Forums → Art, Music, and Writing → Armor Games' Armatar Contest: 2012 Winter Edition!

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MrDayCee

14,747 posts

King

Posted December 8, '12 9:19am UTC

A good day I bid all ye artfull, creative and skillfull citizens of ArmorGames! =)

It's fair to say that the revival of the Armatar Contest was a big success, with lots of wonderful and original entries for the Thanksgiving season, but... we're aiming for more!!

So let's continue this old tradition and surpass the first edition with even more entries of your original drawings in the second launch: The 2012 Winter Edition!

Here are the guidelines that help you figure out what is allowed and what is not :

# ARMATAR CONTEST GUIDELINES :

1) All entries must be appropriate. They cannot be offensive or profane in nature. Keep it clean!
2) The entry must be square, and at least 100x100 pixels in dimension.
3) Your entry must scale down well to 100x100. So if it is larger, make sure that it will still look good when it is scaled down to the actual armatar size. Here are a few suggestions about this :
~ Sometimes keeping it simple is better. If you go into a lot of detail, it might not look as great when you scale it down. So just keep in mind what the final size will be and check often how it looks when it is scaled down.
And remember to save a lot while you are making it! Better to delete 20 -in between made- save files later on, than ending up with something you actually don't like...
~ If you are able to do vector, by all means! That can help with the sharpness of the image. However, since they are so small this probably isn't a big issue.
4) Must be completely original. You cannot use elements from other pieces of artwork, the entire armatar must be 100% created by you.
5) Must be fitting to the current contest's theme. If a certain entry is debatable, a mod or admin will give the decisive answer for submission.

Do note that we won't necessarily add all submissions... remember that all submissions will likely go up in batches preceding or during the actual season/holiday, and that they will eventually disappear from the Armatar roster as we approach the next theme.

We look forward to seeing your contributions, so pick up that pencil, start up your art programs, get your brain into overdrive and do your best to make 'em look good! =)

[img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8500/8253540719_7b89c6b013_b_d.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nA good day I bid all ye artfull, creative and skillfull citizens of ArmorGames! =)\r\n\r\nIt's fair to say that the revival of the Armatar Contest was a big success, with lots of wonderful and original entries for the Thanksgiving season, but... we're aiming for more!!\r\n\r\nSo let's continue this old tradition and surpass the first edition with even more entries of your original drawings in the second launch: [b]The 2012 Winter Edition![/b]\r\n\r\nHere are the guidelines that help you figure out what is allowed and what is not :\r\n\r\n[b]# ARMATAR CONTEST GUIDELINES :[/b]\r\n\r\n1) [b]All entries must be appropriate.[/b] They cannot be offensive or profane in nature. Keep it clean!\r\n2) [b]The entry must be square[/b], and at least 100x100 pixels in dimension.\r\n3) [b]Your entry must scale down well to 100x100.[/b] So if it is larger, make sure that it will still look good when it is scaled down to the actual armatar size. Here are a few suggestions about this :\r\n~ [i]Sometimes keeping it simple is better.[/i] If you go into a lot of detail, it might not look as great when you scale it down. So just keep in mind what the final size will be and check often how it looks when it is scaled down.\r\n[i]And remember to save a lot while you are making it! Better to delete 20 -in between made- save files later on, than ending up with something you actually don't like... [/i];)\r\n~ [i]If you are able to do vector, by all means![/i] That can help with the sharpness of the image. However, since they are so small this probably isn't a big issue.\r\n4) [b]Must be completely original.[/b] You cannot use elements from other pieces of artwork, the entire armatar must be 100% created by you.\r\n5) [b]Must be fitting to the current contest's theme.[/b] If a certain entry is debatable, a mod or admin will give the decisive answer for submission.\r\n\r\nDo note that we won't necessarily add all submissions... remember that all submissions will likely go up in batches preceding or during the actual season/holiday, and that they will eventually disappear from the Armatar roster as we approach the next theme.\r\n\r\nWe look forward to seeing your contributions, so pick up that pencil, start up your art programs, get your brain into overdrive and do your best to make 'em look good! =)

299 Replies

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Salvidian

4,170 posts

Farmer

Posted December 20, '12 9:26pm UTC

Fixed it up a little bit.

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Salvidian

4,170 posts

Farmer

Posted December 20, '12 10:07pm UTC

Ornament.

Snowball.

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EmperorPalpatine

9,442 posts

Jester

Posted December 21, '12 12:22am UTC

Ornament, but it probably doesn't scale well

400:

100:

offline

70_70_70

393 posts

Peasant

Posted December 21, '12 8:24am UTC

@EmperorPalpatine: ur ornament is nice, but is it better to put the snowman in the middle instead of the tree?
@Sal: Finally, ur entries came, and they r very nice, but actually I mistook ur snowball with a thunderball lah :-P

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GhostOfHorror

890 posts

Nomad

Posted December 21, '12 9:50am UTC

I agree, Emp, your ornament is nice, I'd say make the circle of it a little smaller and put the snowmen in the middle.

