Previous /icic/: >>7609763

You have until August 4th, 11:59 PM GMT, to illustrate stories from the latest “/lit/ Writing Competition” >>>/lit/24520262, >>>/lit/24536636
Countdown timer:
https://countingdownto.com/?c=6413250

Replied below are all 7 stories, ordered by votes.

Rules:
• Image dimensions: 2550 pixels wide × 3300 pixels high.
• No AI.
• The image must be suitable for blue boards (e.g. /lit/).
• You must “submit” the image by posting it ITT as a .png or .jpg

After the submission deadline, two Strawpolls will be created, one for “Illustrations of Winning Stories,” and one for “Illustrations of All Stories.”
Only illustrations pertaining to the top third of the placing stories—the top 5 out of 7 (rounding up, and including ties), marked with a ◊ below—are “Illustrations of Winning Stories.”

The /icic/ winner of “Illustrations of Winning Stories,” will grace the front cover of July’s compilaiton book;
The /icic/ winner of “Illustrations of All Stories” will grace the back cover.
Every submitted illustration will accompany its story of inspiration in this month’s edition of /lwc/+/icic/, just like last-last-last-last month:
https://files.catbox.moe/hhcojy.pdf
>38.4 MB
>128 pages
(^ “/lwc/+/icic/ March 2025”)

And a big thank-you to all who participated (are still participating?) in this month’s /icic/—there is still time to choose June’s winners:
https://strawpoll.com/3RnYXvEGDye
https://strawpoll.com/Qrgew2jXLyp
June’s “/lwc/+/icic/” PDF will eventually be completed and posted below.
Now let’s see what July has in store~

>◊ 1st — “The Fanatic” by meteor
https://rentry.co/ruvas6sv
>◊ 2nd — “Who Holy Fools” by torus
https://rentry.co/whoholyfools
>◊ Tied for 3rd — “Subtracting Three” by subtractingthethree (aka yodo)
https://rentry.co/subtractingthethree
>◊ Tied for 3rd — “Q.E.D.” by ineptia (aka me, anoïsía)
https://rentry.co/QED_by_ineptia
>◊ Tied for 3rd — “How to Eat” by NMNKLT
https://rentry.co/7grnz3wz
>6th — “George Droyd and the Niggalink” by YAKUB2025
https://rentry.co/YAKUB2025
>7th — Untitled by Momus
https://rentry.co/imr7crqw

And all were written with the following in mind:
>Theme Requirement: Wrestling with the tension of opposites.
>Character Requirement: Must include a religious fanatic
Please peruse the /lit/ thread for more talk on each story: >>>/lit/24520262, >>>/lit/24536636
Strawpoll results: https://strawpoll.com/GJn446rL3nz/results

The June front-cover contest resulted in another tie (a three-wayer, if you count my late vote).
Instead of flipping a three-sided coin, I hope this is an acceptable compromise, having all of the front-cover winners displayed.
Please check out the finished PDF, and give your criticisms, so I can make July’s edition even better:

https://files.catbox.moe/h6ych0.pdf
>“/lwc/+/icic/ June 2025”
>17.9 MB
>72 pages

Thank you all so much!
And congrats to the winners!
Front cover winners: >>7612115, >>7613147, >>7636009
Back cover winner: >>7622092

>>7644322
Yo, front cover! The last one was fun, hopefully I can find some time to do one again this month.

>>7644322
Crap I didn't see the tiebrreaker. My vote still goes for Motoris 2. Oh well, gg

>>7644322
>Please check out the finished PDF, and give your criticisms, so I can make July’s edition even better:
A few thoughts:
>1.
While it's nice that three people get to win and get their chance at the cover, this crammed together method essentially ruins all three images (in my opinion). I think if there is a tie, it should be the OP's (essentially the editor's) final decision on the most fitting image for the cover, and for the back cover.
Running the polls multiple times just seemed like diminishing returns.

>2.
Going through the pdf, I wonder if doing full page illustrations is really the most suitable?
It seems to me that spot illustrations or half page illustrations, so that the image is on the same page with the text, would flow far better with the page and give a better reading experience than suddenly having a batch of illustrations in the middle of it.
The half page illustration could appear at the beginning as the opener to the story (so the top of the page), and then another at the half way point (top or bottom of the page), and then another at then end (bottom of the page). Spot Illustrations could appear... well, anywhere, though I suppose there would be a lack of consistency between art style that would stick out like a sore thumb compared to full or half page illustrations.

