Re: Easy Optimism
I will firstly say that I laughed when I saw this. The implied motion of a cute happy face bag going over a curmudgeon's head is most certainly a comedic one. I think it's a clever idea that will make people smile.
However (and I may ruffle some feathers with this) I agree with BOTH sides. While I think that such a cute, lighthearted idea should have a chance at winning I also strongly believe that these types of 'low-effort entries' (sekiyoku, please forgive me if this is the wrong term, but I'm assuming that this didn't take you very long to execute) are encouraging those who pour great effort into their shirts to drop off. Simply: Why should an artist who usually spends 5 hours or more on a shirt design even try if someone can come in, sketch up something in an hour or less, and then sweep up with it?
Truly, we artists should just suck it up and keep up our determination ...but I'd be surprised if you could honestly tell me that you wouldn't be even slightly disappointed to see a 'low effort entry' pass the entry that you worked into the wee hours to render. The life lesson truly is "Life ain't fair", as not everyone who works hard will receive the reward they want, but I'm really hoping to hear that we can all at least empathize with this situation. We need more empathy, people. Less bickering.
What REALLY gets me miffed lately: people assuming that 'artistic' means 'Monet' or 'shapely paint blotches'. 'Artistic' as defined by the Internets -- "Showing imagination and skill." If someone is going to get paid $1000+ for a design and get the honor of being printed, I am going to feel robbed if I see a winning entry that seemingly took no effort at all(while I can clearly see that the shirt I wanted to win had much effort put into it). HOWEVER, not *all* of this 'effort' should be confined to the artwork itself. It should be everyone's responsibility to recognize that sometimes the great effort is in the idea and cleverness of an entry(and perhaps some we think are 'easy' weren't actually all that easy for the artist). It takes skill and time to come up with a witty idea too, you know.
That said, I don't believe this is the *most* clever of the entries... but I do believe that my opinion is just that. Mine. Whatever happens, a majority of Wooters wanted it to happen. We should feel privileged to be given the chance to win a thousand plus smackeroos AND get printed. There's no need to be snotty or mean.
Lastly, a conductor of an orchestra may not play the instruments his/herself...but a good one can pick out a flat note a mile away. A good one can tell when the orchestra is playing together or just reading the music. Using the argument "If you can't do it better, then that means you're wrong" isn't a very valid one and is also rather infuriating. : ( For instance, I can give a couple of very good reasons as to why Nickleback shouldn't be considered 'quality music' (and I'm not in a band). I don't like the band M.I.A. very much, but I can tell you that most of what it puts out is more thought out and worked on than anything of Nickleback's. M.I.A. isn't catering to people for popularity...they're working hard, creating what they love, and if people like it, so be it. Nickleback's songs are formulaic and repetitive. Something they *know* will probably make them money. And while there's nothing wrong with that, there are those of us who can tell the difference...without having our own band.
