FAQ
submissions | voting | prizes | other
s u b m i s s i o n s
.01. How does this contest work?
Each week, one of the mods will open a nominations post with a special category as a "challenge". Nominate up to two icons that fit that category. The icons you nominate must have been submitted in previous other icon contests but did not place at those contests.
.02. What will you accept for a nomination?
First of all, it has to fit the week's category. So if the week's theme is "Best Black & White", you need to submit only black and white or greyscale icons.
Please don't submit just because you really really want to win a banner. Submit an icon that you are proud of, that you worked hard on, that you think has merit or creativity. Icons that you genuinely think should have won, but didn't for whatever reason. This isn't meant to be a last grasp at winning kind of contest; it's a place where risk-taking and innovation can be rewarded.
.03. How many icons can I submit each week?
You may submit up to two icons per nomination post, as long as both failed to place in contests whose results were posted within the weekly span indicated. Choose your best.
.04. Can I submit two icons from the same contest?
No. You may submit only one icon per given contest per week.
.05. What icontests will you accept submissions from?
Any. Knock yourself out.
.06. What if only one of my submissions won at another contest? Can I submit the icon(s) that didn't win?
No. If you placed at all, you may not submit anything from that contest. SHW is to give those who didn't win a chance.
.07. What if I placed Mod's Choice at a contest? Can I still submit here?
MC is still a placement, so no.
.08. What if I lose a challenge here? Can I submit the same icons again in a different week, or for a different category?
No, you can only submit a given icon once. This prevents people from simply submitting until they get an award, and also keeps the voting fresh and interesting.
.09. Can I touch up my icon before submitting it to you?
No. Submit your icon exactly as it was submitted to the other icontest. No adjustments, no touch-ups. Remember, you're nominating an icon that you think was good enough to win as it is, but for whatever reason didn't.
.10. How do I submit?
You can submit using the following format:
URL: the url of your image - tinypic.com has free posting and usually doesn't go down
VOTING: the url of the voting post from the contest to which you originally submitted the icon
WINNERS: the url of the winners post from the contest to which you originally submitted the icon
URL: imagehost url
VOTING: original contest voting post url
WINNERS: original contest winning post url
v o t i n g
.01. How should I vote?
Icontests generally don't reward risk-taking, creativity, or anything that bucks the current trends. SHW aspires to be a place where that is set aside. Vote for icons based on artistic merit, innovation, creativity, coloring, cropping, typography, image quality, and effects.
Do not vote based on which icon features your favorite character, or other frivolous reasons.
Definitely do not strategic vote - that is, do not vote for lesser quality icons because you want yours to win. That's cheating, and it probably contributed to why an icon that should have won the original icontest didn't.
.02. How do I vote?
Comment on the voting post with the placements you chose in order:
1st, 2nd, 3rd
.03. Can I vote for myself?
No. You nominated yourself, so obviously you like that icon. To keep voting fair, do not vote for yourself. However, you should still vote - participation is important.
.04. How are votes tallied?
3 pts for first, 2 for 2nd, 1 for 3rd. This helps to prevent ties. However, it's imperative that as many people as possible vote to get a fair distribution.
.05. What if there is a tie?
Ties will be broken in favor of submitters who voted. If all submitters voted, then ties will be broken either by the mods or by an impartial friend of one of the mods. Or by gunshou's dog. Whatever it takes; gunshou hates ties.
.06. What are the special categories?
Click on the underlined carrots for an example of an icon in some categories. These examples are not meant to set the standard for quality, just to give you an idea of what is acceptable for the category. Icons taken from the ranks of gunshou, so_vayne, whispyr, ryfee, and margyydoodle - if you do not wish your icon used as an example, please tell gunshou. Likewise, if you wish to know whose icons are whose, ask gunshou. All examples are from the Final Fantasy fandom, but this is really a pan-fandom contest.
>> BEST COLOR - icons whose coloring is rich and vibrant without radioactivity, or delicate and soft without being washed out. Any striking coloring can be nominated for this category.
>> BEST BLACK & WHITE - no colors of any sort allowed. Contrast and creativity are key attributes here.
>> BEST TYPOGRAPHY - font choice, size, placement, legibility, color, and overall effect. The font should be applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush.
>> BEST CURSIVE FONT - best use of a script font applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush. The same criteria as BEST TYPOGRAPHY apply.
>> BEST SERIF FONT - best use of a serif (with feet) font applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush. The same criteria as BEST TYPOGRAPHY apply.
>> BEST SANS-SERIF FONT - best use of a sans-serif (without feet) font applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush. The same criteria as BEST TYPOGRAPHY apply.
>> BEST USE OF TEXTURES - creative or striking use of textures of any sort.
>> BEST USE OF BRUSHES - creative or striking use of brushes of any sort.
>> BEST HUSH - no text whatsoever, including no tiny text.
