The art department is starting in on some of its biggest contests of the year, and after an award filled season last year, hopes are high for a big win.

The art contests this year include a National Geographic photo contest, Vans Custom Culture, and Doodle 4 Google, though art teacher Gillian Bailey has plenty more available on her website. The prizes range from free art supplies to a $30,000 college scholarship.

Bailey said that she encourages students to do art contests because it can teach the students how to work with the demands of a client and maintain their own vision at the same time.

“It’s unrealistic in the art world to create all the work you want and have everyone clamoring to buy it,” Bailey said. “What’s more realistic is when you are doing commissions or you’re a graphic designer and creating art for a purpose. You have to think really hard in order to get your ideas to meet the client’s needs and create something you’re proud of.”

Some of the winning students last year are senior Robert Yu for the East Bay Monthly cover art contest, junior Mei Mei McComb, who was published in Photographer’s Forum, and senior Maya Thomas who was a state finalist for Doodle 4 Google.

Bailey has more enthusiasm for some special contests including Doodle 4 Google, in which students send in a Google Doodle to be featured on the Google home screen. The contest, which receives over 100,000 submissions each year, has become a tradition for Bailey’s students. Thomas came within a few steps of the grand prize last year with her entry called “Roots”.

Recently, students have submitted to a photography contest by National Geographic with the grand prize being a trip to a photographer’s workshop in either London, Paris, Prague, or here in San Francisco.

“I had taken a lot of photos over spring break in Honduras, and I found a link to the contest on Ms. Bailey’s website,” sophomore Chloe Lee Rowlands said. “The theme of the contest was adventure which suited my photos well.”

“It’s called ‘Student Expeditions’ and the tag line is grab your camera and explore your world,” senior Kate Bott said. “The photos I am using are from Luca, Italy. One is from the top of a watch tower and another is overlooking the city through a window in the tower.”

Bailey said that she usually advises students to enter something with color and non-retouched because National Geographic tends to be more documentation.

“Something with the natural world or with the human condition,” Bailey said.

The Vans Custom Culture is a contest in which 2,000 schools each receive four pairs of plain white Vans