O.o

Wow, Kharaen, I love you.

Daermon, how long have you been working on that picture?

I seem to remember seeing it a while back and giving comments on it.

He mentioned it on IRC a few months back. He had entered it but didn't get anything that time. I'm glad he got something for his work this time round, even if it was just a merit.

A long time.

With this round, I've also learned that I shouldn't spend so much time on my art, seeing (attempted) realism obviously isn't preferred. Meh. I hate to sound like a whiner, but I'm really disappointed with some of the things that got runner-up.

Feyrll's is amazing as usual.

I've seen good photorealism get runner-ups (like Daganev's stuff.) Though I'll admit, I liked your Viravaine better then Neurosis. It's a matter of personal preference though, there's going to be at least a touch of subjectivity in how winners are selected, since everyone has their own preference on what kind of art they prefer.

Actually a LOT of realistic pictures featured this month, made me grateful to get my own prize as it is likely the most cartoony one there this month.

Be a good sport chap, and try again next month.

Also, you get points for "being Lusternian", which can mean, "would this be a typical fantasy pic, or something uniquely Lusternian?"

...I'm going to let Ytraelux comment about that one.

Right. Rant time before I go vegetative.

Right there in the ArtBard Help file, it says that when judging a piece the judges ask "Could this be anywhere else". There have been so many many many entries for several months now that are only Lusternian AT ALL because the artists say they are in the comments. Enero's snake last month, for example, he said it was from Balach. Find almost any other fantasy, or real, world that has been invented/exists that has snakes in, and that snake would fit. Now, something like Feryll's portraits, for example, could be extrapolated to it somewhere else. However, they are tailor-made to fit the descriptions of those characters. Someone other than JKR could write a story about a magical massive castle where they teach magic, but it would still fit and be native to Hogwarts.

Basically, what I'm getting at is that the Artisanals are supposed to be judged not only on artistic talent (Which, frankly, is sometimes slightly lacking, IMHO) but also on how much they relate to Lusternia. Now, in the Bardics, this rule is generally more kept to. But in the Artisanals, it seems to be taken into a ccount in the minority of entries.

On a similar yet different tangent, sometimes some of the entried seem to be judged by who it is that's sending them in. Even if they judges aren't told the names, if it's someone who's entered a lot before, their style will be recognised. For example, one of Kaileigh's last entries wasn't up to her normal standard - It was a relatively vague and very unfinished-looking sketch of an aslaran kicking a shroomie. However, it still got runner-up, when something of that standard often gets less, if anything. Note that more often than not, the entries of people with good reputations are still great, it's just that they aren't always so fabulous.

Disclaimer: I do not mean to shame any people named in this post, I was simply using them as examples. Also, I hope that any judges reading this do not take this post the wrong way - I don't hate you - I haven't even experienced your opinions first-hand, except for a bardic which I thought was pretty rubbish myself - I just think that a little more care should be taken with the criterion for judging pieces.

I have found that some of my pictures get a better reward if I end up putting some text in the picture which makes it clear its lusternian.

Other than that though, I have to agree with your rant. Well, not the part about certain people being recognized, I don't agree with that part of the rant at all. A decent sketch by Escher will win hands down compared to a 20 foot tall oil painting done by me.

You misunderstand my point. What if the judges in a contest had never heard of either you or Escher, and Escher's sketch was really not that good, whereas your 20-foot-oil painting showed great artistic talent and beauty. You should win. Contests should be judged on a case-by-case basis, although this is a flaw that might be somewhat harder to get rid of due to the subjective nature of these things.

now, how many winners this month will get to commune with nature in the deep and profound style of Annabelle?

What I am saying is that Escher is such a good artist, that even his "crappy" sketches will jump out to a good judge more than my "perfected" huge painting. Regardless of if I put my name on Escher's sketch, and Escher puts his name on my painting.

Great art and writing entries this month. Maybe I'll even play Lendren's piece to see what it really sounds like Though I'm also envious... I've always wanted to know how to properly write my own music!

And question about something that was brought up here... do the judges know who the artists/writers are, or is it an anonymous judging?

Edit: I misunderstood the above question.

I'm given to believe it's supposed to be anonymous (it was on Achaea, I'm told) but even if it is sometimes people - understandably - do things like put their signature on their work.

I love seeing artwork for Viravain. It's so much fun to see how differently everyone pictures her from how I picture her in my own head. I'm just baffled why everyone thinks she looks drowish with gray/ash coloured skin. Is it something in the way I describe her?

I think they get it from that freaky South Park picture you posted.

the pic in Viravain's avatar reminds me of the Sorceress from FFVIII. You know, when you first see her and she has that bird helmet on?

Oh, er, I think I see a slight problem with the music. You have it listed as 4-4 time but each measure is only 2 beats (e.g. 4 sixteenth notes and 2 eighth notes). Only the first/last measures seem to be in 4-4 (if you combine the two). Also, is it meant as a duet since it requires the the same note to be played twice? I guess I'm just used to piano sheet music where the bottom staff is bass clef.
(EDIT: Oh, I see now. I downloaded the music and I think I hear it as a flute/...lute?)
As for your actual bardic entry with ASCII... Amazing!


And is it just me or do people really like drawing Viravain?

Touché