chelperk Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 So, for the most recent Random Contest [making a pillow that looked like my pet Beeki] I worked sooooooooo hard and it came out soooooooo good. But then, I read the rules: What size should images be? The image file size should be no more than 50K. Try to avoid doing tiny little pictures as often they don't reflect the time and effort you have put into them. The ideal size is somewhere between 300 and 300 pixels (4 and 4 inches) in height and width. It doesn't have to be square. Based on the foto I took, I cropped and resized it about 10x and came up with this: It lost much quality and detail, but it was as good as I could do being under 50k. I didn't win at all. :sad02: It upsets me to see people winning with much larger photos & detail. What did I do wrong? :sad01_anim: leverhelven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minniemeggie Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Your pillow was awesome! I'm sorry it didn't win! :sad02: The only tips I have is maybe use a different camera or file type. A lot of users often make a little graphic with their entry to draw more attention to it. Maybe next time you could do something similar? Edit: I just took a look at the other entries, it looks like what they said about file size is just a suggestion, I also think they would rather it be bigger rather than smaller of the suggestion size. :/ chelperk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rune Valentine Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 It looks well done! Perhaps a graphic of who it's supposed to look like? Then maybe a different angle, because it looks flat and it doesn't really look like a pillow, I think you can do 2-3 images in one to get all of those images to work. The image quality isn't so bad but from the top it doesn't look too pillow-y. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelperk Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 I considered much of this before submitting my entry but all I had to work with was my iPhone for a camera. I also lack the skillz to make the cool graphics I've seen previous winners make. Waah, waaaah. I wanted to ask for advice prior to my submission...lesson learned, I guess? :/ I didn't stuff the pillow a lot for worry of it distorting Beeki's face, I should have tried to submit the original picture I took. I think it could have given it justice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minniemeggie Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 next time you want to submit you should ask for help on the graphic forum here, someone might be able to help you out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avia loves Chias Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 they specifically asked for a square pillow, and one of the winners wasn't even square. :\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 That looks awesome!!!! I can't believe you didn't get a prize for that :( it looks like it took a lot on time and effort, I'm so sorry. I won the random contest a while ago. I didn't know anything about it really at the time so I feel really lucky now that I stumbled upon a drawing round. I also had trouble with the sizing. Luckily since it was just a colored pencil drawing there wasn't anything fancy to do to add to it or any additional pictures to collage together. I just scanned my drawing into the computer, sized it to about the same size as your picture and it made it through. If you lower the resolution of the photo you can make it a lot bigger while staying in the maximum size. I guess looking at past winners and contests is probably the best way of learning what the judges like? WOW i'm looking at the winners and holy kau that was a tough contest! I think stuffing the pillow would have helped a lot but wow competition this round was fierce I hope you enter again because you spent a lot of time on your pillow and it's obvious that you've got the creative gene :) don't give up! minniemeggie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelperk Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 Thanks for the kind words, everyone! What held me back from asking for help was that I thought it could be considered cheating. I dread that sort of thing. they specifically asked for a square pillow, and one of the winners wasn't even square. :\ My thoughts exactly! That, and there were entries that won and didn't even have a description or a list of items used. I thought that maybe mine lacked creativity because it looks just like my pets face in that pose, but then seeing the Maraquan Chomby (which was excellent, no doubt) was the same as it's photo too. And also, were there really that many entries? 5 1sts, 5 2nds and 11 3rd places for a pillow that requires much work? Past contests/winners I've seen 28 3rd places, some more, some less. (Is my disappointment showing? LOL) I was so bummed last nite (likely due to pregnancy hormones) and my husband urged me to contact TNT about it somehow but I'm gonna let it go. -sigh- @Shelley I did go out of the box for this one, but I'm actually not that creative and into drawing/painting. I just told myself, "I can do this!" and started putting it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseykins Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Is it possible that maybe you landed in third place rather then not getting a spot? Third place winners are usually notified by neomail a few days after release. So unless you got a rejection neomail, then there's still hope you might get a prize. :) Your entry is really cute and well done! :D Oh one thing about your file size: use .gif instead of .jpg that will decrease the file size some. When I did my entry which was a photoshop drawing, I went over the file size. If I were to have made it within the guidelines it would have been so tiny and all the detail gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelperk Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 I had a friend just tell me about 3rd place too, so maybe there's still hope? I'll be so stoked, I really want that avie! I need to learn about this resizing business...I saved some random entry photos and they weren't 50k at all! I think one was up to 273? Grr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leverhelven Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Aw man, that sucks! Those instructions are indeed confusing (and tell me about that non-square pillow winning! That actually deserves a question and explanation in the Editorial, if I were you I'd try it). Your pillow looks LOVELY! I wish I had your talent, Chel! <3 chelperk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avia loves Chias Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Oh one thing about your file size: use .gif instead of .jpg that will decrease the file size some. When I did my entry which was a photoshop drawing, I went over the file size. If I were to have made it within the guidelines it would have been so tiny and all the detail gone. it depends on the amount of colors. a photoshop drawing would do well in a gif if it has a limited amount of colors compared to a real life photo. real life photos are usually best as a jpg because of the balance between file size and quality. definitely try both file types and see what the size ends up being. you could also try png, which is full quality and can end up huge for high color photos, but could give you a better quality small size file in any situation where gifs are used. and even if it's not 50k, after looking at those winners, i don't even think neopets remembers instating that rule. their pictures go all the way to 200k. i would just not worry about trying to get it under 50k next time and just make sure to showcase your creation well. chelperk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobbafina Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Hi! I just want to say that I am really sorry to those who are mad about the non-square pillow winning. I have only been in one other Random Contest (which was ages ago) and I honestly didn't think that that they were "that" serious about the rules (And by that, I mean specifically in this case, saying to create a square pillow.) I totally overlooked/underthought that aspect to the rules because I just thought the description saying "Square pillow" was just being a general statement for the pillow-making in general. If they had said something along the lines of "Square pillows only please", I would have totally gone with that, but I guess I just got a bit confused and misunderstood what they were asking for. To be honest, I'm not sure if they really DID only want square pillows entered, or if they accepted other shapes as well, but whatever the case, my apologies for it all, hopefully they will be a bit more clear with future Random Contests, and good luck to you all in the future. :3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelperk Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 ...still waiting to see if I got 3rd... We're not meaning to offend your shield pillow (it was well done!), we're just pointing out that the rules seem kinda warped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobbafina Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 I think everyone who didn't place 1st or 2nd get placed 3rd :0 I hope TNT are a bit more clear on rules in the future ^^' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelperk Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 I got 3rd! Just found out yesterday. :) missmadiemay and Avia loves Chias 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avia loves Chias Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 yaaaay!!! i see you're using the avatar now. congratulations! I think everyone who didn't place 1st or 2nd get placed 3rd :0 everyone? chelperk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelperk Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Thank you! And I was wondering that too...everyone? Only 21 people total entered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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