Thats because it isn't there now, this forum seems to be unique in a sense that it onlt vere has 2 pages of threads and then the other ones dissapper. The upside of this is when ever anything remotely troubling/bothersome/unflattering happens it only has a very short shelf life. The only downside is when you need to actaully point out a great gaping error, you can't as the information has long since been removed. I am sorry Marathon I can't show you, in future I most certainly will be taking screenshots of all such threads and keeping them in a file. The thing about this is some people on here will cretianly remember the thread as it wasn't me that asked for clarification in the first place, I just gave some concept ideas for people who maybe would have difficulty. And of course the Admin in question will certainly remember. Maybe in future such threads should be preserved till the contest is over, mind you judging by the way the rules were changed again maybe this is not a realsitic expectation. Ele

I would just like to clarify here that I am not haveing a pop at ANY of the artists, it's not my call to say what is a worthwhile piece of art or not. I havve only been painting a year and while my work is in demand, possibly because I am cheap and also can code and make websites, I don't consider it something I do for a living. So to be honest I am not the most qualified judge. My anger is directed not even at the judges but at the people who organised this contest, not only have they misled ALL artists participating, they have obviously changed the terms and rules THREE times since the contest started, hardly professional. The rules were the same as stated here to begin with, several artists asked for clarification of the rules at the contest start in the Community Forum and were told something different. Only for it to be changed back to the original rules sometime after it seems, no doubt when obviously quite a lot of artists had broken there back to include them. Now let me just point out the title states Holiday Greetings from the Past, Present & Future" Not Holiday Greetings for the Past, Present OR Future. Yet still I see entries for first place on 3D and Phtography that don't contain ANY of the aforementioned elements. While ones that have tried to get all three in have been blatatntly ignored. Come on please, they even state preferably have all three in.... Now to be honest I don't know why I'm fighting so hard here, I certainly have had my eyes opened the last contest was blamed on members voting, this was just judged no names apparently by impartial judges. I am just si glad I didn't spend 200 plus hours on a piece of work that I thought I was being asked for, only to find at the late judging stage that any old christmas or holiday picture would do. No doubt some of this artwork showcase some awesome talent, but at the outset of this contest artists were led to believe not only talent and technical skill would be judged, but also concepts and imagination too. I just think someone, even if they weren't involved especially as they weren't involved has to say/air their thoughts and opinions. Maybe the nexy contest will STATE that the title and asked for content is a guideline not a RULE. And that extra effort and hardwork to implement them does not offer you any advantage over a general holiday picture. It's the least you can do to instill good faith in your members and artists, am I not the only one who relised how tough the premise was of this contest and exactly how much effort went into a lot of this artwork.... Rather than say dash of a pic of a christmas pudding with a sprig of holly on top and call it Merry Christmas? Ele

Have to say Dinart, myself and my husband LOVED!!! your entry, I especially liked the concept of the time machine to speed up present production and both me and my other half liked the future Santa with the Jordy La-Forge visor. Well done!! it was an inspired piece :) Ele P.S I also liked the drunk elf at the end

"Contest Theme: "Holiday Greetings from the Past, Present & Future": Create a November/December holiday greeting animation that incorporates at least 1 element from the past, present or future." It's pretty clear to me...don't see how that could be misinterpreted. Sorry but this was stated in the contest rules yes, but several artists asked for clarification at the beginning of the contest and it was stated very clearly by and Admin that the contest rules were misrepresented and that you had to include ALL THREE concepts in your finished piece. Now a lot of artists on here actually make a living doing this, and it's not always about the winning but also a case of professional pride. Some will have turned down work to place considerable effort into entering a piece here, and when asking an Admin to clarify rules should be given the CORRECT answer. Not led up the garden path to spend multiple hours adding elements that not only are not needed, but ignored and don't gain you any reward for your efforts, while judging takes place. In fact the rules should be clear to begin with, yet some of the winning entries plainly DON'T include ANY elements. So my argument stands. To be honest not only should the winning entries at least included ONE element, the overall winner most definitley should have included ALL THREE. It's not as if you were short of entries including one or all three entries. Why mislead artists, for an art community that places so little regard for the time and effort taken to achieve what you ask, only to kick them in the teeth and disregard it come judging time. Why not simply if it was your intention to judge it this way, call it the Holiday Contest-and leave it at that. I will add this isn't about technical merit, art in it's self is down to perception. But when it states that certain elements are required, and you can plainly see for yourself that they HAVE NOT been included, how can we sit back and understand your judging. Now as I said winners can dismiss my arguments as sour grapes, and had I entered they would have been I suppose. But I didn't, I read the rules and took a step back to see how it would be handled, I was dissapointed, art communities that make money from artists should have more regard for our time and effort than they plainly do Ele

