“Worlds are shaped by land. Where does your trace belong?”
Please read all instructions carefully before posting your work or asking any questions.
If you want to enter the challenge at this stage and have missed Step 1, please refer to this link
🧭 Pitch
Reveal the place your Step 1 trace belongs to — an environment, landscape, realm, or biome.
Imagine its physical logic:
Is it battered by storms, frozen in time, or shifting beneath unknown skies?
Does it rise above or lie hidden below?
What shapes the land — erosion, decay, ancient design, or alien weather?
This step is about showing the first setting — the ground where your story might grow.
It can be:
A windswept plateau, a fossilized forest, a broken city, a volcanic shore
A glowing marsh, a sky-reef, or a crystalline abyss
Anywhere your trace could have been found, lost, or left behind
🔹 Focus: Convey the character and atmosphere of the place — its geology, its silence, its mystery. Let it feel like the beginning of a map, not the whole world.
🎨 Color + Mood Guidance
Build on the color palette from Step 1, echoing or evolving your tonal fingerprint.
Is the environment harsh or gentle?
Does it burn, freeze, shimmer, or fade?
Are colors muted, vibrant, or symbolic of something more profound?
🔸 Keep the flow, but allow the setting to introduce new notes or accents if it feels appropriate. The color story continues…
✍️ Meaning and Intention
Describe in 1–3 sentences:
What forces shaped this place?
Who might have lived, traveled, or vanished here?
How does this landform echo the mystery of your trace?
As before, hint at the unseen — don’t reveal everything.
⚠️ Avoid:
Showing whole civilizations or elaborate stories (yet)
Filling the scene with characters — keep it about the land itself
Over-explaining or adding too much detail; preserve the mood and mystery
🧪 Step 2 Checklist
✅ One image showing your chosen environment, landscape, or biome
✅ A defined color mood or palette that relates to Step 1
✅ 1–3 sentences explaining the landform’s context or origins
✅ Optional: material studies, lighting tests, process sketches, or alternate angles
📊 Scoring, Judging & Timeline
Each valid submission will be scored on the following criteria:
CategoryPoints
Timely Submission 1 pts
Visual Quality 10 pts
Creativity / Concept 10 pts
Jury Score (avg.) 15 pts
Bonus Points: +3 pts for process breakdowns or behind-the-scenes content
Late Submission: Accepted with a 1-point penalty
No-show: -10 pts
🕒 Submission deadline (no penalty): July 4 – July 17, 2025 - 5 PM CET
Late uploads accepted until -5 pts
Scores will remain hidden until the end of the 10-step challenge.
📥 Submission Instructions
Only one submission per artist for each step
Upload your piece in the Submit an IAMC26 Entry Space
You may choose any size or format you prefer (no restrictions on ratio or dimensions)
Include your brief explanation in the description or artwork caption
Tag your post: Challenge Step 2
📜 Be sure to read the General Rules
If you have any questions, please use the IAMC26 Challenge Question Space