1) Decide whether you want to start with a 2D image or a 3D Model.

2) Based on your choice, download the 2D chair image or one of the 3D models linked below as the Canvas for your artwork.

3) Consult the Requirements & Guidelines below to make sure you create art that is eligible and that it is formatted to result in the best presentation possible.

4) Get creative! Do your art thing! Check out the resources at the bottom of this page for helpful guides to 2D and 3D digital art!

5) Use the Tiny Bit of Art submission form to share your info and your artwork. Entries will be accepted between March 1 and March 31, 2026. (Form will be active starting March 1!)

6) Once the Tiny Bit of Art submissions go on display, come visit the library to have a look-see. You can even point when your art comes up in the rotation and say "I did that!"

The Alexandria Library affirms the ALA’s Library Value of intellectual freedom: “We celebrate and preserve our democratic society by making available the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas, so that all individuals have the opportunity to become lifelong learners - informed, literate, educated, and culturally enriched.”

• The contest is open to artists 12 years old and up.
• Applications will be limited to a total of 50.
• The artist will create artwork suitable for display in an all-ages environment.
• The artist will affirm that they are submitting an original work that does not violate any copyright laws and was not created using generative AI.
• The Alexandria Library has the final say on which artists are selected to participate and which completed art pieces will be displayed.
• The Library reserves the right to not display artwork it deems inappropriate or does not adhere to the guidelines.
• Accepted digital art will be displayed on a marketing TV in the library in rotation with the work of other participating artists between [dates].
• The artist is ultimately responsible for knowing or learning how to use the software for creating their work. But you can check out the Blender resources in the next section for help!

Options for Submission:

1) 2D Image: If you are using the 2D chair image for your art, you will of course submit an image file. (See specifications  below.)

2) 3D Model: If you are using the 3D model for your art, you can, if you wish, simply submit a single image rendered from the model. But to display it in all its 3 dimensional glory, we recommend rendering a video to show off all the angles! (See specifications below.) 

Requirements & Guidelines for 2D Art and 3D Image Renders:

Aspect Ratio: We won't restrict your work to a specific aspect ratio but keep in mind that the images will be displayed on a screen with an aspect ratio of around 16:9. (The takeaway is that it is wider than it is tall.) The closer your images are to that aspect ratio, the better they are likely to display.

Pixels Per Inch: Final images submitted should be 72 PPI. On a digital display, the image appearance will not benefit from higher resolution.

File Type: We strongly prefer JPG images, as these result in efficient file sizes with minimal loss of quality.

File Size: As long as you stick to the PPI and file type guidelines above you should not end up with massive file sizes. Aim for 1 to 3 MB. 

Requirements for 3D Art Video Renders:

You may submit a file of the video render of the 3D artwork that you create.

Length: Video renders should be 5-7 seconds long, to fit the time each slide will be shown on the digital art display TV.

Animation: For best results in that time constraint, you will likely want these to be basic "360 degree orbits" of your model. But if have a creative way to showcase/accentuate your work besides that in 5-7 seconds, get creative! (Note that the animations when displayed will be looping so keep that in mind when getting creative. :) )

Pixel Density: You should assure that the pixel density for the video render output is 72 PPI.

File Size: Max 10MB. If you don't go crazy with amount of geometry/number of faces along with keeping the length at 5-7 seconds and output at 72 PPI you should be able to meet this limit.

File Type: We strongly prefer MP4 format for the videos, as it is the best balance of efficient file size and versatility. See the Guides below for information on how to export particular file types from Blender.

3D Modeling in Blender: Guides & Resources:

We recommend using Blender for your project, as it is fully featured but free to download and use. 

Download Blender:

You can download the latest version of Blender at blender.org.

Blender Manual & FAQ:

Go to Blender's Support Page to find the User Manual, detailed documentation, a FAQ and how to find up-to-date tutorials.

Blender Guides Specific to Tiny Bit of Art Submissions:

NOTE: These are some recommended tutorials for these topics but I always recommend searching for ones that work best for you (and your version of Blender)!

Blender for Beginners
How to create a turntable animation of your model
How to export an MP4 video of your model animation (older versions of Blender)
How to export an MP4 video of your model animation (Blender 5.x)
How to export an image of your model

If you have access to Photoshop or another paid digital art app, great! But if you don't, there are plenty of alternatives that are free or have free versions with limited features. You should be able to learn a lot from the documentation from the vendors or from checking out tutorials.

GIMP: This one has been around for a while. The interface takes some getting used to but it has a great range of features.

Krita: Another classic. It has great brushes, masks and even animation tools. 

Canva: While not exactly designed for creating digital art, the free version of Canva has a variety of tools that might be useful if you are taking a graphic design approach to your artwork.

Sumo Paint: This one is said to be good for beginners. It's a browser based tool for digital painting and photo editing, with a simple interface yet reasonably robust set of features.