Re: Dance of the Deceased

Starting the Halloween party even earlier this year.

Here's a link to a larger composition:
http://i28.tinypic.com/2a98d93.jpg

Thanks as always guys!

Drakxxx wrote:!

!!

Re: Dance of the Deceased

fantastic!

droppin' a big fat vote on this one.

Kaboom!!!

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Yet another design that if prints I will purchase but I sense another 4th or 5th place finish because well, that's what happens to the good shirts.

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What does this have to do with "Blue" besides being on a blue shirt?

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I love love love the diagonal layout, Drakxxx. Really good.

arwerther wrote:What does this have to do with "Blue" besides being on a blue shirt?

well, i bet you'd be pretty blue if you were dead..

just kidding, it has nothing to do with the theme.

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Drak, yet another shirt by you that I must own. This is dark and funny at the same time, good use of the theme

... and thank you for having a Halloween shirt that will print well before Halloween.

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Awesome as always.

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I love this and I can't wait for Halloween. Also, the fact that they're standing on a curly thingy made me think of Nightmare Before Christmas...so, even though it's possibly a very remote connection I love it even more.

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she was blue so she decided to find some friends

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Explain the topic 'blue' for me. I don't know that I'm seeing it.

joelterrific wrote:Explain the topic 'blue' for me. I don't know that I'm seeing it.

Now you're worried about questionable topicality after what you're about to print tomorrow and countless others?

So I'm glad to see all these blue purists out here. I will say, I've abandoned my plans to suggest any of these entries to the Blue Preservation Society (don't look it up). Seeing it or not, it seems to me this design is in the spirit of the style. Maybe not 'purely' blue, but in the realm. I was hoping a Derby like this would encourage designers to try something blue they hadn't before.

joelterrific wrote:Explain the topic 'blue' for me. I don't know that I'm seeing it.

joelterrific wrote:Explain the topic 'blue' for me. I don't know that I'm seeing it.

The idea is heavy with the general melancholy of death, which I'm sure all of us can consider the ultimate in depression or "being blue". As other have guessed, the girl is helping them dance the "blues of being dead" away.

Fantasic makes me think of the music "Danse macrbe" by by composer Camille Saint-Saëns in 1875. listen to it on any number of youtube postings. Zig Zig Zig I hope this one wins.

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Wow, Drakxxx! This is loose and stylized and I like it! Great layout and the posturing of the characters is fantastic. Maybe your best work!

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I want this to be my Hallowe'en shirt!

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It looks neat and all, but "blue" for me is a huge stretch here. Even with the explanation from the artist, I can't see it. And I don't think "there have been other shirts printed that were off-theme" is a valid argument. OJ (allegedly) murdered his wife and got off no problem, but that doesn't make it ok to go killing your wife.

AdderXYU wrote:I don't see him questioning what sekiyoku's crappy bird has to do with blue. Because it has nothing to do with blue. it just has blues in the colors. Which technically, so does Drakxxx's.

And the opening line of the derby description seems to justify simply featuring the color blue: "Are we talking about the color of light with wavelengths of roughly 440–490 nanometers?"

I don't see how something can be "about" the color blue other than simply featuring it. C'mon woot, you set yourselves up for a wide-open, free for all derby where the only real limitation was the shirt color of choice.

Likewise, this line pretty much confirms the same the same thing: "And whether you interpret the word "blue" in the subject matter, or make your design a study in the color blue, is up to you." If "I am become death, destroyer of worlds" was acceptable as an interpretation of a quote (and I was fine with that, for what it's worth), than this should be allowed to stand too.

jmmbell1987 wrote:And the opening line of the derby description seems to justify simply featuring the color blue: "Are we talking about the color of light with wavelengths of roughly 440–490 nanometers?"

I don't see how something can be "about" the color blue other than simply featuring it. C'mon woot, you set yourselves up for a wide-open, free for all derby where the only real limitation was the shirt color of choice.

Likewise, this line pretty much confirms the same the same thing: "And whether you interpret the word "blue" in the subject matter, or make your design a study in the color blue, is up to you." If "I am become death, destroyer of worlds" was acceptable as an interpretation of a quote (and I was fine with that, for what it's worth), than this should be allowed to stand too.

