Illustrate Captain Sideways

Status: Closed
Prize: $250
Entries Received: 15
Winner: paulmage2

Winner

Contest Brief

Innovation Accelerator (www.innovationaccelerator.com) is looking for an illustrator skilled in comic book style to draw the character Captain Sideways in various poses that can be used on our website. The person we hire for the poses of Captain Sideways will then be rehired to draw short comics (6 to 8 panels) involving adventure featuring Captain Sideways.

Captain Sideways: A Comic Book Character for Creativity

Captain Sideways solves problems by looking at things sideways (from unusual perspectives). Because of the outfit, helmet, and visor, people are unable to tell the gender of Captain Sideways. Captain Sideways is alien but resembles an 11-year-old human. I want to avoid stereotypical masculine and feminine physiques that occur in comic book characters. That is why Captain Sideways is small and resembles an 11-year-old human. While in costume, the only visible parts are the mouth and cheek area. The skin color is medium brown, but no particular race or ethnicity is discernible. Inside the visor, a computer projects images onto the inside of the visor that helps Captain Sideways solve problems. The basis of these images come from the products sold by Innovation Accelerator, Inc., and emerge from the research of Dr. Tony McCaffrey. The computer's name is Seymour (or maybe C-More) because it helps Captain Sideways "see more" than one usually notices.

Background of Character:
Captain Sideways is an alien from the far side of the universe, although looks like an 11-year-old human. In costume, it is impossible to tell if Captain Sideways is male or female. It appears that Captain Sideways can fly, but really Captain Sideways levitates (or floats) and can move in a direction at various speeds. On the far side of the universe, dark matter is prevalent and organic life evolved to respond to gravity differently. In fact, Captain Sideways has to stay focused to stay on the ground. Captain Sideways sometimes floats away while daydreaming and some people say that Captain Sideways is "spacey." When focusing on a problem, Captain Sideways often looks at the things related to the problem sideways, upside down, and backwards by floating around what is being observed. On Captain Sideways' suit is a symbol based on the standard phrase for creativity "thinking outside the box." I need an artist's touch finishing the symbol's design, but two rough ideas are in an attached file.

Although illustrators will initially be focusing on drawing the character itself, I will describe a sample adventure to help interested illustrators get a sense of what Captain Sideways does when helping people solve tough problems.

Sample episode:
While flying near Antarctica, Captain Sideways notices a large research ship that is in trouble. It struck an iceberg and will sink in two hours (like the Titanic). They do not have enough lifeboats and the nearest rescue ship is 4 hours away.

Upon landing, Captain Sideways takes the problem solving graph that was forming inside the visor and projects it onto a wall so the whole crew can work on the problem. I have attached a sample problem solving graph called a BrainSwarming graph. Also, I have included a link to a 3-minute video on BrainSwarming for those interested in learning more: http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/03/why-you-should-stop-brainstorming/

Based on all the ideas from the crew, people quickly notice that iceberg is a floating surface and several lifeboats ferry some people there to await the rescue ship. The BrainSwarming graph helps people notice other things that will float (see attached figure). They empty their steamer trunks and tie them together. Then, they put wooden planks from the ship across the floating steamer-trunk-platform to form a make-shift boat.

Between the lifeboats, iceberg, and floating streamer-trunk-platform, they are able to keep everyone out of the freezing water until the rescue ship arrives.

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Employer Feedback

“The work PaulMage2 submitted was of exceptional quality! He made the minor changes I asked in a short amount of time. He was very polite in his exchanges with me. I will definitely hire him again. ”

DrTonyMcCaffrey, United States.

Public Clarification Board

Mar Fandos
- 11 years ago
please check #11 !! thank you!
- 11 years ago
zeyol
- 11 years ago
#16 #6
- 11 years ago
helochaz
- 11 years ago
check my 2nd entry sir #14 thanks. :)
- 11 years ago
victorshade9999
- 11 years ago
Dear Sir, please check my new design #12 . Thank you.
- 11 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 11 years ago
  I will do so soon!
  - 11 years ago
Contest Holder
- 11 years ago
I will do so soon! Thanks!
- 11 years ago
Bibicon
- 11 years ago
Please check #13
- 11 years ago
Contest Holder
- 11 years ago
Thanks. Will do. I will get back to you in a private message soon.
- 11 years ago
victorshade9999
- 11 years ago
Dear Sir, please check #8 . Thank you.
- 11 years ago
Contest Holder
- 11 years ago
For the contest, I need the Captain Sideways in one pose. But the ultimate award winner will deliver Captain Sideways in multiple poses. Does that help?
- 11 years ago
1. Mar Fandos
  - 11 years ago
  yes, thank you!!
  - 11 years ago
Mar Fandos
- 11 years ago
hello, just one question, you need only the design of the character? or also various poses? thank you!
- 11 years ago
helochaz
- 11 years ago
please check #4 thanks.
- 11 years ago
Ichimaru
- 11 years ago
Hi, what artwork style are you looking for? realistic or more cartoony?
- 11 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 11 years ago
  More cartoony. I hope this helps, but I don't have the artistic vocabulary to describe what I have in mind.
  - 11 years ago
costin55
- 11 years ago
check me out if you want high quality illustrations: http://reiner55.deviantart.com/gallery/
- 11 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 11 years ago
  Engaging. Feel free to submit a sketch of Captain Sideways to the contest. Thanks.
  - 11 years ago
hebeshekar
- 11 years ago
I am a professional in this field, but my style is more like manga rather than American comic, if it's Ok you can check my gallery: http://sugar-h.deviantart.com
- 11 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 11 years ago
  Interesting. Feel free to submit a sketch of Captain Sideways to the contest. Thanks.
  - 11 years ago