SOTM 2010 - December (Weapons, Alice in Wonderland, Sketches) - Entry Thread

[Solace]

!!!Welcome to the SOTM!!!

---

~Congratulations to Cierra, JuJuBeez, and Namiey for winning the November Contest!~

The themes chosen for December are - Weapons, Alice in Wonderland, Sketches.
What is that? See here for details.

---

About the SOTM:

The Signature Of The Month contest is open to all members of the Animesuki Forums. The goal of the contest is to provide a fun and competitive way of showing off and improving the signatures and personal skills of contestants. The winner of each months contest is given the privilege of choosing the theme for the next month.

The contest begins on the first of each month and consists of roughly two weeks of entry creation/submission, one week of voting, and one week off. The entry and voting periods may be extended or shortened slightly as needed.

---

About the SOTM Theme:

Each month prospective contestants are given a theme to base their entries on. This theme is decided by the winner of the previous contest. The theme can be anything, as long as it does not break forum rules regarding inappropriate material. At the end of the month, voters choose which entries they liked best out of all submitted entries and a new winner is decided. Themes cannot be used twice in a row.

---

The Rules of the SOTM:

1. Contestants are allowed to create, work on, and submit their entry from the start of the contest until two weeks from the start date. This period of time is specified by the organizer every month. Once the entry period expires, all submitted entries are gathered up and sent to the Voting Thread.

2. Contestants must submit original works. This means you cannot simply cut a picture out, slap your name on it, and call it your own. Claiming someone else's work as your own is also not allowed. Anyone caught doing this will have their entries removed from the contest.

To further expand on this rule:

2A. Unless proven otherwise, all entries made by contestants are derivatives of works made by someone else. Thus, no claim of "ownership" shall be made in reference to the image(s) used in the signature entry.

2B. Misrepresenting someone else's signature work for your own is prohibited and will result in an immediate expulsion of the entry and disqualify the contestant from the current month's contest.

2C. In the spirit of originality, "crop" sigs are frowned upon, but not discouraged; however, the contest organizer can call upon all contestants to show the source of their entry(ies) at any time.

2D. Also in the spirit of originality, new signatures are encouraged. However, if you feel one of your older signatures is perfect for the theme and wish to enter it, you may. Just remember that the signature still has to follow the rules stated above.

3. Contestants are allowed to create as many entries as they wish, but are only allowed to enter one. To submit an entry officially, the contestant must mark the post in the Offical Entry Thread containing that entry with the words "Final Entry", or they can submit the signature to the contest organizer using the private message function.

4. Contestants who wish to keep their entries private until after the submission period can private message the contest organizer with their entry. The entry will not be displayed until submissions are closed, unless the contestant displays that entry publicly.

5. Entries must comply with Animesuki rules regarding signature size. This means each entry can be no larger than 500 x 160, and must be less than 50,000 bytes. They must also comply with forum decency rules. If you think your entry will be offensive or reported to the moderators, don't post it, even as a joke.

---

About the SOTM Entry Process:

Every month, a new entry thread is created. Each month's entry thread is a central spot meant to give contestants a chance to create and improve their entries as well as their skills, in addition to providing them a place to post their official submissions.

The thread is solely about helping contestants with entries, and as such these things will not be tolerated:

1. Nonconstructive and negative criticism (if you truly dislike something about an entry, be polite and helpful)

2. Comments, questions, or complaints about General SOTM affairs

3. Flaming, trolling, and other uncivil behavior that breaks Forum Rules

Anyone disrupting the thread will be asked to take it privately, to the SOTM Generic Discussion Thread, or if the offense is severe enough - reported to the moderators.

---

This Month's Entry Period::

This months entry period officially starts Monday, December 13th, 2010 and lasts until Friday, December 24th, 2010. Entries will be gathered and put up for voting on Sunday, December 26th, 2010. Voting will end on the following Sunday.

The due date ends at 11:59 (midnight basically) UTC/GMT. The polling will be up one day later after 11:59 (again, midnight). I will try to be as lenient as I can with last minute submissions but only slightly.

It is up to you as a contestant to know what your time zone is in relation to UTC/GMT. I cannot do this for you.

Here is a site that can help you figure that out: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/convert_time_in_UTC.aspx

---

Good luck to all contestants, and most importantly, have fun!!!

[felix]

finalentry

[Dist]

Why is your first entry always your last entry as well ? Ain't winning competitions like that.

[felix]

Originally Posted by Dist

Why is your first entry always your last entry as well ? Ain't winning competitions like that.

I don't post to win...

I post because this is the only game on the entire forum. If you want to comment, the signature is a link.

[Kana Futayo]

Since there's only 11 days for this month. I'm gonna post the list of final entries on the last day.

And now I feel like making something.

