OKTHROWBERFEST 2014 -- FINALS VOTING POLL

[BennettUA]

I saw a post about painting, discs that are painted shouldn't be allowed in a dye contest. Or it should be mentioned, because I wouldn't vote for a disc if I knew it was painted.

That means the disc was "painted" with dye. It's not paint --- there's no dye left "on" the top of the disc, just that dye was painted on and washed off, as opposed to dip-dyeing a stencil cut. Still a legal disc to throw, and certainly legal to enter the contest. Every year we've had "painted" discs; again, so long as it's dyed, it doesn't matter how you achieve the results.

The details of "A Murder of Crows" are painted, for reference's sake. That's how you get smooth shading and blends.

 

[BennettUA]

I also could not vote for the Hand that Feeds because of the content. I am surprised that you entered a disc into the contest, Bennett. Your dye is sick (I voted for it in my top three on that other website).

I enter every year! We don't have any other dye contests out there anywhere, so this is the one event of the year that those of us in the hobby have to test our mettle.
I took the contest up a few years ago when the previous "TD" couldn't keep it up, and since there's nothing else like it, I wanted to keep it going. Maybe similar to a TD competing in his own disc golf tournament, though I don't have to worry about timetables for keeping score, rules arguments, and all the other hiccups that prevent most TDs from competing in the events they're running.

I guess there could be two schools of thought...that you deserve the first place prize because of all your hard work, or that you should forfeit any winnings as the event organizer. I tend to go with more of the latter.

I appreciate your honesty, I truly do. I am most worried that the sponsors might think I set up this great payout and then padded my own pockets with it. I certainly hope they don't think that, but I can absolutely see how they might, or how anyone who voted or entered may think the same.
I did everything I could to make this contest as fair as possible -- random draws on the order of the entries; anonymous entries so that you vote for the art and not the artist; an open interpretation of what to dye as opposed to a more strict theme or criteria; in the end, as we all know when running any event that gets this big, there will always be some amount of dissent. Which is exactly why I want everyone's input on how to make it better. I put a lot of thought into this every year, and have done so every year since it's been on my wing. NONE of this is done lightly or without weighing all the options. Please, PLEASE, give me as much input as possible on moving forward, I welcome all of it! There is no such thing as "too harsh" a critique or a wrong opinion!

 

[hurricane7]

I'm truly humbled by the win, I just hope that people voted on what they liked, and didn't vote for Murder of Crows because they guessed it was mine. I promise you there was no rigging of any kind, before anyone tries to throw that out there. Not my style, nor would I want that to happen with this contest in which I put so much work into.

First, let me say CONGRATULATIONS on a well deserving win.

Next, let me say that the way the voting was, a voter would HAVE to guess if they were voting for yours, unless they knew you personally. Even then, the results are transparent (in that you can see who voted for what), so any shenanigans would be out in the open.

When I shared the contest on my social media pages, I simply said to vote for your 3 favorites. I did not tell my friends which entry was mine. I said they would have to find it on their own. Most did find it, but I know of a few that used their 3 votes on entries other than mine!

All that said, I was extremely blown away to have finished where I did! There were so many others that I personally like more than mine! Thanks to everyone that voted for the green girl!

And...again...Thank YOU, Bennett for all of your hard work in making Okthrowberfest such a fun and entertaining contest, and thanks to all of the sponsors!!!

Already thinking about entries for next year!

Peace,
-Jeff

 

[FunkyTownNoob]

I also could not vote for the Hand that Feeds because of the content...

Are you also one of those pre-menopausal soccer moms that won't let their kids read Harry Potter because of all the witchcraft? Lol

 

[hurricane7]

Are you also one of those pre-menopausal soccer moms that won't let their kids read Harry Potter because of all the witchcraft? Lol

I thought it...you SAID it!

 

[Disc'Co Dyes]

First and this is just IMO on everything i say you will never ever be able to make everyone happy.
Bennett smack up job on your disc, just makes me know i have to step up my game ALOT!! & what you have done for this competition and prizes above and beyond.
Social media will always come in to play for everything when promoting & really i get we don't tell people which disc is ours. But when you are a disc dyer & you are promoting to vote in a competition for dyes. IMO someone will put 2 and 2 together with the styles you do. Voting for yourself everyone votes for themselves i am not sure how much this would have changed the voting.
I have only been dyeing for 2 months and have a long way to go, but i want to learn & make more and bring it for next year !

Congrats to everyone in the contest !! & to all the winners and the people that entered I am humbled to be in a league of such amazing dyers THANK YOU.

 

[jrawk]

Well done, Bennett.

Maybe next year the contest could grow to be two or three categories: Painted dyes and dip-dyes and theme. Award a 1st place for each. I voted for Hand That Feeds as my favorite. It took my breath away in more ways than one. I voted for Skullscream because it was my favorite dip-dye.. i threw my arms up in the air and yelped "awesome!" when i saw it. And i voted for Pie or Peril becuase I loved the theme and execution of the perspective.

Perhaps those that think Bennett should not accept the 1st place prize this year should step up and offer to run the 2015 contest instead of him.

