A question that often arises, especially after our Group or an inter-group competition is "What do judges look for when they judge pictures?"
Sometime folk often query why certain pictures are favoured above others.
This is a subject that will never go away and I think that most art/craft based competitions such as - painting, model making and flower arranging etc all suffer from the same questions from those who were unsuccessful. It's a question that most of us who have entered pictures in competitions will have wondered about.
Well believe it or not, the Marquetry Society has laid down rules and guidelines for those judging the National competition and these instructions are usually applied to other competitions as well.

Firstly, judges should bear in mind the Marquetry Society's definition of Marquetry which is:-

"Marquetry is the craft and art of making pictures and decorative designs by skilful use of the grain, figure and natural colour of the veneers of wood"

Judges should not let their personal subject preferences affect their judgement when assessing an exhibit. Therefore comments like "The judge doesn't like bird pictures or coloured veneers" shouldn't enter the equation.
Whilst the overall appearance of a piece must be considered, it is the Marquetry content that is the most important element to be judged. This means that it is the Marquetry rather than the woodwork or carpentry that is the prime subject to be judged.

Whilst excellence in every regard is desirable, the various aspects of a Marquetry work should be ranked as follows:- 
 

A work that has used veneers economically should not necessarily be seen as inferior to one which contains a multitude of pieces of veneer. A single piece of veneer that works well should be rated just as highly as a complex multi-pieced representation that in itself works no better than a single well chosen piece.

Minor indiscretions such as slight border mis-alignment, minor cutting errors, polishing imperfections or low quality hanging arrangements etc. should not in themselves be seen as a reason why an otherwise excellent work should be dismissed and not considered worthy of judging.

The Societies definition of Marquetry should be borne in mind when considering the use and effectiveness of non natural veneers in a Marquetry exhibit. This applies to the use of dyed, man made, bleached or scorched veneers and the like.

These, then, are the guidelines that the judges should be considering when judging a picture in a competition. These are also the guidelines that the marqueteer should bear in mind when cutting a picture.

There are other rules which apply to the partiality of judges but these should not be of concern to the entrant.

Hopefully these guidelines will help you when choosing and cutting and completing a picture or other piece for competition purposes and give a clear understanding of how the mind of a judge should be working when he is studying your latest masterpiece which you feel is destined for the 'Rosebowl' !

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A "Standard of Perfection Chart" as originally issued by the Judges at a
National Exhibition (if requested by the entrant).