And if this ISNT fine, for that matter, there had better be some damn brutal rejections coming with it.

AdderXYU wrote:And if this ISNT fine, for that matter, there had better be some damn brutal rejections coming with it.

Indeed. Pretty much any design that isn't a play on something with blue in its name (blue whale, blueberry, etc), that doesn't feature sad characters, or that isn't clearly constructed around blues music would probably have to face rejection. And there are quite of few of those, including three of the four fogged designs.

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I am broke as all hell right now, and if this prints I will definitely be picking it up for ten bucks. However you seem to be getting ultimately screwed lately, so I'm not getting my hopes up. You are getting my vote though.

I will also never understand what woot considers on or off theme. They are so inconsistent I've just given up.

AdderXYU wrote:And if this ISNT fine, for that matter, there had better be some damn brutal rejections coming with it.

So, it's only ok for a shirt to be off-topic if you approve? Given your history of going gums-deep into people who don't follow the theme, it seems weird to see you stepping in. You've been a major advocate of Woot being more strict in their rejections, and this entry can only really exemplify "blue" if you really, really, really want it to be there. Yes, the art is great, and it's a great time to have a halloween shirt... but this isn't a halloween derby. This is a blue derby, and the only thing blue about this shirt is the fabric.

tenieldjo wrote:So, it's only ok for a shirt to be off-topic if you approve? Given your history of going gums-deep into people who don't follow the theme, it seems weird to see you stepping in. You've been a major advocate of Woot being more strict in their rejections, and this entry can only really exemplify "blue" if you really, really, really want it to be there. Yes, the art is great, and it's a great time to have a halloween shirt... but this isn't a halloween derby. This is a blue derby, and the only thing blue about this shirt is the fabric.

I think the point is that this theme is wide open to interpretation, and that this design (which a woot moderator suggested might be off topic) is no more off topic than many others in the derby. It's not the same thing as when an artist pays lip service to a very specific theme. (e.g. most of the steampunk derby's contenders)

In fewer words, it's a broad theme, this design seems to fit its loose parameters, and if it gets rejected, a hell of a lot of others should get rejected too.

tenieldjo wrote:So, it's only ok for a shirt to be off-topic if you approve? Given your history of going gums-deep into people who don't follow the theme, it seems weird to see you stepping in. You've been a major advocate of Woot being more strict in their rejections, and this entry can only really exemplify "blue" if you really, really, really want it to be there. Yes, the art is great, and it's a great time to have a halloween shirt... but this isn't a halloween derby. This is a blue derby, and the only thing blue about this shirt is the fabric.

And the same is true of at least two other entries in the fog. Yet only one has had a woot staff step in and ask.

What about that isn't "advocate of woot being more strict about their rejections"? The only issue is that woot is only ever strict in their rejections when it is to the detriment of an otherwise good shirt. If woot rejects this, they'd better reject the worse shirts that are also not very blue. Simple as that.

AdderXYU wrote:And the same is true of at least two other entries in the fog. Yet only one has had a woot staff step in and ask.

What about that isn't "advocate of woot being more strict about their rejections"? The only issue is that woot is only ever strict in their rejections when it is to the detriment of an otherwise good shirt. If woot rejects this, they'd better reject the worse shirts that are also not very blue. Simple as that.

I agree; a lot of the shirts in this derby are, it seems to me, pushing the boundaries of what is already a very wide-open subject. It seems like people are taking advantage of a more flexible theme to do just random things they want to draw and throwing blue on it. I don't think that was in the spirit of the theme, and I think if something like this entry won the derby, it would perplex many outside onlookers that it won a derby entitled "blue."

I am not saying that this isn't a good piece of work, or that it's not well drawn. But it doesn't say "blue" to me, and of the off-theme shirts in this derby, I would say this is to a higher degree than most others.

tenieldjo wrote:I agree; a lot of the shirts in this derby are, it seems to me, pushing the boundaries of what is already a very wide-open subject. It seems like people are taking advantage of a more flexible theme to do just random things they want to draw and throwing blue on it. I don't think that was in the spirit of the theme, and I think if something like this entry won the derby, it would perplex many outside onlookers that it won a derby entitled "blue."