 

[Disc'Co Dyes]

Oh and one other quick thing Robert Edwards kicks ass, I just started doing dying and was able to ask him any questions and little tricks and he answered everything and did not hold back.

Thank you Robert & you are still a champ in this Canadian dyers eyes

 

[BennettUA]

when you are a disc dyer & you are promoting to vote in a competition for dyes. IMO someone will put 2 and 2 together with the styles you do. Voting for yourself everyone votes for themselves i am not sure how much this would have changed the voting.

Another reason why I left the votes public, so you can see who voted for what. Shows if you got a lot of people on social media to vote, or if you voted for yourself(which is perfectly acceptable, though I did not vote for my own in this poll), and just adds another layer of transparency.

Well done, Bennett.

Maybe next year the contest could grow to be two or three categories: Painted dyes and dip-dyes and theme. Award a 1st place for each.

We've tried to segment into catergories before --- plotter-cut vs hand-cut, etc --- but it can become a chore. How would you categorize Murder of Crows? It's both a stencil cut AND a paint job, as are many of these discs.
In the end, art is subjective, and no matter what matrices we put out there, the power still lies in the eyes of the beholder. Just like anything that is judged --- art, MMA, gymnastics, American Idol --- one judge will see things one way, another judge will see things differently, and they will BOTH be correct.
That does NOT mean that I don't welcome the discussion however! I would love to hear all ideas on how to segment the contest so that we have more than one 1st place. I do my best every year to stretch the payout as deep as possible, and more 1st place possibilities would ensure that and likely encourage more entries.

Perhaps those that think Bennett should not accept the 1st place prize this year should step up and offer to run the 2015 contest instead of him.

Truth is, we only have ONE dye competition this big annually, anywhere. Not patting myself on the back here, but Okthrowberfest likely would have fizzled away if I hadn't taken it on, and I LOVE to compete in alll things disc golf, be it throwing, putting, distance, or dyeing. I truly enjoy "TD'ing" this contest, as well as competing against the best of the best in our niche hobby of our niche sport.

 

[Eky8]

For the record, I have been looking at Bennett's dyes for as long as I've been dying. And I didn't pick murder of crows as a Bennett dye. I'm even more impressed now that I know it's his. It means he has stepped up his game and started working with new techniques because that doesn't look like his style. He stepped out of his comfort zone for that dye. Truly impressive.

 

[BennettUA]

If anyone would like to peruse or download pics of the dyes in higher resolutions, here's the link to the Okthrowberfest 2014 album on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8123298@N08/sets/72157645666464258/

 

[sisyphus]

Segmentation ideas huh? Maybe have category votes and first place awards in...
Best Halloween theme (or October theme, or both),
Most 'Beautiful' or 'Artistic'
Most Innovative
"The One I'd Pay to Own" (with the option of funneling right into an auction!)
and a Best Overall (Best In Show).
Other category ideas?

You could still present awards as deep as you like. :clap:

 

[El Duderino]

Always such amazing stuff in the contest, and I always say "I'm gonna start earlier". I think starting to cut the vinyl for my 2nd dye at 7pm Sunday night (between dips) on "scare-throw" might not be yeilding my best results :doh:

As far as what I look for and how I vote, I agree with Bennett, the viewer likes what they like, but what resonates with me is combination of subject, execution,diffuculty, originality....Crows, Hand and Pie are awesome, the color work on full moon feast is fantastic.

A few thoughts to create catagories/additional 1st places.
-Theme/Content: Horror, Scenery/Fall, G rated.......
-Tourney/scoring variations: Additional round of voting, head2head brackets, maybe more votes or rank selections
-Have and "open" or "overall" based on popular vote AND minor sub catagory winners: dip/paint/multicolor/plotter/hand-cut/mixed application.....each entry chooses the sub-cat to compete in or that best represents their disc.

Congrats on the win, Bennett, great looking disc, shows well and glows well! Thanks again for TD-ing and keepin it rolling.

 

[hurricane7]

What criteria did you use, which ones really jumped out at you and for what reasons, etc

For me, I voted mostly on technical merit. Which entries had the most amount of work and detail. Other criteria that factored in my votes were theme, use of color, originality and first impression.

I voted for "Pie or Peril"...
Not only because I had to take a second (and even third) look to make sure that it was actually a dyed disc, but because I thought it was such a cool idea, and kinda ties in with the whole theme of the season, and also taps into the tools of the trade.

I voted for "The Hand That Feeds"...
Mainly, because of the eyes! But, it also fit the theme of the contest. Was it creepy? Yes! but why that would keep it from getting votes in a contest that asks for "the scariest of Halloween horrors" is beyond me.

Though there were many that I like better, I also voted for my own, 'cause I needed the votes!

What changes would you recommend for next year as well?

I know it has been suggested before, and even even explained why it hasn't been done, but I would suggest creating separate categories for stenciled, painted and/or hybrid (a combination of techniques). I know some entries include both methods. Maybe even a "Masters", "Intermediate" and "Beginner" class? Just a thought.

I do like the idea of voting for any but your own.

Just want to know as much as possible, thanks in advance!

