2008-08-31 [Morphea]: I`m sorry but what do you mean by realistic proportions?

2008-08-31 [Crankychangeling]: The body structure of the human is well proportioned. The person looks like a real human.  Her (or it could his) limbs are balanced and seem to fit with each other. None of the limbs seem to be larger then the others.  For example you'll sometimes see legs or arms that are unrealistically thin. They might be what the artist considers pretty, but they are so misshapen that you wouldn't see them on a normal human being. Also the way she is positioned is very realistic (aside from the floating). Her limbs are not bent at weird angles. She looks relaxed and normal, not bent oddly to give an unrealistic effects. 

2008-08-31 [NOOOPE]: The proportions are wonky... but they are stylistically wonky. Controlled wonky, intentionally wonky, as opposed to mistakenly wonky on account of skill level. Maybe that's what she meant, kinda sorta, maybe I'm stretching.

2008-08-31 [Crankychangeling]: Thank you M!. You're really not stretching at all, that's basically what I meant. I was having issues explaining. I should probably state that my comments regarding the picture are my personal opinion. 

2008-09-01 [Morphea]: hmm... It is quite interesting to hear what ppl get out of the diffferent art entries :)
"She looks relaxed and normal, not bent oddly to give an unrealistic effects." To me she look infact the total opposite. I do not get the relaxed feel from her. I feel that she is stiff..and I feel that her arms look "wrong".
By all means I see this as to be quite beautiful and artistically done but the aura of the entry gives me nothing..No offence to the artist what so ever here.
It actually pains me to say this because I absolutley LOATHE to speak ill of someones entry.
But I find it quite interesting how the human psyche can get such different feelings about a pic.
But that is what so great about art ...that we can have friendly discussions about disagreeing on a piece.

 

2008-09-01 [jaraden]: i think their all wicked, hard to choose just one..if these are the newbies, i feel sorry for we vetrans... sad old gents like us. good job on every one, congrates to whom ever wins although i think they all deserve a badge!
cheers

2008-09-01 [windowframe]: Well technically you'd class as a "newbie" too. ;)

2008-09-01 [NOOOPE]: I agree about her hands, [Morphea], but out of the eyes of an art student here, I think i speaks to me 'cause it uses lots of artistic principles, like the complimentary colors in the socks and the hair/all over, the mirroring of the eye color in the robe... The artist seems to me to be very knowledgeable about color relations, and the sideways S of the composition makes your eyes flow across it. It makes your eyes swirl around in almost a dance. Then the definition of the fabric, contrasting with the blotchy background... the subtle shifts in color, the texture on the robe. All these pics have their flaws, this is an amateur art competition, and even then professional's aren't perfect. But I find that i is the most distinguished in an artistic standpoint.

As awesome as e is, it's all blue and gray, and I find the shading to be uneven and rough. I mean, it was originally pencil I think, and I find that the traditional media in the the piece and the digital elements clash. And it's not anatomically perfect, but really, none of these are, Hell, my stuff isn't. E'S still freaking awesome and better than I could do, but I think i would win among a group of art professors.

The swirl in e, though, is great. I love the movement in it.

2008-09-01 [Morphea]: "But I find that i is the most distinguished in an artistic standpoint." Absolutley...there is no doubt of that. :)
I am the first to say that i is very very good in all aspects. And I understand where you come from I really do.
But what puzzels me continous is that I can see a brilliant piece of Munch and Van Gogh....and can see their genious teqniques/composition/color but still I "feel" nothing.
And I wonder why that is.....
Am I making any sense here !?! *slaps head for not being capable to explain better*
Please feel free to join in the slaps since I am so stupid to start such a philosophical topic where it probably do not belong. ;)
*slap one* 

2008-09-01 [windowframe]: You're having a debate about the contents of the poll. And that leads to a debate about art. You're on a site for art, fantasy and sci-fi lovers, and you're worried that this isn't the place to discuss art?

2008-09-01 [NOOOPE]: Oh no, dude, I get it. Van Gogh does nothing for me. But even though it doesn't, the fact that it is masterful would make me pick it out of a group of lesser stuff, just for art's sake. I'm kindova tight ass in that respect. I pick masterful over if it sings to me.

i does both for me, though. I mean... I guess my favorite pictures are the pictures that tell stories. I think the reason e appeals to more people is because it's rather straight forward. A sorceress making a fairy in a dark mysterious place might make for a better, easier to invent or trendier story then a red headed magiciany person making glowing birds, floating on steam, with a dragon, in a foggy place with cool socks. i is a little more abstract and I feel like maybe that's a reason for it flying over people's heads... maybe? Does this make any sense to you?

2008-09-01 [Morphea]: I would not pick Van Gogh over lesser stuff....I would pick the one who make me feel.....For me art is feelings, no matter who/what/when made it :)

Hehe yes you make perfect sense. i is much more powerful in its story. For me i can have several stories and they can be quite different...e on the other hand is quite forward. There are no why/when/ifs there.

2008-09-01 [Morphea]: I think there is as many answers as there are questions in the field of art and maybe I just have to accept ( and stop wondering) that I probably never going to find out why some like this and some like that.
But it is fun to ponder on that sometimes though ;)

2008-09-01 [NOOOPE]: Editted, I was thinking at dinner... My issue about that is, though, are we voting on what piece has the best story... or what piece is the best? I find that in these contests, entries with interesting or possibly even cliche stories, or entries that resemble popular images beat pictures that are extremely skillful and well done. And I take issue with that. This being an art contest, I think we should be voting on the quality of the art. Like, I find it kinda sad that something more abstract, and less self explanatory has to lose, despite it's amazing quality, because it's nature eludes some people.

I guess, with amateur art, hobby art in a setting where not everyone has artistic training, it is a lot about the feeling. People can have crooked faces and perspectives can be off because it's really not important. But when you want to make it a profession, when you really want to make money off of it, feeling doesn't cut it. Since I am striving to no longer be a amateur artist, the main question is quality. Message, yes, but quality definitely.

By the highest quality entry not winning... as an artist, it makes me feel like there's no point to improvement, or taking risks. It also makes me feel like I shouldn't bother trying when I enter these contests, 'cause quality doesn't matter to people. 

Not saying the winner so far isn't awesome. Again, 's way better then my stuff.

2008-09-01 [windowframe]: If I read the Divine Comedy in original Italian, it does nothing for me. Because I don't know Italian. Art is about communicating a message and it's forms are varied. Maybe those pieces don't "speak" to you, because you don't know their language.

2008-09-07 [Mortified Penguin]: I assume Magic Photo Contest for Newbies will be the next poll?

2008-09-07 [windowframe]: Yup.

2008-09-08 [chriskin]: i voted for (i), it is really strange it is not number one :S

how can i find who made this drawings so i can find more of their art?

2008-09-08 [Linderel]: See the Magic Art Contest for Newbies Entries page. ;3

2008-09-09 [chriskin]: thank you Linderel, sorry for the newbish question as well

2008-09-14 [a vamp named spaz]: muahahaha i tied it.