Image by Happyminders @Instagram
Arts & Culture Lifestyle Visual Arts

Dive into Limitless Inspiration with Autonomous Art Competition

May 5, 2021

Autonomous is an office expert that designs innovative products to boost productivity and comfort while working. Not only do they focus on design and comfort, but they also pay attention to the wellbeing of the users with their perfectly designed products. 

One of their high-efficiency products is the SmartDesk 2, a customizable Autonomous standing desk built to support daily work. The company recently conducted a DIY Art competition revolving around this innovative piece of furniture. There are thousands of art competitions around the world, but this one added meaning to creativity. So, what’s the connection with artists or art, and why did they host this competition?  

Firstly, Autonomous has a strong affinity towards art in all forms. Their team works daily with the implementation of artistic techniques and design. So, the concept of art is not one they are unfamiliar with. They strive to create beauty in all their endeavors, and the sleek products they design are proof of this commitment to aesthetics. 

Artists Get to Showcase their Talent

Autonomous invites artists from all corners of the world to a platform where you can showcase your talent and win amazing prizes. And the platform is none other than the SmartDesk 2 itself. Yes, they ask you to paint your desktop with a signature or inspired style that motivates you. 

It’s a great feeling to make something your own by adding a hint of your personality or likes. That’s what Autonomous was encouraging artists to do in this competition. Getting your favorite piece of furniture is satisfying, but customizing it to your unique taste with your hands is something else. 

Feature on Limited Edition Series 

The biggest prize here was probably the opportunity to be featured on their Limited Edition series. With an impressive following in the US and Canadian markets, your work would earn the attention of businesses and professionals from all fields. 

Social media is the most effective way to reach a large audience, and Instagram is a leading platform for visual media like art, photography, and video. Autonomous’ substantial following will ensure that your art goes places.  

The top five winners of the Autonomous DIY Competition will see their artwork reproduced and sold to eager buyers. This is a great way to take your work to high levels with their platform as a stepping stone. 

Winners of Cash Prizes

Apart from the artwork feature, the winners with the leading number of votes won unbelievable cash prizes. They were rewarded for all the hard work and hours put in to create the work of art that they can call their own. 

These artworks won by a very close margin. With over 1300 likes, here are the prizes won by the top three winners:

First Place 

$2000 cash prize – The winner of the first prize is the artist with the most number of votes on Instagram.  

Winner: @Happyminders

Second Place 

$1500 cash prize – The second most liked artwork was awarded $1500 for the creativity and time spent on the piece. Winner: @ssstrawberri

Third Place 

$1000 cash prize each – Three third places received $1000 each for their art pieces. 

Winners:

@santiagomejia.design

@baesd.art

@garscadden_girl

Autonomous’ Favorite Artist

$500 cash prize – Autonomous chose a favorite artist to win $500.

Winner: @michaeljbrodzik

What Makes The Autonomous Competition Unique?

This is a competition that helped appreciate artistic talents and brought exposure for their artwork on Instagram. Here are the things that make it unique and more interesting:

  • Artists submitted their artwork after receiving the SmartDesk 2. If they did not send their artwork, they were considered regular customers, paying the full amount ($399) to purchase the product.
  • Copyrighted work for the SmartDesk 2 DIY project was not allowed. Only original and unique artwork was permitted to participate/win in the competition. This was required if there was a future need for the artwork, such as a Limited Edition feature. 
  • Designers or artists could not use work that they have previously used in other competitions or for other projects. This caused the artwork to be labeled as unoriginal. Such artworks were not accepted. 
  • The copyrights to the image belong to the artist, but Autonomous could use the copyright for posting prize winners, promotions, and advertising products. 
  • The artworks submitted were entirely hand-drawn or hand-painted. Artists were allowed to use all art mediums but were not allowed to get the work done digitally or through print. 
  • Sexual themes or violent content were not allowed in the competition. 
  • Participants sent high res images with the size 1080 x 1080 pixels and in a jpeg format to the Autonomous team. 