I am not saying that this isn't a good piece of work, or that it's not well drawn. But it doesn't say "blue" to me, and of the off-theme shirts in this derby, I would say this is to a higher degree than most others.

At the end of the day, though, there is only one concern, to me. A good shirt should be printing every day. Not a shirt I want. Not a shirt that will sell out. Not a shirt in a certain style. A good shirt.

So to me, woot needs to work one of two ways. They need to screw the idea of theme and print shirts that deserve a print, which would keep this one safe, or they need to be strict across the board, meaning they have a lot of rejecting to do, and from way high up. At the end of the day, though, I would rather have three well-done shirts that are off topic win than even one horrible one on topic. I would prefer, of course, that it be three shirts that are all ON topic, without a doubt, but there are so many shirts which have printed without being remotely on theme and without being even remotely wearable that I really cannot begrudge the occasional good shirt from printing ahead of the normal baloney.

Woot either needs to be consistent and brutal across the board, or they need to stop only hunting down good shirts for the inquisition. Because there are always horrible shirts that are just as tenuous. And if there must be a double standard (which woot has proven there apparently must be, given all their horrible judgment calls over the years), I'd love to see someone like Drakxxx be the one to benefit, instead of always being Ramiyoku or other truly untalented design weasels.

Re: Dance of the Deceased

Thank you guys for all the support so far.

If the staff sees the need to reject my design, I'll understand, as I suppose the concept of "blue" in my idea isn't as in your face as some other designs.

I'm sure I can come up with some more Halloween ideas for the contests in the upcoming weeks, so no worries in if my design happens to get cut this time around.

AdderXYU wrote:At the end of the day, though, there is only one concern, to me. A good shirt should be printing every day. Not a shirt I want. Not a shirt that will sell out. Not a shirt in a certain style. A good shirt.

So to me, woot needs to work one of two ways. They need to screw the idea of theme and print shirts that deserve a print, which would keep this one safe, or they need to be strict across the board, meaning they have a lot of rejecting to do, and from way high up. At the end of the day, though, I would rather have three well-done shirts that are off topic win than even one horrible one on topic. I would prefer, of course, that it be three shirts that are all ON topic, without a doubt, but there are so many shirts which have printed without being remotely on theme and without being even remotely wearable that I really cannot begrudge the occasional good shirt from printing ahead of the normal baloney.

Woot either needs to be consistent and brutal across the board, or they need to stop only hunting down good shirts for the inquisition. Because there are always horrible shirts that are just as tenuous. And if there must be a double standard (which woot has proven there apparently must be, given all their horrible judgment calls over the years), I'd love to see someone like Drakxxx be the one to benefit, instead of always being Ramiyoku or other truly untalented design weasels.

I for once completely agree with everything you said. this must be a different universe.

AdderXYU wrote:At the end of the day, though, there is only one concern, to me. A good shirt should be printing every day. Not a shirt I want. Not a shirt that will sell out. Not a shirt in a certain style. A good shirt.

So to me, woot needs to work one of two ways. They need to screw the idea of theme and print shirts that deserve a print, which would keep this one safe, or they need to be strict across the board, meaning they have a lot of rejecting to do, and from way high up. At the end of the day, though, I would rather have three well-done shirts that are off topic win than even one horrible one on topic. I would prefer, of course, that it be three shirts that are all ON topic, without a doubt, but there are so many shirts which have printed without being remotely on theme and without being even remotely wearable that I really cannot begrudge the occasional good shirt from printing ahead of the normal baloney.

Woot either needs to be consistent and brutal across the board, or they need to stop only hunting down good shirts for the inquisition. Because there are always horrible shirts that are just as tenuous. And if there must be a double standard (which woot has proven there apparently must be, given all their horrible judgment calls over the years), I'd love to see someone like Drakxxx be the one to benefit, instead of always being Ramiyoku or other truly untalented design weasels.

If Woot clearly and consistently enforced the rules, the good artists would be able to adapt to the theme and whatever other rules are given.

HalfWheat wrote:If Woot clearly and consistently enforced the rules, the good artists would be able to adapt to the theme and whatever other rules are given.

And they can and generally do.

Not that that has ever helped them print over the people who don't.

