Hi everyone,

As some of you may have noticed, the subreddit recently entered a new chapter with a new moderation team after a long period of inactivity. It is an honor to be here with you.

*First: No new bureaucracy today. Just our first project.*

Painting has become one of Reddit's largest spaces dedicated to Art. For almost two decades, since 2008, one thing has always been missing: an identity created by the artists who make this place what it is. So let's start there.

Today we're launching our very first Community Insight, the Icon Contest. You're going to like this.

Icon is the first thing every visitor sees. It needs to represent the real people, not only the team behind the scenes. Our space lacks this representation, you are invited to change that.

This is also the first step toward something bigger, a collaborative model. PS: Whenever it makes sense, major structural and identity decisions will be built directly with you.

*What We're Looking For*

We're looking for paintings. Traditional paintings are welcome, as well as digital paintings that faithfully emulate painted media.

We're not looking for logos, typography, graffiti, or graphic design, not today.

For the best result:

\- Direct Crop Only: Submit a high-resolution image of the artwork only. Do not include easels, studio backgrounds, frames, or room environments.

\- The Circular Layout: Keep the main subject centered so it works well inside Reddit's circular icon. (Preferred 1:1 or 16:9)

*How to Participate*

To keep the feed organized and easily indexed for voting, all entries must use this exact format:

Post Title: Your title must begin with the prefix: *Icon Art:* \[Your Artwork Title\]

Post Flair: Apply the official event flair: *System Identity*

You are encouraged to include a short paragraph in the text body explaining your inspiration and creative process. Great artwork tells a story, and the community would love to hear yours. You can make your work go down in history.

At first, submissions will remain open for 10 days. Your engagement can change this.

*How the Winner Is Chosen*

What would you like to see hanging on your wall at home? The community comes first. You choose. Upvotes, discussion, and overall response will guide the selection.

The moderation team will only perform a final review to ensure the winning artwork works properly as a Reddit icon. If the race gets close, we may open a second vote.

*Artist Recognition*

The final icon will remain clean, without signatures or usernames, so it can serve as a shared symbol for the entire community.

The winning artist will instead receive a dedicated Spotlight post from the moderation team featuring both the artwork and its creator.

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The empty circle has been waiting long enough. The feed is yours, this is your house. Let's create something worthy of the space you built.🏅

A New Chapter for r/painting: Our First Community Project - The Icon Contest.