Understanding Contest Timeline
InkFreakz contests follow a structured timeline designed to give artists adequate time to create quality designs while maintaining momentum and engagement. Understanding each phase helps you manage expectations and participate effectively throughout your contest.
Standard Contest Duration
Most InkFreakz contests run for seven days, which provides the optimal balance between giving artists sufficient time to create thoughtful designs and maintaining active engagement from the contest holder. This timeline has been refined through thousands of contests to maximize both participation and quality results.
The seven-day period allows artists to discover your contest, develop initial concepts, receive your feedback, and refine their designs based on your input. It also gives you time to review submissions thoughtfully and provide constructive guidance to help artists better understand your vision.
Contest Launch Phase (Day 1)
When your contest goes live, it immediately becomes visible to our verified artist community through multiple channels. Artists receive notifications based on their style specialties and interests, ensuring your contest reaches those most qualified to execute your vision.
During the first 24 hours, you'll typically see initial submissions as artists who are online and available begin working on your project. Early submissions often represent quick concepts or initial interpretations that artists use to gauge your interest and gather feedback.
Your active participation during this phase is crucial. Providing early feedback helps artists understand your preferences and guides the direction of subsequent submissions. Even brief comments like "I love this style direction" or "This is too detailed for the size I want" help artists refine their approach.
Active Submission Phase (Days 2-5)
The middle days of your contest represent the most active period for submissions. Artists have had time to study your brief, develop concepts, and create more refined designs. You'll typically receive the majority of your submissions during this period.
This is when your engagement as a contest holder becomes most valuable. Rating submissions, leaving detailed feedback, and answering artist questions helps guide the creative process. Artists often submit multiple concepts or revisions based on your input, leading to increasingly refined results.
During this phase, you might notice artists building on each other's ideas or exploring different interpretations of your brief. This creative competition often leads to innovative solutions and unexpected approaches that you might not have considered initially.
Refinement Phase (Days 6-7)
The final days of your contest focus on refinement and final submissions. Artists who have received positive feedback often submit polished versions of their concepts, incorporating your suggestions and adding final details.
This is an excellent time to request specific modifications or ask questions about how designs would work as actual tattoos. Artists are typically very responsive during this phase and willing to make adjustments to improve their chances of winning.
You should also use this time to carefully evaluate all submissions, considering not just aesthetic appeal but also how each design would translate to an actual tattoo on your body.
Extension Options
If you feel you need more time to receive additional submissions or allow for further refinements, you can extend your contest for additional days. Extensions are particularly useful if you've received promising submissions that need refinement or if you want to attract more artist participation.
Contest extensions maintain the momentum and visibility of your contest while giving artists additional time to perfect their submissions. Many contest holders find that extensions result in significantly improved final submissions as artists have more time to incorporate feedback.
Judging and Selection Phase
After your contest ends, you have time to make your final decision without pressure. Review all submissions carefully, considering factors like artistic quality, adherence to your brief, and how well each design would work as an actual tattoo.
Consider asking friends, family, or even your intended tattoo artist for input on the designs. Sometimes an outside perspective can help you see aspects of designs you might have missed or confirm your instincts about which design is right for you.
Timeline Management Tips
Successful contest holders stay actively engaged throughout the timeline rather than checking in sporadically. Daily participation, even if brief, keeps artists motivated and helps guide the creative process toward your vision.
Set aside time each day to review new submissions and provide feedback. Even simple ratings and brief comments significantly impact the quality and direction of subsequent submissions.
Remember that artists are working on your project alongside other commitments, so patience with the creative process often results in better final outcomes. The timeline is designed to allow for this natural creative development while maintaining reasonable urgency.
Post-Contest Timeline
Once you select a winner, the artist typically provides final files within 24-48 hours. This includes all the formats you need for tattoo application, from high-resolution images for viewing to vector files for scaling and stencil-ready formats for your tattoo artist.
Understanding and working with the contest timeline rather than against it leads to better results and a more enjoyable experience for both you and the participating artists. The structured approach ensures everyone has adequate time to do their best work while maintaining the competitive energy that drives exceptional results.