Valentine Art 09, Page 1

2009-02-13 [TheRogue]: I'm saying that because art is 'subjective', it is up to the artist to recognize if their ideas are going to be received and understood by anyone else but them. If they are breaking the rules (nudity, stolen, etc) then ban the entry. It is up to the judges to decide in the end, but if the entry is 'gray' and has to be explained in depth, then the judges will probably overlook the entry and it won't win. The artist will continually lose until they can learn to convey what needs to be conveyed in their entry correctly. Don't ban gray entries, let them go through, they have more chance of being overlooked because they are gray than winning because of a 2 paragraph backstory... does that make sense? (this is my opinion, btw). If the judges are ET members in a polling, then it's just going to be what entries are liked best, but I would make sure that the entrants maybe should be asked not to provide a 'backstory' as it shouldn't need one.

2009-02-13 [Lord Dog]: Your opinion falls along the same lines as mine then. Ban it if it is in clear violation of the rules if it is a grey area, let it go. The voters will read the back story if they wish or not and vote for what they see as best representing the theme.. Or whatever

2009-02-13 [TheRogue]: it's a difference between judges and public polling..the rules can reflect the need not to have a backstory, but if it doesn't, then there is no reason not to let it through i suppose..

2009-02-13 [Lord Dog]: See they should have just made another poll, Valentine's Art with Stories, then everyone's happy

2009-02-13 [Hedda]: We've thought about making such a contest actually. A contest with art loosely connected to a theme via a story.

2009-02-13 [TheRogue]: Which I agree.. but would be hard to judge.. the point of most of these contests is that you follow the directions given you.. You don't enter a contest that calls for pigs, and enter a chicken. Plain and simple. You will lose. If you don't care, then enter whatever you like.. just don't expect to win.. If you are actually trying to win, then follow the rules, and expound as much as you can on those rules.. the more you put in that goes with the rules, the better your chances.. if the contest is batman,superman,wonderwoman,and green lantern, don't draw spiderman and then write a paragraph of excuses and justifications. You will lose. This is how sometimes entries that are not as strong artistically can win.. because if only ONE person followed the rules to the letter, then they have a really good chance of winning even if they aren't as strong an artist as others.

2009-02-14 [arthemis_]: Because you think that Justice and Revenge 'coupling' isn't forbidden, mine doesn't fit the theme? Anyways, I wasn't going for the 'win', I'm not good enough for that. I just wanted to express my idea of Revenge and Justice. And my 'background' story isn't a 'background' story, it's more like further informaton. Just like you see a vanGogh in the museum and read at the little plate that he lived in that particular area and had himself only potatoes to eat, and that with the sober lines he wanted to tell about the poverty to the viewer.

I'm not commercial, probably never will be (lack of talent), but you are probably right about winning the contest with something more obvious. Then again, there is something to be said about orginality, isn't there? And everyone should be able to express their originality c.q. opinion. Futhermore I am not entering contests to win, I'm entering them to express my creativity, even when I have no talent whatsoever to actually sell my work.

2009-02-14 [arthemis_]: By the way. If it was only about how well your picture does fit the theme I would have won in other contests before :) (Which I of course did not...)

2009-02-15 [TheRogue]: First off, you wouldn't be entering a contest (competition) if you did not intend to win. Second, If you say you aren't good enough, then you won't be. Talent is not born. Talent is a person's ability to decide what they want to do, do it until they get really good at it and never stop. There is no such thing (to me) as talent. If you practice twirling a baton, you get good at it. Simple. Expressing your creativity is great, but you are asking to be judged, and might want to think that maybe some of these comments are meant to help you do more with what you have, not to insult you. Van Gogh had backstories on his art because he didn't enter it into a competition, so it's not a big deal if there was a back story or not. Your entry to me was in that 'gray' area, and I would wonder why if you weren't trying to win, then why not create and just put it on your house, instead of entering contests you don't want to win, and have that little twinge of disappointment (even if you won't admit it) when you don't win. Putting yourself down is not good for your self esteem. Plenty of people in the world will do that without you doing it to yourself too. Practice, create, do what you do (It's still art no matter what because it's what you created) I'm not slamming your creativity, i'm disagreeing with your entry. Revenge and Justice are on the same line, one side and the other. Step over the line just a little and it becomes Revenge. Neither of them are 'forbidden'. Forbidden is a toaster trying to kiss the water in a bathtub.. something that you can look right at and go "no way".. Your entry just didn't say that to me at all. If you draw Elvis Presley, and have to write his name somewhere to make sure people know it's elvis, then you haven't done it right. Anyway, good luck on other contests at any rate.

