As you may remember, our Fish & Colors Fabric Of the Week contest had two guidelines: use fish as a motif and employ the restricted palette of colors described here. Well, seventy-two designers took up the challenge and we are — in a novel twist on our usual contest procedures — offering up ALL of the fabrics in a mega-vote-apalooza this week. You can vote for as many or as few fabrics as you like. At the end of voting (on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6pm EST), the design with the most votes will win. Just to make it even more of a free-for-all, we won't be showing results for the contest as they come in. So you'll have to wait until next week to find out the winner.
Also of note, the poll consists of three pages this week that are served up in random order from visitor to visitor. The designs on each page are also randomized per visitor. That will keep any single group of designs from being hobbled due to bad placement.
You can only vote once, and you can do it here.
The contestants this week are:
- Psychedelic Fish by Norman Sherfield
- Fish Fry by Adriana Hernandez
- Fishies by Aimee Elisabeth
- gonefishin by bandanna
- Paisley Fish by beckarahn
- HalibuTartan by b_mac_b
- sf-frilly-fish-w-black by beena_singhal
- spoonflowerfishcarmen by ohcarmie
- fishiesunderthesea by carey_perez
- 'Koi + Lotus' by monkeybutt
- Aqua School by gottacre8!
- mermaid10 by connielou
- fish with hands and feet 2 by humpty
- cocofish by corentine
- Goldfish_Bubbles by outofthebox
- Fish Scales by halahblue
- vll_fish_2-ch by victorialasher
- FishSpoonflower by edubgraphicart
- FishFuillard by edzellinni
- fish by moonbeam
- Fishy_Wishes by Lisa Rene Anderson
- betabowls4color by elisabeth
- SHARKS__6X10 by eliza
- Koi Blossom by Julie Shaw
- Swim against the stream by Yvonne Herbst
- FishBones by Lisa Dawson
- 4-color-bloop-a-rama by Joan De Lurio
- coralfish by hadley hutton
- Goldfish a la William Morris by Gretchen Little
- fishes by Debec
- fishtails2 by elizabeth Mckenzie
- whimsical_fish_1d by vicki jenkins
- fishsoup by Stefanie von Hoesslin
- fourfishes_2_2 by Linn Bodur
- fish fabric by James McCullough
- fishsoup by Jane Crowe
- Fish Mirrored Circles by Susan Mentrak
- swimmy by Kate Austin
- Blinking Outside The Bag by Kim Niles
- fish-napkin-design by katy keuter
- fish bone plate by Kweli Kitwana
- Fun Fish Circles and Stars … by Kris K
- ed fish, blue fish, yellow…' by Lori Howe
- blue fish by Laura L. Greaves
- Weird Fishes by Leigh
- Funky_80s_Fish by Sandra Stewart
- Jellyfish Peek-a-boo by Marilyn Patrizio
- fishies – contest by Monica Meehan
- Hello_Fishy by Cathy McLeod
- Ocean View by Patty McNally
- Ocean View by Noah
- Matryoshka Fish Kaleidoscope by Wee Folk Art
- FishFishFish by Annelie Hervi
- koi joy by Star Primm
- CoralWaterTurquoiseFish by Michele Ouellet
- fish by Lara
- Fish Are Nice by Mary Brewer
- trio_fish by Samantha Cheung
- SF_FishContest_B_11-2-09 by Sarah Nussbaumer
- here_fishy_fishy by Joy Lamphere
- jpk_fishy by Melissa Ditalo
- Tiger_Fish by Alex Morgan
- JellyFish by Tamara Hensley
- Koi_bw by Daniela Caine
- fish shoal by Tanja Loeser
- fish by Tina Rose
- fish_pattern by Connie Lim
- Fish Town by Jolene Forcier
- Disgruntled Fish Pattern by Linda Tieu
- Swimmin' with the fishes by Vanessa
- Octopus Black by Laura Wilson
- reef_fish by Angela McGrew
Go vote.
I really liked the criteria for this contest. I thought that choosing the color palette was helpful in a couple of ways: It enables the voters to focus easier on the designs and also was enlightening to see how one color palette offers so much variety. Also, when all is said and done, the designs will all coordinate with one another and can sell easily in the spoonflower store. Great Idea!