I know this would probably be a bit of extra work on the editors part, but this is just my thoughts on going through the design of the pdf (the text layout is nice though, good job).
If you stick with full page illustrations, maybe consider making the pdf a double page spread instead, with the illustration leading into the story, and ending the story, much like my suggestion for the half pages illustrations.
Also, insert blank pages so that you don't end up with wrong Illustrations sitting directly next to the wrong story (Like a Little Man Illustration next to Motoris for example).

>>7645461
Cont.
>3.
I noticed that you used images that were sketches for the final submissions to the contest, I'm sure those artists posted those just for fun, but I'm not sure why you would put those in the book as well as they weren't actually submitted into the competition, and I think give a messier look than you want, but this is just a personal preference thing.

>4.
This isn't about the pdf, but the competition as a whole. /lit/ just doesn't seem to appreciate that someone made art specifically for their stories. Given the number of votes for the images, I don't think more than a single one of those authors voted, and frankly, I feel they have somewhat of an obligation to do so.
Anyone who joins this thread has read through their stories, possibly all of them, at roughly 20 mins each, to spend the time to make what equates to fan art for their story... and they can't take the 20 seconds to look through our images and vote on their favourites? I thought the people on /ic/ complaining about having to read the stories were being lazy assholes, but if /lit/ can't take the moment to look at an image and vote, that's on an entire another level.
I can understand the duds of the two prior months may have had something to do with this, but ultimately, the author's from /lit/ are the ones receiving something from this, so you might need to more firmly push the need to vote on them, or even note who has and hasn't voted and simply take out the author's stories, of the authors who didn't vote, out of the competition.
... Do I just have too many expectations here?

This whinging aside, I do hope these threads do well and catch on a bit more here, because it seems like it's actually a very good drawing exercise, and it would get /ic/ to draw more than fucking anime girls in a void (or draw at all, though that is a tall order)

>>7645461
>1. Crammed together cover; the editor should decide ties.
I agree with you completely. It felt so icky sullying the three pieces to get them to fit, but in the moment it felt even more icky unilaterally choosing just one. I need to embrace my role better—that will hopefully be my first and last compromise.

>2. I wonder if doing full page illustrations is really the most suitable? Half page illustrations; spot illustrations.
Editing-wise, the full-page inserts are so much easier to accomodate than interrupting the text, but one of the reasons I’m doing this is to get better with LibreOffice, the text processor I’m using, so I’m down to try to implement any irregularly-dimensioned illustrations for July.
>The half page illustration could appear at the beginning as the opener to the story (so the top of the page), and then another at the half way point (top or bottom of the page), and then another at then end (bottom of the page).
I know what you mean, almost like a highschool literature textbook. That’s the dream.
>If you stick with full page illustrations, maybe consider making the pdf a double page spread instead, with the illustration leading into the story, and ending the story, much like my suggestion for the half pages illustrations.
The way I view the PDF, it is a double-page spread—odd numbers on the right (recto); evens left (verso)—but I never thought of having the opening illustration on the verso, across from the first page’s text recto. Great idea!
>Also, insert blank pages so that you don't end up with wrong Illustrations sitting directly next to the wrong story (Like a Little Man Illustration next to Motoris for example).
I did this for March; I should have done it this time too.

>>7645464
>3. Including sketches
Treating the illustrations as full-page inserts means they need a front and back. If I didn’t include the sketch for “When Birds Fell Silent,” that side of the insert would either be blank, or would just be a duplicate of the main illustration (like with “The Glare Off My Glass”). They’re good at fulfilling the space and adding some variety, as well as being very, very cool, in my opinion, but I should ask anyone who posts any sketches if they’re cool with them being used.

>4. No /lit/ engagement
>I don't think more than 1 of those authors voted, and frankly, I feel they have an obligation to do so.
You took the words out of my head. The investment required on your side is gargantuan, often thinking more critically about each story than most authors, and your efforts deserve the highest consideration.
I’ll do more in the /lit/ threads to describe these sentiments I’m so glad you’ve shared.
My heart leaps whenever I see a story that isn’t even mine receives a visual dimension (which means so much more to me than “fan art”), but I feel just as much in the opposite direction when it seems no one’s there to appreciate it, or even say thank you.
I really don’t know what to do in this regard.
>so you might need to more firmly push the need to vote on them, or even note who has and hasn't voted and simply take out the author's stories, of the authors who didn't vote, out of the competition.
I’ve been part of the /lit/ threads since February, and every other author—except yodo, the organizer—has either left, or left and then come back (multiple times).
I’m saying that most us authors are, unfortunately, transient—PIGS +, who won last month’s /lwc/ and contributed three illustrations here, is nowhere to be found—especially as the months change.
The best I can do is pester the author’s of the following /lwc/ to engage in voting, who may not even have stories submitted, I’m sorry.