2009-02-15 [Akayume]: I know I probably shouldn't say anything, but, well.. Here I go.

Not everyone enters a contest to win. Some do it for fun! I mean, really now, if everyone only entered to win, you'd only get, like, five entries because everyone would see the really good stuff and get scared off.

And speaking of being scared off, all this fighting is putting a lot of negativity on entering contests here.

2009-02-15 [LynnAnneBrown]: I agree with [Akayume], I don't think that everyone who enters a contest or competition is entering with the idea of winning. I think for many it is a way of showing off their own personal best, and saying "This is what I was inspired to do." I know that this is true for myself, for although I can draw reasonably well, am learning to take a decent photo, and consider myself a good poet. I haven't entered any of the competitions here with any hopes or expectations of anything beyond the desire to have my work viewed in a public forum. Certainly if I ever win one of the contests, (well I did win the New Years Day competition, but coming in 1 of 2.......) I'll be delighted that folks liked it enough to vote for it; but if my ego depended on it, It would not last long in the arena of artistic competition. 

2009-02-15 [TheRogue]: I understand both of you guys' points, and I'm not trying to fight with anyone, I'm just trying to express how difficult it is to host a contest, set down rules, have entries, and to have entrants be upset when judges feel their entry is not acceptable, and sometimes even get upset when they don't place. If you are doing your best then that is great, but if it doesn't fit the contest's rules or is in that grey area, then the chances of winning are low. The point of the contests are to put a task in front of you, and the person who can convey that task the best, following all the guidelines usually leave with the win. It is an excercise, and each time a person does not win, hopefully they will walk away with something they've learned that they can apply to the next competition, to help them so that they can win. Anyway the point is made and I'm not going to harp on it.. Like I said before, good luck on future entries, and I look forward to seeing what every one does.

2009-02-15 [Morphea]: Congrats to [deeterhi] A most worthy winner :D *applauds*
I love that entry xD

2009-02-15 [deeterhi]: Thank you [Morphea] :) And also congrats to [Triola] and [Ms. Steel] for their wonderful pieces.

2009-02-15 [Flisky]: Congrats winners! They are all great pieces. :)

2009-02-16 [TheRogue]: Good job [deeterhi]!

2009-02-16 [LynnAnneBrown]: Congratulations [deeterhi] and to [Triola] and [Ms. Steel] as well. Also thank you to all who entered for sharing your visions of "Forbidden Love" 

2009-02-16 [Morphea]: when do we get the badges ? *me likey new badges*

2009-02-19 [arthemis_]: YEAH for [deeterhi], my FAVORITE artist :D (i'm such a fangirl)...

Anyways, I was inspired to draw Revenge and Justice when this theme was layed out. I did not enter to win, but for fun. I think that when Justice is entangled with Revenge, then it's no longer Justice. When you murder somebody because she took away your boyfriend, then it could start of as Justice, became Revenge, and is no longer Justice. I still think that Justice should be objective, while Revenge clouds that objectivity and thus is forbidden... Anyways, enough about this :D

Yeah for [deeterhi]! And the other winners! You inspire me to do better and better :D

2011-03-10 [Mortified Penguin]: Wh-why is Batman molesting Robin?

2011-03-10 [Triola]: Or more importantly, why is Robin molesting Batman's hand?