There were so many entries that I did not vote for, but wish I could have, for different reasons.

Trick or Treat Gone Wrong...

Such a cool theme! Great use of colors (same colors as my house, BTW. Door and all!), shading and very clean lines. I'd like to see a close up of the wood grain!


A Murder of Crows...

A technical masterpiece! I tend to gravitate toward the more colorful, and that is probably the only reason it didn't get one of my votes, not that it needed it! Beautiful, and well deserving of the win!


Putting on a Smile...

Awesome contrast and use of monotones. Great theme as well! Voted for this in the semis.


Fall Night Terror...

Beautiful colors, and nice clean lines! Also voted for in the semis. I'd like to know how you got the stars done.


100 Acres of Halloween...

Brilliant idea! Nice colors, and clean lines!


It...

Very clean lines and I also liked the fades on the fill colors. Maybe I just think clowns are more creepy than a toddler munching on a human appendage, but that's just me.


A Day Well Spent...

A beautiful piece of artwork. Maybe just too "mellow" of a theme for the contest in my opinion. Excellent work!


Moonlight Madness...

Great colors on the spin background! Great contrast and theme. The only suggestion I would have is that silhouette is screaming for a basket! Nice work!


Hip Hop Halloween...

Just a very clean job! Nice lines, colors, background, and perspective.


Peek-a-boo...

This is one of the dyes that just popped out on first impression, and one I voted for in the semis. Took a few looks until I saw the letters in the dripping blood, and I love that!


Scarecrow...

Loved the clean, loose lines and choice of colors. Especially the blue! Nice job!


Lycanus Okthrowberus...

Another stunning piece of artwork! Surprised to be battling it out for 4th with this one. Thought it would get more votes. In the end, beat me out for 4th, as it should have!


'til death do us part...

I love dyes on clear plastic! Really liked the branches and blossoms on this, and how voids in the branches were left for the blossoms. Well thought out!


Please, if I didn't mention yours, it was certainly not because I didn't like it or appreciate the effort that went into it. The level of talent in this competition was eyeopening, to say the least! When the first poll was posted, I thought to myself, "I'm in for a rude awakening! I put a lot of effort into my entry, and I'll be LUCKY to finish anywhere in the middle of the pack, let alone advance to the finals!" So, to finish where I did just blew me away. I still think there were so many other entries that I liked better than mine!


I can't say it enough. Thank you, Bennett, for all of your hard work! And, thank you to the sponsors for putting up such a great prize fund! Last, but certainly not least, Thanks to EVERYONE here on this forum for the wealth of information shared. I've been dyeing for about a year now, and I couldn't even think of entering this contest without the things I've learned here in the dyeing forum from all of you!:clap:

Sorry for the long winded post.
Peace, all
-Jeff

 

[DyeingToPlay]

Congratulations Bennett!!! A well deserved win for a cool eye-catching design flawlessly executed and with the added bonus of glow awesomeness. Thank you for continuing to make this contest bigger and better every year. Your hard work is very much appreciated. A huge thanks to all the great sponsors. And congrats to all the awesome disc artists who continue to up level of work seen here.
Thanks to all who voted for my entries. It is an honor to be among the group of top finishers. I apologize if my choice of image traumatized anyone, but when I first googled 'zombie baby' and saw that picture for the first time my own creeped out WTF? reaction was followed immediately by a devious chuckle and the thought, "I wonder if I could pull that image off on a disc". I am pretty happy with how it turned out, but even more happy that people reacted to it. By definition I created art and that's what I had intended to do.
My criteria for voting was based partly on first impression and overall design but mostly on technical difficulty and execution. For me the harder a dye would be to reproduce, the higher it ranked.


@Eky... I was also surprised to find out the Crows were Bennett's work. The green I used was a pinch of Idye poly powder green 'watered down' with acetone.

 

[sscarmana]

After reading some of the comments about the discs in the finals from the top vote getters I realized that I should have evaluated my decisions for which ones to vote for. hurricane did a great job breaking it all down. Also, Full Moon Feast was by far my favorite throughout the entire competition. Zombies , disc golf, and well proportioned ladies. ..what's not to like! Great stuff all around everyone. Hope you don't mind, but now that you all have been outed, I may be PMing some of you for some technique tips.

 

[DikkaD]

I also could not vote for the Hand that Feeds because of the content. I am surprised that you entered a disc into the contest, Bennett. Your dye is sick (I voted for it in my top three on that other website).

I guess there could be two schools of thought...that you deserve the first place prize because of all your hard work, or that you should forfeit any winnings as the event organizer. I tend to go with more of the latter.

[emoji16]

 

[hurricane7]

Your dye is sick (I voted for it in my top three on that other website).

What other website?

 

[Halcón]

Seems my post was unanimously disagreed with. And that's fine.

Hurricane, Bennett had originally linked a polling site that you could pick your top three from.

 

[hurricane7]

Seems my post was unanimously disagreed with. And that's fine.

Hurricane, Bennett had originally linked a polling site that you could pick your top three from.

Oh. I thought there was something else going on that I didn't know about.:doh: Thanks BigSky.