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I haven't been very good about commenting today. I've sort of been hopping around and forgetting to stop and write what I'm thinking when I see some designs, like yours! I like the positioning of the girl. I like the way her weight is distributed - it gives her a very playful stance, which is great, because it goes well with the whole look of the character and the way she is clothed. I also like the layout of the design on the shirt - works quite well as far as flow is concerned. When I saw this in the forums before the derby opened I thought you were going to go with all blue-ish colors, and since you didn't I have to agree that it's a great drawing but just seems a tad more off theme than it could've been had you stuck with blues.

On a side note, halloween is my favorite holiday as well, so I'm excited to see what you will be drawing as it nears. Hopefully I'll get in the halloween/art mood and spit some macabre stuff out too, although usually my macabre efforts turn out cartoony. :p

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Would be a blue day indeed if this entry slipped into the fog permanently. This would be my choice for my 'day of the dead' shirt.

tamiurban wrote:Would be a blue day indeed if this entry slipped into the fog permanently. This would be my choice for my 'day of the dead' shirt.

I think you meant "slipped out of the fog". I am really hoping this one prints.

HalfWheat wrote:If Woot clearly and consistently enforced the rules, the good artists would be able to adapt to the theme and whatever other rules are given.

I agree. While I think this is a cool design I also think it's pushing the boundaries of the "blues" theme. For once I agree with Adder that woot needs to be more consistent with it's rejections. The flora theme people pushed that theme as well and Ramyb's tree won when I think it should have been rejected as with many others in that derby.

People are not sticking to the theme very much at all in this derby and taking advantage. Woot needs to stick to it's own rules and reject things off topic. They shouldn't just print shirts in a derby because it's a great shirt and off topic, that is bending the rules as well Adder, one of the things you hate. Why should an artist get their great design printed if they can't follow the simple rules of the derby? If a client asks for a yellow bird and a designer makes a green cat, it doesn't matter how great that cat looks, it's not what was asked of them.

At this point I expect every damn Drakxxx entry to start off in the fog, get knocked out by lesser designs, and spend the rest of the derby going back and forth, in and out of the fog, as if mocking us.

Drakxxx wrote:Starting the Halloween party even earlier this year.

Here's a link to a larger composition:
http://i28.tinypic.com/2a98d93.jpg

Thanks as always guys!

I don't post much, and have no interest in going round and round with anyone. I am merely stating my views as to why this shirt is "blue" in more than just the sense of the color of the fabric.

It's all in the girl. When I look at her I don't see a happy person. She's completely alone (save her monkey), and must call the dead to come play with her. Although she smiles, very softly as if she's putting that smile on for a show, her eyes are closed and down turned. To me this tells me that's she not actually happy, but attempting to hide a deep melancholy. While she's content with the Dead and a Monkey as her friends, I think she's sad and longing for more. But yet, she's resigned to the fact that these are her friends, so she'll play music for them so they may dance and have a good time.

I realize that this may not have been the intent at all. I realize that most people won't and haven't given this shirt that much thought. And that's ok. I still find this to be one of the best "blue" shirts out there because it expresses a deep, yet hidden, melancholy which is very expertly revealed through subtle clues.

Drak, your designs never cease to amaze me. +1 for awesome. You've got my vote for sure.

mzdkay1369 wrote:I don't post much, and have no interest in going round and round with anyone. I am merely stating my views as to why this shirt is "blue" in more than just the sense of the color of the fabric.

It's all in the girl. When I look at her I don't see a happy person. She's completely alone (save her monkey), and must call the dead to come play with her. Although she smiles, very softly as if she's putting that smile on for a show, her eyes are closed and down turned. To me this tells me that's she not actually happy, but attempting to hide a deep melancholy. While she's content with the Dead and a Monkey as her friends, I think she's sad and longing for more. But yet, she's resigned to the fact that these are her friends, so she'll play music for them so they may dance and have a good time.

I realize that this may not have been the intent at all. I realize that most people won't and haven't given this shirt that much thought. And that's ok. I still find this to be one of the best "blue" shirts out there because it expresses a deep, yet hidden, melancholy which is very expertly revealed through subtle clues.

