nominate names for and then vote on those I've shortlisted are:

• best artwork on a blog - you'll be invited to nominate tomorrow - using the comments function for the nominations
  
• best portrait by a female artist - you'll be invited to nominate on Wednesday (see this post for details as to why)
  
• best online art exhibition - you'll be invited to nominate on Thursday (and I may add a few of my own nominations to this one as well!)
  

On Wednesday 24th December I will post the

• final short list for the best artwork completed and posted on an art/illustrated blog in 2008
  
• AND the final short list for the best portrait by a female artist
  
• AND the final short list for the best online art exhibition

The Polls then open for voting and will close a minute past midnight on 30th December.

I then have a seasonal break - for cooking (and a bit of writing!) - before posting The Making A Mark Awards - which also comes in two parts (because there's a lot of them!).

The MaM Awards will be posted on the 29th and 30th December. Last year I had

PART ONE

• The Painting a Day Stickability Shield
  
• FAQs and Answers Really Useful Medal
  
• The Make Me Think Gong
• “The Moose”- award for the best animal in an illustrated blog.
• The Best`Art Blog Project of 2006 Virtual Challenge Cup

PART TWO

• The Travels with a Sketchbook Trophy (which absorbs the 'Get Off Your Blogging Bottom and Sketch' Brass Plate)
  
• The Painting Plein Air Plus Prize
• The Going Greener Gong
• The Amusing Musings Trophy
• The "Tales from the Frontline" Mention in Despatches
• and finally………The MAMA Prize – for the best artwork completed and posted on an art/illustrated blog in 2007

I'm not going to say at this juncture whether the categories are going to stay the same or whether they will change - however I am going to try and come up with a badge for people winning an award this year! I'm also not averse to people drawing my attention to anything which they think deserves a special mention - on somebody else's blog of course! If you have suggestions do leave a comment below.

[Note: I've decided not to have a best art society blog award this year. Mainly because art societies have really not got into blogging quite as much as I'd expected and I would like people to have a choice. However I do think they will in future - so this one is going to be held over until next year.]

3. My End of Year Review - and Plan for 2009!

The end of the calendar year is a good time for a review and I'll be posting My Personal Review of 2008 on 31st December - what did I get up to and how did I do on achieving the things I set out to do in 2009.

Which is immediately followed by the Grand Plan for 2009 on 1st January 2009!!! Yet more optimism about how much I can hope to pack in.......... ;)