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Salvidian

4,170 posts

Farmer

Posted December 21, '12 3:55pm UTC

Spent all night making these babies. Took a picture of stuff outside, scanned the pictures, then placed an opaque chalk layer over them using Photoshop. Yes, those are my surroundings in real life. Pretty neat, huh?

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Bronze

2,417 posts

Shepherd

Posted December 21, '12 4:34pm UTC

Really cool idea Sal. I think the top two could really work, but it would help if they were brighter ( like the third one). Could you run edit them?

Not sure about the fourth one. I like the trees, but they kinda blend together. You might be able to sharpen them up. And is that a clothesline?

I like the firewood too, really fits the theme well.

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70_70_70

393 posts

Peasant

Posted December 21, '12 5:07pm UTC

@Sal: cool new pics man, but can u use SPACE to separate ur pics? bcoz it took me some times to realize that u actually have 5 pic- not 4, bcoz the 1st two pics seems like a WHOLE one lah :-P

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Salvidian

4,170 posts

Farmer

Posted December 21, '12 5:15pm UTC

Could you run edit them?

Yep.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg606/Salvidian/house_zpse95fd689.png

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg606/Salvidian/trees_zpsc7841208.png

The little speckles are annoying to me, but I don't know where they came from. I had my camera on 1600 IOS, so I'm guessing the specks are reflections of light of snow on the camera lens. It was snowing when I took these, so it makes sense.

Not sure about the fourth one. I like the trees, but they kinda blend together. You might be able to sharpen them up. And is that a clothesline?

Yeah, it's a clothesline.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg606/Salvidian/clothsline_zpsaf952b59.png

The original photo for this one was weird, so I don't think I can salvage too much from it. I tried sharpening it, but it killed the quality, so I ended up raising the contrast a bit and adding a light blue layer over everything to make it pop out a little.

I like the firewood too, really fits the theme well.

Thanks!

@Sal: cool new pics man, but can u use SPACE to separate ur pics? bcoz it took me some times to realize that u actually have 5 pic- not 4, bcoz the 1st two pics seems like a WHOLE one lah :-P

First, thanks.

I used space this time, haha. Actually, the first two are from one panorama I did. I split the image in half and viola! Two Armatar submissions.

[quote]Could you run edit them?[/quote]\r\n\r\nYep.\r\n\r\n[img]http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg606/Salvidian/house_zpse95fd689.png[/img]\r\n\r\n[img]http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg606/Salvidian/trees_zpsc7841208.png[/img]\r\n\r\nThe little speckles are annoying to me, but I don't know where they came from. I had my camera on 1600 IOS, so I'm guessing the specks are reflections of light of snow on the camera lens. It was snowing when I took these, so it makes sense.               \r\n\r\n[quote]Not sure about the fourth one. I like the trees, but they kinda blend together. You might be able to sharpen them up. And is that a clothesline?[/quote]\r\n\r\nYeah, it's a clothesline.\r\n\r\n[img]http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg606/Salvidian/clothsline_zpsaf952b59.png[/img]\r\n\r\nThe original photo for this one was weird, so I don't think I can salvage too much from it. I tried sharpening it, but it killed the quality, so I ended up raising the contrast a bit and adding a light blue layer over everything to make it pop out a little.\r\n\r\n[quote]I like the firewood too, really fits the theme well.[/quote]\r\n\r\nThanks!\r\n\r\n[quote]@Sal: cool new pics man, but can u use SPACE to separate ur pics? bcoz it took me some times to realize that u actually have 5 pic- not 4, bcoz the 1st two pics seems like a WHOLE one lah :-P[/quote]\r\n\r\nFirst, thanks.\r\n\r\nI used space this time, haha. Actually, the first two are from one panorama I did. I split the image in half and viola! Two Armatar submissions.

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Bronze

2,417 posts

Shepherd

Posted December 21, '12 5:21pm UTC

Yeah yeah, that really worked well.

The trees might not turn out, but the picture works in a more abstract sense. And by that I mean the colors and the overall mood feels like a winter setting.

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EmperorPalpatine

9,442 posts

Jester

Posted December 21, '12 7:01pm UTC

There was a blizzard all day yesterday, so I'll just post some pics I took today and see which ones you guys like, then I'll mess with editing and stuff. Hopefully they're all scaled down...

snow1

sun1

backyard1

snow2

snow3

snow4

snow5

frontyard1

frontyard2

frontyard3

frontyard4

frontyard5

backyard2

sideyard1

backyard3

snow6

branch1

branch2

branch3

branch4

branch5

branch6

There was a blizzard all day yesterday, so I'll just post some pics I took today and see which ones you guys like, then I'll mess with editing and stuff. Hopefully they're all scaled down...\r\n\r\nsnow1\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic11.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsun1\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic1.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbackyard1\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic10.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsnow2\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic12.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsnow3\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic13.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsnow4\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic14.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsnow5\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic15.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nfrontyard1\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic16.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nfrontyard2\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic3.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nfrontyard3\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic4.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nfrontyard4\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic5.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nfrontyard5\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic6.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbackyard2\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic7.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsideyard1\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic8.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbackyard3\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic9.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nsnow6\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic17.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbranch1\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic18.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbranch2\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic19.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbranch3\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic20.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbranch4\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic21.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbranch5\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic22.jpg[/img]\r\n\r\nbranch6\r\n[img]http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/winterpic23.jpg[/img]