I like the idea of criteria for the contests but some folks do not follow the rules and they are included anyway. I recall your explaination that it is a community thing but as a community we should all follow the same rules. There is a prize, after all. I can’t afford swatches right now so I look forward to winning in order to get some free swatches so I can sell more in the marketplace. If some members of the community can just enter whatever they want, we should all be able to do that. If Teddy bears win in a fish contest, how can that be good for the community? This color scheme was difficult for me. I had a better version but could not enter it because of the color rule. Now I see that others tweaked the colors and theirs look good and they may win. It is YOUR contest so you can make the rules. I’m suggesting that the rest of the community should not vote for entries that do not follow the rules even if they are beautiful. I’m just saying…
i agree with some of what Sylvia is saying, i too was a bit disappointed to see some of the entries with colors that weren’t in the rules. i did follow the rules too and it was difficult for me to figure out how to do it (i am still learning to navigate the computer world and it’s programs) i understand that some people may not have access to a computer program that helps them select the right colors so maybe this particular contest wasn’t the right one for them, you guys are constantly putting fresh contests out there and each one holds wonderful challenges but like Slyvia said you guys do make the rules and for those of us who stick by them well it when all is said and done it seems a bit unfair.
kt
i just wanted to add after re-reading my comment above, that i hope it doesn’t come across harsh i do not mean it to be so, there aren’t really enough words to explain how grateful i am for your contests, they have given me so much joy to both participate in and to sometimes step back and be a voter….just wanted to make sure you guys know that. i also know it can’t be easy to set this all up linking all the entries, printing fabrics and still running a business to boot, just thought i should add this on to my comment.
thank you
sincerely kt
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Sylvia,
I don't think a lot of people will vote for a design that obviously didn't follow the suggested color palette. Our reason for showing all the designs entered and not disqualifying any of them is really the same as our reason for putting on the contest each week in the first place: we want to give as many people as possible a chance to share their work with the rest of the community. Our contests are more about sharing than judging. We might run a contest at some point that is all about judging, but I suspect it will have a different character altogether. Not that it won't be fun, but it will be different. [More work to put together, for one thing!]
-Stephen
I love this contest…the entries are all amazing! I love the free-for-all concept. What I primarily like about the contests is seeing (with the same perimeters) how different people interpret the theme. I enjoy seeing designs by the people with great skills, but my favorites are always the fun and witty designs. Since you don’t sell the designs exclusively anymore, maybe some kind of random selection process would be fun…it certainly would be appropriate this week. Every design is a winner!
I too adore these contests and take pleasure in the challenge of them. As, without them, I would not have been able to push myself past times when I lacked much needed motivation.
I believe the challenge with these “contest” is that people have diverse perceptive and reasons for why they partake…as, there are several reason that would motivate, inspire, or enthuse participation—a sense of community, a drive for competition, a need for exposure, the joy of receiving a freebie, and many, many more. Hence, what a person may take away from the experience in then end will differ.
Also, I liked the fact that you “recommended” people purchase a sample proof of their design before posting them in the contest. If there was an area for “enforcement” I would vote for this. Since, in my opinion, minimally a contestant should commit to reviewing their creations first hand, before having others purchase their winning design.
I enjoy seeing the range of submissions and having the opportunity to submit without rigid exclusions. Perhaps “Contest” could instead be called The Fabric of the Week “Invite or Challenge/Inspiration/Muse … or some other clever word, which gives some flexibility as to the intent … that there are “suggested guidelines” rather than hard and fast rules.
Just a thought. Angela
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I like that idea. Thanks!
My pleasure. Glad you like it. Thanks again for the wonderful website and opportunities. -Angela
mmmmm…another thought…perhaps entertaining “one contest” where all the voters are only the spoonflower contestants and they are allowed to vote for only one design and that design being one other than their own…
i have noticed that some designers have used “shameless self-promotion” LOL by advertising their designs on websites and blogs here and there on the internet…i do realize that this in some respects is a very good thing for spreading the word about this awesome site…however, as a designer, i would at some point also enjoy some real humble artistic/designer voting taking place…without concern for one’s own placement…??
is this realistic or just a pipe dream??? indi
after rereading what i wrote, i feel like should be send to my room without dinner. wow, the above didn’t read with the dry humor i was feeling. my poor choice of words was not meant to be a put down but rather an attempt to add a thought for a contest with critique potential. too bad there is not a delete button…please forgive…now off to my room…
p.s. i love spoonflower!!!