>>7645461
>>7645464
I have immense gratitude for your organizing/sharing your words, anon.
I’ll revisit them from now until August in order to do a better job.
And I said this back in March, and it still stands, that I’m fine with anyone on /ic/ taking the reins from me on this whole enterprise—ideally, an /ic/ regular should be in charge here.
If you or anyone else wants to be the organizer/rule-maker of this all, it’s yours—I just like putting cool art and writing together.

>>7645530
ineptia, the problem seems to be that the writers at /lwc/ write for the comp, whereas the illustrators here write for /lwc/ as opposed to their own comp.

To solve this. You could just run a comp here on /ic/ and for the prompt, give a description of parts of the story/ies that have won /lwc/.

e.g.

Prompt: An alchemist trying to uncover the secrets of the universe.

>>7647643
>To solve this. You could just run a comp here on /ic/ and for the prompt, give a description of parts of the story/ies that have won /lwc/.
While I don't think that's a bad idea, would the differing takes on the same story, such as with "little man" or "Vae Motoris" in the last comp, been possible with a watered down prompt?
Would the depiction of particular scenes or themes be possible with a simple plot? Not unless the prompt specifies it, then you'll end up with multiple same samey illustrations.
On the other hand, a quick prompt would encourage people to more quickly dive into drawing, rather than needing to spend a couple of hours of prep by needing to read through all the stories.

So it really depends on what OP wants out of the competition.

>>7647738
i believe ineptias goal to be to engage cross-community in the creation of an illustrated short story collection.

i agree asking to read all the stories is probably not the most illustrator-friendly approach since reading is very time consuming.

>Would the depiction of particular scenes or themes be possible with a simple plot?

for example, to reference the Winner of this months /lwc/ 'an alchemist trying to uncover the secrets of the universe' is definitely broad enough to inspire many different types of illustrations while also relating directly to the story.

As the organiser of /lwc/ i just want extend my deepest gratitude to all the illustrators who have so far engaged (i did vote in the /ic/ contest btw and i do care that you here are putting in such good work)

>>7647738
>a watered down prompt

i also wouldn't call this 'watered down' I would say it's just a 'macro' look at the story, a prompt thats not as specific as an entire story but captures the essence and flavour of what the author wrote.

>>7647832
If I'm being honest, I'm a shallow, shallow man.
I go off titles, and if it doesn't hook me in the first paragraph, I move on to the next more interesting title.

>>7648075
yeah going off titles would be difficult and vague. Why would you go off titles?

Bump

>>7642934
>Wrestling with the tension of opposites.
I apologize in advance, but I will be making at least one cover that includes the Macho Man

>>7651907
>I will be making at least one cover that includes the Macho Man
So that's who was on the other side of the door in "Subtracting Three"!
When you count his promo, he and the protagonist were both cutting things.

Bump

>>7642934
"Q.E.D."
Bravo! I usually don't like complex wordplay, but this one is a great read! Magnifique!

I'm looking forward for next month!

>>7661455
Very nice.

>>7642931 (OP)
interested in joining this, tell me how to join this like im retarded plz

>>7661677
>read a story
>make a picture for the story
>The picture should be 2550 pixels wide × 3300 pixels high
>post it here
That's all.

Here are the stories; >>7642934

>>7661455
>Bravo! I usually don't like complex wordplay, but this one is a great read! Magnifique!
I’m truly touched you enjoyed my story, anon, and absolutely floored by what it led you to create.
You distilled the essence of everything I was going for—namely: Intention over context.
The “complex wordplay” was my setting up pins, muddled and confusing pins that this one moment would hopefully all knock over with its clear, salient, and powerful imagery.
Imagery which you have now manifested before my eyes—you nailed it!
The framing, perspective, and lighting might as well have been what were going on in my head as I wrote it—even down to the compassionate body language of AΩ’s hand…
Like, as a big fan of Yu-Gi-Oh card art, I’m sure on some level I was thinking about the imagery of this card in constructing the scene:
https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Silent_Doom
But, crucially, you drew AΩ’s palm upward-facing, thus embuing His pose with transcendent benevolence, as opposed to cruel dominion.
This was how I pictured it, after all, but I didn’t realize this detail until seeing it right in front of me.
Plus, the point/photon is as multiferious as ever, rushing off in every direction from its inscrutable origin (which, by extending its rays, I did actually pinpoint to a spot on AΩ’s palm).
And the countless Ben-Day dots are more than a worthy asset for the artistic depiction of geometric prima materia;
No one completely knows maths or physics or “God,” but glimpsing a single aspect of any is enough to understand that infinity does indeed exist, and that we each have a place within it.
To me, your illustration is a tremendous glimpse, and a true reflection of its inspiration.
Thank you so much!