This category includes non-performance entries in any media not covered by other categories, that would fit as an art (as opposed to a science). See the List of Arts and List of Sciences to help determine which area the entry best fits. An entry which majorly requires creation skills and/or materials that fall into areas normally categorized as an art, should be considered a miscellaneous art as opposed to a miscellaneous science. An example of a miscellaneous art is Japanese cord braiding.
This criteria applies to finished items only; crafts involving only the preparation of materials for other uses should be entered in Material Preparation. (Ex: fabric painting, batik printing, paper-making).
DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points) Must have at least a 3X5 card. More is acceptable. Give one point for each of the following that is present:
- Identification/Description of the entry.
- Approximate date and place/nationality in history that the entry is modeled upon.
- Includes materials/tools list OR states method used to complete entry.
- Cites at least one reference, either illustrative (pictures) or descriptive, relating to either A) period use of such item OR B) period method of constructing such item OR C) both A & B.
- Entry is appropriate to time/place stated in documentation.
- Materials used are period OR give period effect.
- Methods/Procedures used are period OR give period effect.
- Style, pattern, design and finished product are consistent with one another and give period effect.
- Number & complexity of pattern pieces or design elements used.
- Difficulty of materials handling involved in project or decoration.
- Amount of time involved, including research, material preparation.
- Number of steps, kinds of tools used, amount of guidance.
- Effective use of materials & tools.
- Attention to details, neatness, finishing touches.
- Appropriate application of design(s), proportions.
- Ability of entry to serve intended function.
- 1:Used a kit or existing pattern with no modification.
- 2:Close duplicate of someone else's project.
- 3:Logical combination of a few copied elements.
- 4:Evidence of original work logical to period context, in design or execution; worked on standardized project, but added personal variations to either basic pattern or ornamentation.
- 5:Creative interpolation in combination of elements; modified basic pattern and ornamentation OR piece is an exact replica of a period piece.
- 6:Much innovation logical to period context (e.g., development of an original method to replicate a period style); work is almost entirely original application of period designs and methods.
Rate the aesthetic effect and appeal beyond mere technical proficiency. Consider how you react to the entry & how the entrant seems to have related to the materials, processes & finished project
DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points) Must have at least 1 page; 2-3 pages preferable. More is acceptable. Give one point for each of the following that is present:
- Identification/Description of the entry plus the approximate date and place/nationality in history that the entry is modeled upon.
- Statement or listing of materials used in entry's construction and use(s) of the entry.
- Describes method(s) used to create entry (may include reasons for why a certain process or material was used).
- Cites at least two references, either illustrative (pictures) or descriptive, relating to either A) period use of such item OR B) period method of constructing such item OR C) both A & B.
- 0:Out of period; blatantly modern.
- 1:Some period elements & apparent knowledge of period techniques.
- 2:Approximates period work, but has obvious flaws &/or inconsistencies.
- 3:Sound knowledge of period practice evident, flaws and inconsistencies are minor.
- 4:Good period effect, minor flaws only, deviations from period clearly explained.
COMPLEXITY (1-5 points) Rank the ambition of the entry, NOT the workmanship, on a scale of 1-5, based on the following:
- Number of elements (even if repetitions of same thing).
- Variety of elements (how many different things, actions).
- Scope of project; ambition of the attempt.
- Difficulty of materials.
- Number, duration and difficulty of steps and techniques.
- Ability of entry to serve intended function.
- Attention to details, neatness and finishing touches.
- Appropriate application of design(s).
- Effective use of materials and designs.
- Mastery of period style and technique.
- 1:Project fits period, was created from a kit, but has personal variations to ornamentation.
- 2:Project fits period, its origin was a kit, but has been greatly altered both in pattern and in ornamentation.
- 3:Project is mostly original application of period or SCA Known World designs OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
- 4:Project is an original application of period or SCA Known World designs.
NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, and other such items not previously addressed. Keep in mind that this entry is at Intermediate Level, regardless of the skill of the entrant.
MISCELLANEOUS ARTS - ADVANCED DOCUMENTATION (0-4 points) Must have at least 3 pages of discussion (NOT including visuals and bibliography). More is acceptable. Give score based on the following:
- 0:No or very inaccurate documentation.
- 1:Minimum of time period, country of origin, medium, style.
- 2:Minimum information with visual reference(s) to period examples, but little or no discussion of period practice; OR minimum information plus discussion of period practice, but no visual references.
- 3:Minimum information plus visual references and discussion of period practice.
- 4:#3 but very complete examples and discussion. Includes rationale for design elements, techniques and materials used, as well as their appropriateness to each other, to the item's purpose and to period. Explains original project or research. Explains any deviations or variations from period norm.
- 0:Totally inappropriate to time period.
- 1:Generally period with some obvious modern elements present OR obvious mixture of elements from different cultures or periods (Ex., late-period media used for an exclusively early-period object, combination of motifs from unconnected cultures or periods, etc.).
- 2:Overall period design and execution with minor inconsistencies.
- 3:Period design and execution with no inconsistencies; period materials or reasonable equivalents.
- 4:A completely period product by use of period design, materials, tools, techniques, etc.
- Difficulty and variety of media, materials, tools used.
- Difficulty and variety of techniques (skills used to complete project).
- Difficulty and variety of design strategies applied (Ex., kit is minimal; kit embellishment more advanced; designing original procedures is best).
- Scope of endeavor.
- Techniques: neatness, precision, choice and handling of materials, etc.
- Form/design: balance, aesthetics, motifs, proportion, etc.
- Function: does it do what it should do and look as it should look?
- Achievement of period style and technique.
- 0:Piece isn't logical in context of period, or was made from a kit with no modifications.
- 1:Project fits period, was created from a kit, but has personal variations to ornamentation.
- 2:Project fits period; its origin was a kit, but has been greatly altered both in pattern and in ornamentation.
- 3:Project is mostly original application of period or SCA Known World designs OR is an exact reproduction of a period item.
- 4:Project is an original application of period or SCA Known World designs, as might have been done by a creative period artisan.
NOTE: This category is subjective; however, the judge should take into account prior category scores, aesthetic appeal, presentation, intuitive response, and other such items not previously addressed.