Stonemason Contest Chat Thread
douglas442_7a74d4adca
Posts: 0
quickxotica said:PS: I am surprised there aren't hundreds of people voting? I know it's some work to vote, but only with a statistically significant number of voters will be get the best-quality outcome. Are people reluctant to vote 'cause they don't want to give points to someone else? Maybe only people who vote should be eligible for the community choice awards? Just a thought. I know my own entry has no business winning, so I don't care one way or another.... just seems weird that people would enter the contest and then be too lazy (or...?) to vote.
Anyway... good luck everyone!
There's really a wide range of issues, here, that would tend to make an objective, or subjective, and/or ethically based decision difficult, at the very least. Especially with so many entries, from such a wide range of skill levels, from struggling-beginners to published-professionals... not to mention themes ranging from basic portraiture to attempts at story-telling.
Just one instance, by way of example ( lest any more that might get me placed on an even wider range of "ignore" lists )... the case of those whose continuing states of enforced poverty might still be restricting them to a dial-up web connection using an antiquated computer through an ISP that's prone to cutting them off at random intervals.
Under such circumstances, and without the ability to judge at a glance what's "art" and what isn't, making a studied list of eight choices from over a couple hundred images could take literally all day... or maybe even several.
And some folks may find it difficult to sit in one position for that length of time, or have other things to do... like the laundry or last week's dishes... or...... uh, oh......
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Comments
Those who liked mine are afraid to vote :wink:
There's really a wide range of issues, here, that would tend to make an objective, or subjective, and/or ethically based decision difficult, at the very least. Especially with so many entries, from such a wide range of skill levels, from struggling-beginners to published-professionals... not to mention themes ranging from basic portraiture to attempts at story-telling.
Just one instance, by way of example ( lest any more that might get me placed on an even wider range of "ignore" lists )... the case of those whose continuing states of enforced poverty might still be restricting them to a dial-up web connection using an antiquated computer through an ISP that's prone to cutting them off at random intervals.
Under such circumstances, and without the ability to judge at a glance what's "art" and what isn't, making a studied list of eight choices from over a couple hundred images could take literally all day... or maybe even several.
And some folks may find it difficult to sit in one position for that length of time, or have other things to do... like the laundry or last week's dishes... or...... uh, oh......
It's stressful to participate in judging.. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and yet it's bound to happen when someone sees my votes and they aren't there. For many I'm sure it's just easier to sit this out than to face the extra stress..
I already feel like a winner just to have more than a couple of votes..
I have chosen not to vote for those very reasons MADMANMIKE
It's stressful to participate in judging.. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and yet it's bound to happen when someone sees my votes and they aren't there. For many I'm sure it's just easier to sit this out than to face the extra stress..
I already feel like a winner just to have more than a couple of votes..
I don't think anyone should feel stressed over the voting. Is it a lot of work? Yes! Especially if you are trying to be a fair judge.
This was a truly hard contest with a crazy amount of truly awesome submissions. The fact that people were allowed 2 entries made it twice as hard to judge. But, anyone that gets offended by your vote 1) needs to learn to take criticism and 2) isn't a good friend of yours. Voting for your friends may seem to be a good thing, but I feel that anyone doing this is only hurting their growth as an artist.
I doubt I will win anything but I am totally ok with that. I have not placed anywhere in the last several contests that I have entered online. Is that disappointing? At first, because you feel like you worked so hard sometimes putting days or weeks into a project. But it is fun to try. I also have made lots of new friends who are now commenting on my work and sharing their insight and tips. Plus it motivates me to keep pushing myself creatively.
I really hope others will not shy away from voting. We have over 150 people on here that put so much heart and time into their work that if only a handful of people vote for fear of offending their friends in the community it will be a shame for everyone.
BTW - You made it into my top 20 out of over 200+ images and are in some peoples top 8. So that is a great thing. Picking only 8 out of 200+ images was no easy task. I had to take into account so many factors, which is why I used a spread sheet to rate each image.
I only got like 5 votes. Would I have liked to have seen more? Sure. But there were some amazing images that put my work to shame. I'm not offended by the low vote count. It just means I need to work harder to improve my skills. Contests always drive me to improve. I learn new things every time i do a contest image and I improve older skills. This is a tough contest that always brings out the best of the best. Looking over all the images submitted, no matter how many votes you got or didn't get, everyone should be proud of their work. Every single image here is simply an incredible work of art. There are no "bad" images. All the art is spectacular. So even those who got few or no votes, do not feel bad, your work still deserves to be in this contest and you should remain proud of the work you did.
Well - I was totally flattened that I did get votes ...
And I just posted my votings because no votings, no fun ...
And who is going to read all message to see by whom they are and who they voted for?
I agree Kerya.
I was just so happy and thrilled that my pictures spoke to someone/anyone.
I had a few people write me and tell me that 'The Ministry of Lost Childhood' submission had stopped them and made them pause or think or remember.
I am so honored and so thankful and 87.6% speechless. Those messages made me pause and think. :) :)
In the end, this was such a special event. :)
I so feel the same to have 10 votes (9 for one, 1 for the other) out of 61 votes so far I am well pleased and willl I be plotting agaisnt those that didn't vote for me...yes of course I am, I am a BWC member after all. :)
MadMadmike...sorry I have to disagree with you there. If anyone gets upset then that is their probelm not yours. You cannot be held resposible for how other people think and if some did get upset then it just shows their true self and for me I wouldn't want to know them after that.
Absolutely, it feels great when someone comments. There's nothing more demoralising to an artist than feeling completely ignored (even comments of disapproval are better than that; at least your work is making an impact).
