Object of the Fortnight - Discussion thread.

[toe_head2001]

Here are some examples of Bulb Ornaments:

 

 

 

[Seerose]

 @MJW! "Christmas bulb ornament"  

 

It's like an optical illusion.
Sometimes inside, sometimes outside. Perfect. 

Thank you for sharing.  

 

[MJW]

12 hours ago, Seerose said:

It's like an optical illusion.

 

Thank you very much, Seerose! It was modeled after some of my own Christmas ornaments. I think they're called "indents."

[LionsDragon]

Grrr...hardest poll I've ever voted in. I just wanted all of them for my tree!

 

Speaking of which, have to figure out where to put it this year....

[Seerose]

 @MJW! I also have such balls. pretty old and classic. I love it.  

[lynxster4]

8 hours ago, welshblue said:

Not bad for things made with Bloatware ... 

 

Really....it must have taken us hours and hours to make one ornament as our systems ground to a halt...

Glad that post is locked...he was pissing me off.

[toe_head2001]

Get out your fancy ribbons, bows, and wrapping paper designs.

 

 

He's making his naughty list...

[MJW]

Sorry I didn't get an entry in the Christmas-present OOTF competition. I actually completed one about 45 minutes before the contest closed, but when I went to upload it to postimage, the website said uploads were temporarily disabled for site maintenance. I think it was Fate's way of telling me my entry didn't cut the mustard. I have to agree with Fate on that one. There were aspects I liked, but overall my entry was disappointing. It certainly wasn't in the same league as weshblue's incredible red-and-gold entry.

 

EDIT: I just tried to upload again, and they're still disabled. I sure hope postimage isn't secretly going PhotoBucket on us.

[toe_head2001]

We've been doing this competition for a year now. 

Hopefully it's been well for everyone that has competed in it.

[MJW]

It may be too late to propose a rule modification for this topic, and perhaps it's not a good idea, but I think it would be better if for this subject the rules be changed to allow a simple background, such as a solid color or a gradient. I don't think snowflakes are displayed to their best advantage against a white background. Most images I've seen of actual snowflakes are against a gradient, and I think there's a good reason for that: it highlights the details.

 

I realize there have already been some fine entries shown against white backgrounds, but I believe many would be improved by having more contrast with the background. (Also, one of the entries already has a gradient background. It would be made street-legal.)

[toe_head2001]

12 hours ago, MJW said:

It may be too late to propose a rule modification for this topic, and perhaps it's not a good idea, but I think it would be better if for this subject the rules be changed to allow a simple background, such as a solid color or a gradient.

 

I'm not convinced of the gradient, but this exception still stands:

On 2/12/2017 at 6:42 PM, toe_head2001 said:

If your Baseball object is not able to be displayed on white, then (and only then) you may use a solid grayscale color for the background.

I'm not sure grayscale is the right word here, but in other words: off-white, any level of grayness, or black.

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, welshblue said:

Seerose's especially is even more impressive with a gradient background.  In fact very realistic IMO

Is it really the gradient background that's making it more impressive?  In addition to the gradient background, it looks like you've also added a drop shadow.

[Seerose]

 @MJW!  @toe_head2001! and  @Welshblau! From my picture the background is transparent. I only used @TechnoRobbo's plugin.

[DrewDale]

Only one entry so far in the tennis racket OOF. Will see how it goes up to the deadline and will extend it if needed. 

[Pixey]

27 minutes ago, DrewDale said:

Only one entry so far in the tennis racket OOF. Will see how it goes up to the deadline and will extend it if needed. 

 

So sorry @DrewDale.  It must have been a bad choice.  My bad!  I'd suggest, if you don't get anymore by Saturday, you don't extend it, ignore my entry and perhaps you pick the next round

[MJW]

I think it was a good choice, just really difficult. Pixey's entry is amazingly good. I wish I could enter the competitions, and I'm sure I will in the future, but I've been distracted recently by non-PDN matters, and just have't been able to find the time.

[Pixey]

Thank you @MJW .  I hope your distractions are good ones. 

[DrewDale]

On 22/02/2018 at 8:13 PM, Pixey said:

 

So sorry @DrewDale.  It must have been a bad choice.  My bad!  I'd suggest, if you don't get anymore by Saturday, you don't extend it, ignore my entry and perhaps you pick the next round

I will have to hold out until Monday regardless. I'm currently switching Internet provider and can only access the  web on a phone.  

[toe_head2001]

I think we've lost sight of the original intent of this competition:

 

On 12/18/2016 at 5:03 AM, toe_head2001 said:

Ideally, the object would be something without too much complexity in its structure.

e.g. banana, Christmas tree ornament, CD, book, wood sign, mug

 

My 2 cents on the matter.

[DrewDale]

2 hours ago, toe_head2001 said:

I think we've lost sight of the original intent of this competition:

 

 

My 2 cents on the matter.

Fair enough, please let someone else pick the topic,. I was asked by @Pixey to think of one, and off the top of my head it was all that I could think of!

 

My 2 cents also. I wish I had never begun hosting this comp now. 

[LionsDragon]

FWIW, it seems the objects chosen have increased in complexity, which is logical when you consider most of us are constantly striving to get better. However, a complex object could be off-putting for a rookie.

 

At the risk of getting pelted with tomatoes, would it be possible to split this contest into "beginner" and "more advanced" categories?

[BoltBait]

You're not getting enough entries now and you want to split it up?

 

I don't think that's gonna work.

 

The reason I don't participate (other than the fact that I have no skillz) is that it already takes me hours to make an entry for the SotW contest... I can't even imagine how long it would take me to make a larger piece like an OofF entry.

[LionsDragon]

7 minutes ago, BoltBait said:

You're not getting enough entries now and you want to split it up?

 

I don't think that's gonna work.

 

 

I know, it does seem like Wonderland logic when put that way. My thinking was that beginners might be intimidated by complex objects and might respond to a simpler contest, while more advanced users might welcome a challenge.

 

But yeah, if not enough people enter anyway....

 

[Pixey]

I vote for @LionsDragon to pick the theme and then we can get this on the road again

[MJW]

 I think both the radio and the tennis racket theme fall within the original intent. The difficulty with the tennis racket theme is all in the details. Among other things, it's really hard to produce the rounded cross-section of the frame, and the way the string holes are evenly arranged around the oval head adds considerable complexity. I gave it a little thought, and couldn't come up with a good approach. (As I mentioned before, Pixey's entry was beyond impressive.)

 

I expect the radio theme will attract quite a few entries. Radios are more straight-forwardly geometric. I have some ideas already, and hope to submit an entry. The only question I might have about the theme in regard to the original intent of OOTF is that it allows such a wide variety of entries. I'm not sure that's really a criticism, though, since I'm not sure to what degree the competition should be about producing the same thing. There's an advantage to limited themes, which allow more direct comparisons -- so it's not comparing apples to oranges (which is why "apple" is a better theme than "fruit.") However, I think it would be challenging to come up with enough limited-variation themes. It would pretty much confine the themes to natural objects, since most man-made objects come in many different forms.

[DrewDale]

I vote for @LionsDragon to be the host. I'm sick to the back teeth of this comp before it even gets going again.