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Bronze

2,417 posts

Shepherd

Posted December 21, '12 7:14pm UTC

Sun1
backyard1
frontyard3
branch2

offline

Salvidian

4,170 posts

Farmer

Posted December 21, '12 7:15pm UTC

You guys had that blizzard too? Lol, we had 16 inches.

To begin, going from a photo to the traditional, cartoon-y Armatar isn't easy. I don't feel like I've done a good job myself, to be honest. They still look a lot like photos, which is something I don't think will work very well as an Armatar.

The snow ones are kind of boring. We've all seen snow, and there isn't much detail to make it into anything eye-catching or attention-grabbing. It's just white, with a line or two here of mini-snow dunes.

The sun picture had too little IOS and too wide of an aperture (omg Sal knows some camera terms), which resulted in an overly dark, little contrasted picture where the serious use of depth-of-field blended everything together. It would take a lot of time to go in and reconstruct everything to make it Armatar-worthy.

The frontyard ones don't look too bad at all - the tree might be an issue because some of the branches are blurred together. If you could, maybe use the 3rd one and just get rid of the smaller branches? I feel like it would look very nice. If you use GIMP or Photoshop, it can be done fairly easy with a flick of the Clone Stamp tool. If you don't use GIMP or Photoshop, you'll probably ruin into some problems with making it look like the erased branches didn't just vanish. You need to keep it looking natural.

The sideyard one is definitely worth looking at. However, if you could get the more of the house into the picture (maybe by standing farther away), it would be a nice, contemporary "house in the countryside" kind of ordeal. Right now you don't get much with the house, and the trees aren't too exciting by themselves. Trees and houses compliment each other phenomenally.

Branch 4 is about the only branch one that's really interesting. The others are kind of bland, general branches. Branch 4 gives the viewer an observation from the ground up, but it isn't so extreme that it looks like a normal view. It's almost like a combination of ground view and bird's eye view, which is really nice. You might want to up the contrast a bit when editing it because you might lose a lot of detail if you make it into a cartoon-ish picture. Otherwise, the branches and sky contrast each other nicely.

You guys had that blizzard too? Lol, we had 16 inches.\r\n\r\nTo begin, going from a photo to the traditional, cartoon-y Armatar isn't easy. I don't feel like I've done a good job myself, to be honest. They still look a lot like photos, which is something I don't think will work very well as an Armatar.\r\n\r\nThe snow ones are kind of boring. We've all seen snow, and there isn't much detail to make it into anything eye-catching or attention-grabbing. It's just white, with a line or two here of mini-snow dunes.\r\n\r\nThe sun picture had too little IOS and too wide of an aperture (omg Sal knows some camera terms), which resulted in an overly dark, little contrasted picture where the serious use of depth-of-field blended everything together. It would take a lot of time to go in and reconstruct everything to make it Armatar-worthy.\r\n\r\nThe frontyard ones don't look too bad at all - the tree might be an issue because some of the branches are blurred together. If you could, maybe use the 3rd one and just get rid of the smaller branches? I feel like it would look very nice. If you use GIMP or Photoshop, it can be done fairly easy with a flick of the Clone Stamp tool. If you don't use GIMP or Photoshop, you'll probably ruin into some problems with making it look like the erased branches didn't just vanish. You need to keep it looking natural.\r\n\r\nThe sideyard one is definitely worth looking at. However, if you could get the more of the house into the picture (maybe by standing farther away), it would be a nice, contemporary "house in the countryside" kind of ordeal. Right now you don't get much with the house, and the trees aren't too exciting by themselves. Trees and houses compliment each other phenomenally.\r\n\r\nBranch 4 is about the only branch one that's really interesting. The others are kind of bland, general branches. Branch 4 gives the viewer an observation from the ground up, but it isn't so extreme that it looks like a normal view. It's almost like a combination of ground view and bird's eye view, which is really nice. You might want to up the contrast a bit when editing it because you might lose a lot of detail if you make it into a cartoon-ish picture. Otherwise, the branches and sky contrast each other nicely.

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EmperorPalpatine

9,442 posts

Jester

Posted December 21, '12 7:26pm UTC

but is it better to put the snowman in the middle instead of the tree?

Like this?

400

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/ornament2size400.png

100

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Mr12Relic/ornament2size100.png

offline

70_70_70

393 posts

Peasant

Posted December 21, '12 7:38pm UTC

@EmperorPalpatine: imo generally u should make the pics look brighter, so the pics i like most of course are ones with brightest color, such as:

backyard1
sideyard1
branch3
branch5
branch6

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