[milan kyuubi]

My try, trough I am not so sure about the text.

[Suomi]

Originally Posted by milan kyuubi

My try, trough I am not so sure about the text.

I think the text needs to be reworked. It's kind of messy and isn't really cohesive to the sig, and the different fonts don't go very well...plus it's kind of hard to read. Try to stick with one font in a readable color that goes well with the sig The background's a little busy too...I wonder if this tut might help you (obviously with your own render and design though but following the steps.)
http://www.worldofsignatures.com/jez...orial#more-283

[ganbaru]

@ Milan Kyuubi, I have to agree with Illusore, the text and background need some work.

My first tries, C&C would be welcome:

[milan kyuubi]

ganbaru, I like the first one more then second one.

New try.....



c&c?

[Suomi]

Ganbaru: I like the first one better.
MK: Much better! The font could perhaps be a little darker so it is more reasonable, but I love the quote and the sig in general...perhaps make the girl just a very little bit less orange?

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

I also prefer this one. Although the text seems to be tucked away into a corner.

Originally Posted by milan kyuubi

New try.....



c&c?

This one's a much better attempt. I'd recommend changing the text colour to something dark or more visible. Also, I'd recommend using the burn tool to strategically shadow in certain areas of the sig to emphasize the lighting.

[milan kyuubi]

Originally Posted by Illusore

MK: Much better! The font could perhaps be a little darker so it is more reasonable, but I love the quote and the sig in general...perhaps make the girl just a very little bit less orange?

Originally Posted by PreSage

This one's a much better attempt. I'd recommend changing the text colour to something dark or more visible. Also, I'd recommend using the burn tool to strategically shadow in certain areas of the sig to emphasize the lighting.

Thanks for the advice I changes the color of the text to be a little darker. Also I used the 'burn tool' on the left side of the sig.

V2


c&c?

[Mr. Wang]

Here's one, a sketch and with a weapon. Though, with my editing, it might be a tad difficult to see the sketchy aspects of the source image.

The first sig I've got for this contest. And I reckon I'll have 10 more, if I have the time. I mean, I have quite a few source images that fit the themes that are already saved on my computer, without me actually having to surf the web for stuff...

I will admit, there are areas on this signature of mine that do indeed seem a bit... plain. Feedback, and anything I can add to remedy that would be appreciated.

[Suomi]

Originally Posted by milan kyuubi

Thanks for the advice I changes the color of the text to be a little darker. Also I used the 'burn tool' on the left side of the sig.

V2


c&c?

Very nice. I do think though that maybe you could make the girl's hair a bit browner in compaerison to the rest of her. just a lil'. And the text perhaps move it so it's not running into her hair strand.

[ganbaru]

@ Mr. Wang may I suggest you than, insted of doing thoses 10 sigs than you talked about earlier, you work on the 1 or 2 more promissing one, allowing more time for improving them.
@ milan kyuubi, I agree with Illusore about the text, it shouldn't overlap the hair.

My second version of the ''focus'' one. I reworked the color. I did try to move the text somewhere else but it wasn't very good.



C&C would be welcome.

[Aurelie]

Originally Posted by milan kyuubi

My try, trough I am not so sure about the text.

I like the background personally, stock placement is good too. With the text it does look a little crowded, but I think it would be fine without it.

Originally Posted by ganbaru

@ Milan Kyuubi, I have to agree with Illusore, the text and background need some work.

My first tries, C&C would be welcome:

Not a big fan of either of them to be honest, both of them are too bright, and they could really do without the huge amount of white in the background. Lighting is nice, but you want it to be subtle, not glaring, as it is that's way too much.

Originally Posted by ganbaru

@ Mr. Wang may I suggest you than, insted of doing thoses 10 sigs than you talked about earlier, you work on the 1 or 2 more promissing one, allowing more time for improving them.
@ milan kyuubi, I agree with Illusore about the text, it shouldn't overlap the hair.

My second version of the ''focus'' one. I reworked the color. I did try to move the text somewhere else but it wasn't very good.



C&C would be welcome.

Basically what I said above. For the text, maybe along her arrow?

[milan kyuubi]

@ ganbaru Looks good, trough the left side of the render (the girls hair) looks like it needs more blending. This way it looks like that part isn't rendered very good.

Fixed the text

V3


c&c?

[rikikai]

My first entrie ^^



C&C please?

[ganbaru]

@ rikitai Looking great, maybe reworking the text's color ?

Final Entry

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by rikikai

My first entrie ^^



C&C please?

Hmm, I don't like the text very much...makes the overall sig look a bit messy... ...but that could just be me.

I personally would like to see more of her outfit (or clearer distinctions covering the criteria)...right now it's a bit hard to tell that she is Alice, aside from the blond hair.