I've given it a lot of thought, and just read this as another wishful attempt to convince everyone it's on theme. She's happy! She's a devil (horns!), and playing a happy song to dance with her pals, the damned souls who inhabit those bones! There's nothing blue in her tune, her expression, or her intent. Another fun day at the boneyard for the devil in the blue dress! Oh! it's purple!
hmm. if only she had on a blue dress.

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De-fogged again. God bless your dedication Drak, I don't know how you can swallow this bullcrap. Hopefully, I'll get to grab your shirt this evening.

jmmbell1987 wrote:At this point I expect every damn Drakxxx entry to start off in the fog, get knocked out by lesser designs, and spend the rest of the derby going back and forth, in and out of the fog, as if mocking us.

THIS.

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This is definitely one of your best works. I hope this one fogs more than I've wished any other would. Beautifully blue.

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SPAZZZZ
COOL SHIRT.
MUST GET.
SPAKXXXX!!!!
[HEHE, BIG FAN OF YOURS!<3]

This one is just too weird for me.

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And here it goes dropping down the spots.
Lost cause. No Drak this week either folks! But at least it didn't get rejected. Yet.

I love this shirt. Your designs are always amazing. The present vote tally is frustrating...I want the three shirts just *outside* the fog to win.

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My favorite entry of yours in awhile

mllemeranii wrote:THIS.

that

Josephus wrote:I've given it a lot of thought, and just read this as another wishful attempt to convince everyone it's on theme. She's happy! She's a devil (horns!), and playing a happy song to dance with her pals, the damned souls who inhabit those bones! There's nothing blue in her tune, her expression, or her intent. Another fun day at the boneyard for the devil in the blue dress! Oh! it's purple!
hmm. if only she had on a blue dress.

It has the color blue in it. That pretty much seems to be the only requirement for the theme. If that's not the case in the eyes of the mods, then it's off theme and should indeed be rejected, along with about half of the other designs in the derby.

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I think this design would be totally on topic if the subject were playing a fiddle or some other kind of blue grass instrument. Regardless, I think this is Drakxxx's best work to date. Good luck on Tuesday

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completely suckz that this isn't going to print. Not that I really thought it would, but I had hoped.

And the 60 day woot-hold will put it past Halloween.

Kudos to you, Drakxxx, for not getting discouraged. You keep submitting wonderful art and superb designs. Thank you.

Is there any thought to pulling this from contention and subbing it at the Halloweek3 contest? I think you would stand a great chance over there...

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Please get this printed elsewhere and keep us updated. People will buy this shirt to wear even if it's not Halloween. I know I will.

I agree with Adder to a point. I'd personally like to see more edeitor's choice throughout the week to highlight more talented works (such as this). Unfortunatly more votes go towards cute animals or towards jokes that don't always translate to shirts. Either way I'm sure something like this has a better chance of surviving ONE reckoning unlike any of the ones that have premeired during the weekdays of the past few weeks.

Great Job Draxxx, truly awesome.

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This rejection is stinks.

omnitarian wrote:This rejection is stinks.

it sure is

wow a great shirt by drakxxx...rejected. there is no god.

omnitarian wrote:This rejection is stinks.

Yes, evidently they had a wide open derby idea and then changed their minds.

omnitarian wrote:This rejection is stinks.

Ugh.......this DERBY stinks. This was the only redeeming design in the group. All the fogged submissions are so ridiculously cancellation that it hurts.

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Thanks for the support regardless guys.

I understand that my interpretation of the theme was a little loose, so I understand and respect the staff's decision. It's disappointing for sure, but I don't think the design would have made the top 3 anyways.

I plan to do a lot of stuff in preparation for Halloween, so I'll certainly see if I can do anything else with this design.

I'll hopefully see you guys in 2 short days for the next contest.

Drakxxx wrote:Thanks for the support regardless guys.

I understand that my interpretation of the theme was a little loose, so I understand and respect the staff's decision. It's disappointing for sure, but I don't think the design would have made the top 3 anyways.

I plan to do a lot of stuff in preparation for Halloween, so I'll certainly see if I can do anything else with this design.

I'll hopefully see you guys in 2 short days for the next contest.

Halloween is definitely YOUR time - With eager anticipation; I look forward to your multiple entries - you never fail to impress! I hope to see this young lady reincarnated (no pun intended).

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This shirt is SO good. I really wanted to buy it. Amazing job on the shirt