Tag bookmark contest

a collage of the five winning bookmarks from last week.

Bring Your Art Skills: Bookmark Contest 2023

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A collage of the five winning bookmarks from 2022.
2022 HCLS winning bookmarks

We want to see what you can imagine! Draw anything that you love and want to share that uses the given space in interesting ways, and maybe brings a smile to someone’s face. There are no required themes. Our contest runs from May 31 through July 31. Winning bookmarks will be available at all HCLS branches in the fall.

All children in grades K – 12 who live or attend school (or homeschool) in Howard County may enter.

One winner in each category (five total) will be chosen to be printed:
Kindergarten & Grade 1, Grades 2 & 3, Grades 4 & 5, Grades 6 – 8, and Grades 9 – 12

Forms are available at HCLS branches and printable on demand from hclibrary.org.

Some tips include:

Please don’t trace or use copyrighted images (such as from favorite TV shows, movies, or books) or include computer- or AI-generated art. If you include words, check for correct spelling and legibility. Keep text away from edges. In fact, keep all important design details away from the line around the box.

Consider what medium works best for you. Sparkle crayons, gel pens, and neon colors don’t reproduce well and probably won’t be chosen. Make sure that your design is well defined, not sketchy or pale.

Dear adults: This contest is for students, please don’t “help” with anything other than the form.

Best of luck! We look forward to seeing the results of your artistry, creativity, and imagination.

Under bright blue text that reads "winning bookmarks," a series of five images: A duck in front of a book case with a thought bubble wondering Waddle I Read?; an undersea montage of fish and corals done by a kindergartener; A dragon's eye drawn realistically peering through an apparent tear in the page; three brightly hued butterflies; and a woman in a striped beach hat reading on a beach with all sorts of summery icons hovering above the book.

Calling all young artists!

Kristen B. 1 Comment
Under bright blue text that reads "winning bookmarks," a series of five images: A duck in front of a book case with a thought bubble wondering Waddle I Read?; an undersea montage of fish and corals done by a kindergartener; A dragon's eye drawn realistically peering through an apparent tear in the page; three brightly-hued butterflies; and a woman in a striped beach hat reading on a beach with all sorts of summery icons hovering above the book.

The bookmark drawing contest is returning this year. How can you use the bookmark space to surprise and delight us? Bring us your best art!

HCLS gives out tons of bookmarks every year, but our favorites are the ones designed by students here in our community. Although it went on hiatus during the pandemic, the bookmark contest returns this year for anyone in Kindergarten through Grade 12 who lives or goes to school in Howard County.

The contest runs from May 31 – July 31, after which winners are selected in each of five categories: Grades K-1, Grades 2-3, Grades 4-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. We are always astounded by the talent and creativity that students share!

Just be careful: please don’t use any copyrighted characters (like, say, from Encanto or the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and follow the instructions on the entry form about what doesn’t reproduce well. Glitter crayons and gel pens are really, truly the most cool things ever, but not so much for the printer. We’ve had winners use regular crayons, colored pencils, markers, watercolor paint, and combinations of media.

Entry forms are available in branches or you can print one at home. The form has more suggestions for success. There’s no set theme. Winning bookmarks will be announced online, then printed and made available in September. Good luck!