TobiasAmaranth wrote:I know what you mean, but overall, you know you're stretching it. I mean, the other one doesn't even have zombies, which is the real point here. The only ACTUAL similarity is the fact that it's a shirt with candy corn, which would be to say that all candy corn shirts should be rejected.
Candy corn attacking and eating other candy corn is a pretty common theme. I can see how you can defend this as so widely different. And Zombies are totally unpopular, so I can see how that decision wouldn't be considered a pander, too. It's certainly original to have candy corn zombies. But I dunno, something just didn't sit right, so I had to bring it up.
I've been chatting with Fable recently. She's been pretty stressed overall, and basically, she does plan on making more serious shirts that aren't all shine when she starts feeling better. She doesn't set out to mimic the 'twins' as you phrase it. And there are a few things art-wise I fuss at her about. XD But I'm happy with her submission here. She did some fairly original expressions on the creatures compared to some of her more rushed designs, and I like the colors here.
I talk to a number of designers regularly, and often they state they are burnt out trying to come up with a design. This is when I generally tell them not to submit anything, because it will just come out sucky and forced. This is sucky and forced and blatantly crafted to win. But thank you for telling us her intentions. I'm sure she appreciates not having to type the word "bitterbitch" herself.
Now, I think Woot's REAL problem is this: The derby -usually- tends to favor those who submit first. This one has been a bit of an exception thanks to all of the drama going around. But the real fix should be to announce the next derby around a week in advance, and give the artists TIME to come up with something worthwhile and submit it. Beyond that, they should accept entries early to all launch simultaneously. Some artists are busy during derby launch.
THEN THEY SHOULD EITHER NOT COMPETE OR BRING THEIR A-GAME LATER.
This is how woot's derby works. You can blame anything you want, but IT IS FABLE'S FAULT if she cannot keep up. There are always a number of well done, finished pieces AT NOON every week, let alone by Saturday Midnight. This is how the derby works. If you can't hang with the big boys, buy more kleenex and cry about it.
The solution is not to "level the playing field" by pandering (and this entry is obviously pandering). It is to learn to work faster. It is to take your time to do the best you can, and be proud of it no matter whether it wins or not. There are plenty of people who can do FAR BETTER work within that first 36 hours between derby announcement and saturday midnight. There are plenty who will work on more complicated pieces as late as Monday because putting time into it is more important than the rush to submit. And we all know that late subs OFTEN print. This is a childish, whiny excuse that blames anyone but the "artist" as to why they are putting out lesser work. Why doesn't everyone submit simple, shiny scaffolding then? ITS SO HARD TO TAKE TIME!!!!
I dunno. I'm not happy with Woot either right now. Their main-page items are generally all scaffolding, and their shirt derbies do nothing but cause drama. :| I feel like -something- should change.
And while people like Fable pay lip service to this while entering shiny candycorn, other people are trying to change this in whatever way they can. Fable is part of the problem if she's going to use the flaws in the derby to profit instead of fight to be the change she and you claim to want to see. Using the flaws to your own benefit is just begging not to be respected, and silently stating that all you use this for is to make a grand.
