Judging to determine the winning entry for the 2017 Waterfowl Conservation Stamp competition — also known as the duck-stamp contest — begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Washington Civic Center.

This year, artists are asked to submit artwork featuring tundra swan, ring-necked duck gadwalls, buffleheads and blue-winged teals in their natural habitats. Entries are judged on the following criteria:

• level and accuracy of detail in all aspects of the anatomy of waterfowl;
•  appropriateness, accuracy and detail in depiction of the selected species’ habitat;
• attractiveness and creativity of the composition, regarding spatial balance, lighting and harmony of subject and background; and
• visual appeal and suitability for reproduction at both the print and stamp scales.

The artist who submits the winning entry receives $7,000 in prize money and a $300 travel allowance to help him or her attend the festival. The top five entries will be exhibited during the festival.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the Washington Tourism Development Authority sponsor the annual contest.

In past years, the duck-stamp contest served as a prelude to the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and North Carolina Decoy Carving Championships, which are not scheduled for this year. Entries come from some of the best wildlife artists in the nation and other countries.

This year’s blue-ribbon entry will be used as the artwork for the prints and stamps sold to help pay for North Carolina’s portion of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, an international agreement aimed at protecting waterfowl and waterfowl habitat. The sales of prints and stamps also support waterfowl research and purchases equipment used in wetlands management.

Garrett Jacobs’ painting of a brant was the winner of the 2016 North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp competition.

Last year, 31 artists submitted entries, including 10 women, said Lynn Wingate, Washington’s tourism-development director. The entries came from 18 states, including nine entries from North Carolina, she said.