Finally getting around to reviewing entries (yeah, yeah, always last minute!). I'm currently down to my 'final 25'... Quite funny, some of the ones I originally thought would be in my instant top 10 have been dropped already - so much for it being easier when you can't vote for yourself!
One thing I've learned via this entry review process is that Vue looks to be in a class of its own for breathtaking epic landscapes. If I ever get enough money together without spending it all in the DAZ store first, I'll maybe have to check it out for myself.
Anyhoo, better knuckle-down back to work gettin' it down to eight...
Conversation split from the voting thread.
whoops, sorry about that :red:
whoops, sorry about that :red:I'm not. :P It did cross my mind though before I posted...honest please don't beat us chohole with that big club of yours. I will promise to behave...for a few hours at least.
Chohole, you should probably move my post (#237) to here too.
I remain convinced that those who are not voting are not voting from fear of derision because one of my two is one of their top eight favorites. Probably The Mime Out of Time with his fake underarm hair ... which bothers me every time I look at it. Even worse, whichever one it is, it's probably their most favorite too which would really subject them to a lot of criticism.
Seriously though, even though I did vote, I've debated 'unvoting' a few times. I absolutely hate community votes, and feel vaguely dirty I participated in one.
I was just happy to see I made #8 on someone's list. *WooHoo!*:cheese:
Yeah, I was kind of surprised at first that it wasn't going to be a "blind vote". There is a lot of pressure voting, and then having to justify why you voted that way.
OK post moved, thanks for pointing it out.
Setting up a "Blind Vote" with this amount of entries would have taken quite a lot more work than the way it was done, and even that took a lot of work.
I would think that this contest has to rate as the most popular contest ever, or certainly be well up in the list. I can't remember seeing a contest with this amount af entries before.
Like many I am surprised, given the level of competition, that I got any votes and am thrilled that I did. I enetered for the sake of entering, with absolutely no thoughts of winning anything except perhaps the wooden spoon.
I only entered hoping for one of those random prizes
no hope of anything in this round
I have not voted yet as my crap 3G broadband limits my ability to view all the entries
maybe if I get a good day I can narrow some down.
I did not expect to get any votes, the quality of submissions here was amazing, I could have easily added more to my list.
But then the prize was amazing as well, so it was to be expected.
However by looking at what can be done and considering my own work against it, my own renders since the competition have dramatically got better. What I would enter now would not be what I initially entered.
And for me that means I have won the sort of prize I want anyway, the ability to improve.
For me that’s all that matters.
I actually haven't gotten any votes(last I checked) which is rather disappointing and discouraging.
I'm not saying I expected to win, but there is something odd about presenting something you think is great like not having it not be liked/voted on. I of course liked what I entered, and thought it was neat. =-)
I said early on, that I would not be voting in this contest. I don't like rating my peers, nor do I (personally not saying what anyone else should feel) think it is fair to rate when people clearly have different skill levels and abilities.
I also find that I like most of the entries equally and it would be impossible to single any out. If I could collectively vote on all entries, that would be my choice.
This has given me food for thought, though, and I am happy for those who will win prizes. I am grateful to stonemason for his exciting products.
I agree. I think a poll vote would've been better, but I have to say I don't think anyone should NOT vote because they feel certain entrants would be hurt if they didn't vote for them, OR that they would be verbally criticized for the votes s/he did make. Taste in art is very subjective, and what one person likes best another might think only rates 4th or 5th. Does that make either of their votes wrong? Of course not. I just wish I could've voted for a top 25 instead of just 8.
I don't recall how many entries we had in the Frazetta contest a few years ago, but I think you're correct as that one was definitely the most popular up to that point.
I find i don't know what to judge on. I don't have the technical skills to judge artwork on that basis and it's impossible for me to narrow down to a handful of images I "liked" the best.
That is a valid point SGCBearcub, I went on Creativity (how Stoney's products were used), were the props a main part of the image (not just a bit of a wall or one tree etc), the technical skill, composistion and more importantly did it make me think or what appealed to my tastes.
That gives me a place to start. Thank-you. :-)
This, and for myself, I'll add two more comments. One, I tend to get a bit obsessive about some things, if I vote, then I'll start looking in that thread every few seconds to see if anyone voted for me. Two, when I find no one has voted for me, I'll get a bit depressed, and I hate that. If I stay out of that thread completely, I'll be fine for both counts.
If this was a year or so ago I wouldn't have had a clue what I was looking at. I think judging other peoples work is very hard and subjective, as mentioned already. Like others I could have glady chosen more. I had been looking and these images for a good few weeks, then I downloaded my top 24 and using IrfanView image program that allows us use the back and forward arrow keyboard buttons to flip though them all.
I had to make my voting as simple as possible. So I just picked my favorite image from each of the 11 thread pages. Then I chose my favorite 8 from those 11 alone.
I also agree with a comment made earlier. It would be nice if others would take time to comment more on images they see. I see lots of times where someone will ask for feedback and then I never see that they received any. You know when an image makes you think 'wow' or 'what were they thinking'. If more people would go out of there way, yes including myself, to take a moment to actually post those thoughts then perhaps others would begin doing the same. And, yes I know some comments hurt, but as was also said any comment shows a recognition that you evoked some type of a reaction. After all, not all artists are liked, yet they still contribute very valuable pieces of work.
Not everyone wants critique which is why I stick to positive comments unless someone asks for both. Just a thought. What may be an obvious flaw to someone might be someting someone likes or not a flaw at all =-)
I think you were *this* close to being in my top eight, you just got beat out by another entry, sorry. But don't be discouraged.
I have always found that an honest critique is worth far more than one which simply praises. I have learned far more from people who have told me honestly what was wrong with my images as well as what was right. Especially if the critique was then followed by some advice as to how the image could be improved.