The Winner Selection Process

All the DIY competition art posts sent to Autonomous by email were posted on the Autonomous Instagram page. Voters who appreciated the artwork liked the post, and some even shared the work with others. The artworks with the most number of votes won. 

Since art can often be subjective, Autonomous had allowed their entire audience to judge the artwork and truly appreciate its beauty and effort. The art was not reviewed by a few artists who might have specific tastes but by a community of thousands of users. 

Here’s how the voting process took place:

  • Voters visited the Autonomous Instagram page and browsed through all the posted artworks.
  • They selected a favorite or more and liked the post to vote for the artwork. There was no limit to the number of posts voters could like. 

The voters helped encourage artists everywhere to pursue their art and feel motivated to share their work. It also offered an excellent opportunity for budding artists to showcase their talent and share it with the world. 

Winning Voters for the Lucky Draw

If you thought this game was only for artists, then you thought wrong. Even voters won unbelievable prizes by participating in the competition indirectly. Autonomous simultaneously held a lucky draw for the Instagram users who commented on the artwork. 

All they had to do to participate was:

  • Log in to Instagram. Go to the Autonomous Instagram page and like the posts of favorite artworks. 
  • Tag a friend in the comments.
  • Winning voters were randomly selected participants from the comment section who have tagged friends. 

Prizes Taken Home

The randomly selected voters in the Lucky Draw competition won the following exciting prizes:

  • Two lucky participants won a SmartDesk 2 or an ErgoChair 2 based on their choice of prize. The SmartDesk 2 is a sturdy desk solution that has adjustable height settings. It can lift up to 300 lbs in weight and has a quiet, classy motor. The ErgoChair 2 is a comfortable chair designed to improve posture and comfort so that you work with complete convenience.

Winners: 

@sharonyjlee

@that_dude_mark1 

  • Four lucky voters won an Autonomous Led Desk Lamp. Light up your space with a powerful lamp that is gentle on the eyes and enables you to work whenever you want. 

Winners: 

@francoabelloo

@clay__davidson

@drake.works

@mit_patel8

How Did the Autonomous Competition Help
the Artists and Community?

The Autonomous DIY competition was a huge success, with the winning art pieces liked by over 1300 viewers. Artists were motivated by the viewers for their skills. Friends were sharing the artwork to help the artists win the competition. On the whole, it was a very positive experience for the participants and the viewers, 

Autonomous was able to spread kindness and motivation during these troubling times with the help of this art competition. The company was hearing stories from their customers worldwide about their challenges during the pandemic situation. It was a strange time with people finding it difficult to adjust to the new norms. Many businesses were facing closure or financial struggles, and employees were losing their jobs. 

Autonomous hosted this competition to bring a tiny bit of joy in this time. They gave the artists a free SmartDesk 2 to participate in the competition and turn their workplace into a zone of motivation and creativity. As most individuals struggled with finding the determination to create and work, this desk was a constant reminder to stay happy.

Spreading Positivity in these Times

Autonomous, one of the companies that depend solely on remote work, empathize with the office goers who had to be cooped up at home during the pandemic. It is a scary world outside and inside homes; it is a chore to stay motivated. But the competition brought a little competitive spirit and excitement to the followers of Autonomous and the participants who made the competition a success.

Winning Artworks in Limited Edition Desks

It’s not over yet! Autonomous promised to soon come up with their Limited Edition series for the winners of the competition. This means that Autonomous will reproduce the winners’ designs onto their products and sell them commercially in the market. Artists get to see their masterpieces in homes and offices and take pride in their work. 

Autonomous has been doing a great job of interacting with their customers and encouraging positivity in the world during tough times. It is a brand that has earned its respect.

About the author

Jamie Moses

Jamie Moses founded Artvoice in 1990

Add Comment

Click here to post a comment