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So that I got it right. Would you suggest actually having two contests? One for the stills and one for the animated?

If so, I would personally support such a suggestion. Simply because I love creating collages with momentary expression. I would also like not to bow to a trend just to have a chance in the polls because it would be less fun.
A splitted contest or a splitted poll could be the right way.

My humble voice here, @quantumg. I think the art transcends the style. I think we are capable of looking beyond technique and evaluating imagination, originality, skill and effect. These are quantifiable no matter the technique used. Art after all is truly in the eyes of the beholder. Critics have been trying to define art forever, and always they fail. Because we kind of know it when we see it. And, this is a community curated (after @shaka picks the finalists) event. Let the people speak. It's really not about winning. It's about creating and relating. At least for me, it is.

Yes that is true. It's not just about winning. Yet the spirit of sport encourages many. Challenge cancels the standstill, advances development. Partially this also applies to me, besides the fun aspect.


I noticed that too. So with me, 3 people noticed it and it makes sense to think and talk about a possible solution.
Because when it is true, that animated posts were favored by the community, it wouldn't be cool for those who don't want to make collages in that style.
And it wouldn't mean that the "mainstream" looks beyond the technique and the style, by logic.
This is not a bad criticism of the community. There is no problem, there are only solutions.The starting point of this little discussion was the conclusion by @tobetada and then @brittandjosie that animated posts were favored by the community.

Anybody can learn. When I started I put farm animals on a hill. Then I made a collage with Martians but couldn't get them to move forward. They only went in reverse. @tormenta once explained that she didn't know how to do GIFs. Look at her now. It's an open market. There's school (as you know). Quality drives quality. I don't see anything that needs a solution. If people seem to prefer movement, then we learn how to do movement. But stationary collages win prizes. So, there is no problem. Only progress. I think a dynamic environment where we all play off each other is the best for artistic growth, for personal growth.

Of course it's not an even playing field. If it were, we would separate the professional artists from the amateurs, the practiced from the unpracticed. We could start making all kinds of divisions. But we don't. The result of our open competition is remarkable variety. Each of us trying to come up with something new, something original, something that will wow the audience. That's the best way, in my humble opinion.

I love opportunity, chafe against restriction. Don't make me choose whether I want to do one kind or another, fit in this category or that. Don't let me start calculating which is more likely to garner a prize. Let the games begin. Let the energy flow. That may be the impulse of a rank amateur, but this is after all an amateur contest.

You are a skilled artist and know a lot more about this than I do. But I love the contest the way it is. I just wish more people would avail themselves of the learning opportunities and I really would like all of us to support struggling new members more than it seems we do now.

There...a long answer. I'm not an artist, but I am a writer :))

Be well.

AG
( Hello, @shaka, if you read this.)

Its just community talk and maybe sharing new ideas for the future while the succes is growing

Its not my choice I am not the founder I am just a big fan. Animated gifs are great and I love stills aswell and to compare is a hard job. But Dpoll decided

Its not my choice I am not the founder I am just a big fan.

I know. But anyone can make a suggestion in a community.

... and to compare is a hard job.

For me too. It is often not possible to apply the same decision criteria to all works when deciding who gets a vote.

And the community is growing so hard so maybe ......

could make sense, as I think it is technically more challenging to make animated ones

Totally agree it’s more levels of work BUT a great still can also be a winner ( I am proof 😉)

I think that could be possible given the growing number of the community and participants