The Courtroom Artist Contest is a contest that allows artistically talented students the opportunity to participate in the Mock Trial Program. Contestants observe their schools' trial during Round 1 (optional practice) and Round 2 (official round), and create drawings of the courtroom scene. Each Mock Trial school may enter up to three courtroom artists. The top two high school winners of the Los Angeles County Courtroom Artist Contest will be eligible to compete at the State Mock Trial Finals.
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Contest Rules and Procedures - Judging Criteria
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All artists must be affiliated with a current registered LA County Mock Trial team and enrolled at the team’s school.
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All artists must be on the team's registered list, pay a $35.00 registration fee, and submit a student waiver & release form by October 4th. The student waiver & release form authorizes the publication or reprinting of the Courtroom Artist Contest submissions for educational purposes. No financial compensation will be awarded.
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The sketch must depict an actual courtroom scene observed by the courtroom artist. Artists are reminded not to focus too much on the background.
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Sketch must be created and completed by the courtroom artist during the course of the artist's school Round 2 trial without the help of any source or person. Artist may not submit your Round 1 “practice” sketch for judging.
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The artists provides their own art supplies. The art submission must be done in color.
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The drawing must be on paper of the dimensions 11” X 14” with a horizontal format.
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During Round 2:
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artist may sit in the jury box away from the scoring panel if there is room.
- Introduce themselves to the presider during the team's intorduction, identify themselves as a courtoom artits.
- Once artists are in the courtroom, they may not have any contact with anyone from their school (parents, teachers, or fellow students).
- Artists must create your drawing completely independently.
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At the end of Round 2, the artist must submit their drawing with the label (name and team code only) on the back of the sketch to the presider at the end of the round. No name/signature is allowed on the front of the submission.
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Only drawings submitted at the end of Round 2 to the presider will be entered in the contest.
Tips & Ideas
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Let the viewer know right away that this is a courtroom. Include items that convey that setting, but don’t focus on sketching a microphone instead of the witness on the stand.
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Artists should focus on sketching the people (facial and body expressions) involved in the trial. The artists can sketch the participants as standing or sitting.
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Remember to tell as full a story as possible. The drawing should represent what you see but also, through the drawing, tell a story.
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Find the most newsworthy action that occurred in the courtroom. Perhaps there is an “ah-ha” moment, an intriguing witness, a shocking development with which to capture the emotion of the trial. The artist must remember that this is true reporting, and must be the “eyes of the court”.