For those of you who've been around this site a while, how do you think the "Gate Locks" contest
( http://photoshopcontest.com/photoshop-contest/2234/gate-locks.html )
would have differed (if at all) had the same source been used 3 years ago?

What is your opinion???

I ain't no old-timer, but I think the winner would have walked away with 20 votes give or take. I'm guessing BC is asking an 'idea' issue here though..

I must say that some of the ideas in today's contest made me say..."Ooooooh".

Very nice work, people.

Well (and this is NOT a critisism to those who have done some very cool chops on this contest) no one would have had a month to put it all together.

So of course it would have been different.

true true

i know what he's saying i'm old,
there would of been more bondage, slavery, female abuse, child abuse, all the old classics

I haven't been around that long, but
I think there would have been more 'outside the box ideas'
and what reinman said too

I've been kicking around here for a while now, and here's my 2 cents...

I think that there has been a trend in recent years to make images that are dark for the sake of being dark, because people think that's "edgy and cool". And really, that's just taking the easy way out. Maybe this is a generation thing, but I also think that the popularity of a couple of choppers who tend toward the dark & moody has spawned a bunch of people who try to emulate that.

Not to say that there aren't plenty of creative folks around here now, but there does seem to be a lower proportion of great idea-driven chops.

To address the "Gate Locks" contest (which, incidentally, I took the source photo for), I do think that a few years ago there would have been far fewer of the "tortured soul" pics, and more of a variety of different ideas.

I couldn't agree more.

I was not trying to copy anyone. It just related to how I have been feeling a lot these days. There are a lot of dark artists on this web site. I like most of them. It kind of follows the times. Kind of like music. It all seems pretty dark now a days. Even Rap is all gangsterised and violent now a days. Sign of the times.
On that note...I do believe the "Grunge" "Dark" artists have inspired many people with their ingenious uses of textures and overlays to get a mood or effect across. I don't believe it is an easy way out. It is not easy to do well. I think it is just like any other image. If its done well, I will vote. I would rather see something funny or beautiful but some dark stuff blows me away when it is done well. (Meaty..cough...)

Thus the reason I try to go the other way (not only to be different, but also to show my faith in Christ)
Sure, I've done a few blood and gore images, but my Faith based art not only does better, but I'm more proud of them.

By the way. No big deal...but this should have waited until after the contest. No?

What's your take on it, BC?

Oh!

Is this thing still an ACTIVE contest?

You mean I could actually ENTER it and compete in a way that is FUNNY, LIGHT, INSPIRING, and somewhat Un-DARK????

(*runs and hides*)