Now to be perfectly honest I didn't join in this one, I thought Hmmmm tough contest, past, present and future stated in the forum had to be featured in EVERY entry, not impossible but tough. Rather than enter I thought I'd take a step back and I see how this was judged, wether I thought the criteria was met, if I felt that it was judged fairly, what other people thought of the decisions etc. I am so very glad I didn't, this has shown me that from now on I will only use Rendo to buy things and maybe enter some member run contests. I'm not sure what has happened here and no disrespect is meant to any winners at all, but I can only see Past,Present and Future in one or two of the winning entries. In fact those that have made great efforts to incorporate all you have asked have indeed not been rewarded for their considearable efforts. Maybe in future to save wasting of artists time you should STATE that the criteria you set is a flimsy guildline at best maybe then they wouldn't expel so much effort to include all that you ask? Ele

I think it would have to depend on what your perception of the title meant!!! many people with the the Dawn of the Dark I think were expecting images featuring Dawn as in the sunshine start of the day term rather than the "start" of something which Dawn of also means. It depends on what it actually says to you, as every single persons view of this will be different I can't see how they can judge on title, I think it's mainly an idea from where to start from, maybe to inspire ideas. Past, Present and Future could be linked to different generations, timelines, I can think of several funny ideas to do with the word present for instance, Changes in tradition, Scrouges Ghosts....these are ideas that could all be viewed as a perception of past, present and future and thats off the top of my head. It's very hard to nail down exactley what constitutes as incorporating such titles when they are fairly vaugue to start with. Hopefully you'll get a judge or contest co-ordinater to clarify this for you though for your own piece of mind :) Ele

Well done and congratulations to all the winners, your prizes are well deserved!!! And commiserations to anyone who didn't make it, well done anyway for the time and effort that went into your images and pictures. I really enjoyed looking through them all. Ele

I assume any votes that were recieved after 0.00 this morning will be removed as well? I set my alarm for 6.00am this morning and logged the votes, seems to me some entries have recieved votes after the voting stage finished. Creations, I think before people can post in he galleries they will have to post the final tally of eligible votes as some people may lose a lot of thier votes like previous years :) People don't seem to learn, I am also anxious to find out when community sway no longer has an effect as I am being asked whick one is my entry and have been very closed mouth about it. :) Ele

I have it on good authority that the Holiday contest won't be judged by a commnity vote, so don't be too discouraged. And you never know how the figures are going to Tally when the eligible votes are counted. If my entry isn't good enough to rate a place in the top 25, then all I will do is pick my self off the floor, dust myself off and try again in the holiday contest, all artists who don't make it into the top 25 should too. If at first you don't succeed, then try again....thats all you can do :) I send out lots of good wishes and hugs to everyone who is feeling discouraged and down. Chin up sweethearts, soon be time for the Holiday Contest Ele

I suppose sometimes if you are really really prud of an image they get impatient to show it off. Honest answer I don't know, some people don't even read contest rules...shocking I know :). I just put it down to people are people and although I can understand one or two individuals I am never gonna get them as a group :) Ele

Maria your image was incredible, I know that you said you didn't work for weeks and weeks on it, that is not the point!!! You did your best!!! The reason these lists don't work is that it's open to people own perception and tastes of what is good..I aggree with some of the above list, Hallo Ween I think is the guy whose Arnold pic is somewhere at the top's second entry, and as it stands his best entry in my opinion is doing well :). Some I don't, thats my opinion.... So Maria don't judge yourself on someone elses opinion, a community is made up of lots of collective people with differing opinions and some will love your images and some might prefer others. Do I aggree that the top 25 contains the best and brightest, heck thats a different story altogether and I am going to keep my opinion to myself, most people may have got legitimate votes from people who do like there work... As Lillian said in the community forum don't be discouraged this could all change on Monday/Sunday when the votes are counted. I do think that one vote was the best way to go, giving people any incentive at all to abuse the system is a mistake, and if voting figures as suggested here are being abused in some way.....what would have happend had they been given three votes?? As for abusing the system, I am guilty of it....I let my husband vote for me, he has my buying account...because lets face it, he buys all my stuff. I did make him vote from work though, the one I.S.P rule as good as it is not a criticism here :) means that as we both have out own accounts we still only have one internet connection and we didn't want to cheat. So yes I did troll, bribe, gain a vote through not exactly voting by own will means, just by fact that there would have been hell to pay if I hadn't Ele

Thanks Lillian, and also large thanks and squishes for running the contest :), I am sure your poor message bag has been full to bursting. I'm sure it's been quite a hectic and chaotic couple week for you. Thanks again, I just wanted you to know that someone else appreciates it :) Ele

Ele hands out massive squishes, squish Remember as my hubby is always fond of saying, it ain't over till the round spherical lady sings :) And I "WILL" certainly check your galleries after the event to praise you all on your fabulous works of art. And think of it like this, if you have to stoop to underhand tactics in order to win a contest, don't you think you'd feel a tiny bit downhearted?, if you can account for every single vote you recieve, wouldn't you be asking yourself.....Hey...is my artwork even very good, didn't it warrant even one vote on it's own merit??? I certainly would, but then again I paint for my won enjoyment....but I still get a kick out of people liking what I do. I'm no great thinker, and my Sis got all the scientific academia and knowledge, my talent if I have any at all has always been artwork. And to be honest if I can't get there by my own merit...then I don't want it. There is a reason my Mum always says cheats never beat, because any accolade won by foul means leaves bitterness and dissatisfaction, and maybe doubt in your own talent. So chin up my lovelies, it's a contest nothing more, and yes the prizes may be big....but are they worth your self respect...I think not :) Ele

Hi there, I did look at each and every entry, I found my choice very difficult as to be honest there is about 10 to 11 entries in this contest that deserve to be among the winners. In the end I voted for the Welsh Witch, it wasn't better per se than the other 10/11 I have just mentioned, it just spoke to me.... And I found myself coming back to look at it while checking new entries :) Unfortunatly with a community vote you can't expect that people will necessarily like what you like, cuteness may be prized above anything else, funniness for other people may be the order of the day. I am going to refrain from pouring scorn on other peoples entries as to my mind if you did your best, regardless of anone elses opinion, YOU yourself will be proud of your work. I disagree with people voting blindly for their friends work, but I did take note of the sign community when I entered this site, and wether we like it or not inter site reltions will be at work in any contest with a community vote. The way I see it, it's a strictly ONE vote contest, or was when I read the rules. So this means regardless of your community standing/circle of friends you have to make that one vote count. This means that hopefully it will all even it's self out, so obviously the people who do have differing opinions like you two can then put YOUR votes to use. Hopefully the people who you think did great entries and put a lot of work in, my top 10/11 say WILL get recognition, but if they don't, they still have the piece of artwork...not a small achievement I imagine, and got the excitement and fun of taking part. They may seem small compenstations, but if you have put that amount of work into a piece you want recognition for your achievement, not your ability to make friends and influence people. After all your hard work that would be kind of a hollow victory I would think :) Ele

Just one :), yes I know it's really hard!!! There are so many that just grab you and it's quite hard to really choose one. But I think in light of the communities feeling on votes been quite a commodity now, one vote only makes it kind of precious!!! Maybe way too precious to throw away on a you vote for me I vote for you secnario, maybe people will vote for the one they really like best :) Ele