>> BEST SIMPLE - primarily coloring adjustments, few textures, no clutter.
>> BEST CROP - creative or striking crops and sizing.
>> BEST USE OF TINY TEXT - tiny text does not have to be the only text on the icon for this category. Tiny text is not meant to be legible.
>> BEST NON-PORTRAIT - images that feature characters, but not close-ups of their faces.
>> BEST PORTRAIT - images that are close-ups of character's faces.
>> BEST USE OF SCENERY - images where the surrounding scenery is part of the icon's focus. The icon may or may not include characters, but characters should not be the primary part of the image.
>> BEST USE OF STOCK - images that use stock photos as a design element. Clouds, fields, hills, what have you. The icon should include characters.
>> BEST COMIC - funny or crack icons. These should display quality, not look as though made in MS Paint, and should be judged on the quality of the icon in voting, since humor is incredibly subjective.
>> BEST DARK - darkly colored icons.
>> BEST LIGHT - lightly colored icons.
>> BEST BLANK SPACE - icons where the image only takes up 1/3 or less of the available icon space.
>> BEST CREATIVE - innovative and interesting overall. This category is meant for icons that are truly original, not just the same colorings and crops that appear everywhere.
>> BEST TRENDY - striking or creative uses of those elements that have become trendy over time.
More forthcoming. Do you have a suggestion for special categories? Please comment here.
p r i z e s
.01. What are the placements?
First place will always be awarded. Second will be awarded if there are 5 or more people who submitted, regardless of how many icons each nominated. Third will be awarded if there are 8 or more people who submitted, regardless of how many icons each nominated.
Mod's Choice will be awarded as the mod that week sees fit. Some weeks may not have a Mod's Choice icon, depending on participation and how the mod is feeling that week.
.02. Can a person double-win?
No. SHW was founded in part to avoid having the same person win multiple places. If a person would take two placements, the mod will bump the next winning icon up and indicate the vote winner with a honorable mention. For example, say the vote tally for placement looked like this:
gunshou icon 1 - 14
xnihility icon 1 - 18
margyydoodle icon 1 - 12
xnihility icon 2 - 16
The winning post would look like this:
1st - xnihility icon 1 (18 pts)
2nd - gunshou icon 1 (14 pts)
3rd - margyydoodle icon 1 (12 pts)
Honorable mention: xnihility icon 2 (16 pts)
.03. Are there shinies to be had?
xnihility has graciously volunteered to make weekly banners. We could always use more bannermakers, though. Contact gunshou for details.
Placements and Mod's Choice will receive banners. Honorable mentions will not receive banners.
o t h e r
.01. How do I contact the mods? I have suggestions, comments, criticism, a problem, something that needs to be addressed.
You may leave a screened comment in gunshou's journal at THIS POST ONLY, please.
Do you have a question not addressed here? By all means, please comment to this post.
s u b m i s s i o n s
.01. How does this contest work?
Each week, one of the mods will open a nominations post with a special category as a "challenge". Nominate up to two icons that fit that category. The icons you nominate must have been submitted in previous other icon contests but did not place at those contests.
.02. What will you accept for a nomination?
First of all, it has to fit the week's category. So if the week's theme is "Best Black & White", you need to submit only black and white or greyscale icons.
Please don't submit just because you really really want to win a banner. Submit an icon that you are proud of, that you worked hard on, that you think has merit or creativity. Icons that you genuinely think should have won, but didn't for whatever reason. This isn't meant to be a last grasp at winning kind of contest; it's a place where risk-taking and innovation can be rewarded.
.03. How many icons can I submit each week?
You may submit up to two icons per nomination post, as long as both failed to place in contests whose results were posted within the weekly span indicated. Choose your best.
.04. Can I submit two icons from the same contest?
No. You may submit only one icon per given contest per week.
.05. What icontests will you accept submissions from?
Any. Knock yourself out.
.06. What if only one of my submissions won at another contest? Can I submit the icon(s) that didn't win?
No. If you placed at all, you may not submit anything from that contest. SHW is to give those who didn't win a chance.
.07. What if I placed Mod's Choice at a contest? Can I still submit here?
MC is still a placement, so no.
.08. What if I lose a challenge here? Can I submit the same icons again in a different week, or for a different category?
No, you can only submit a given icon once. This prevents people from simply submitting until they get an award, and also keeps the voting fresh and interesting.
.09. Can I touch up my icon before submitting it to you?
No. Submit your icon exactly as it was submitted to the other icontest. No adjustments, no touch-ups. Remember, you're nominating an icon that you think was good enough to win as it is, but for whatever reason didn't.
.10. How do I submit?
You can submit using the following format:
URL: the url of your image - tinypic.com has free posting and usually doesn't go down
VOTING: the url of the voting post from the contest to which you originally submitted the icon
WINNERS: the url of the winners post from the contest to which you originally submitted the icon
URL: imagehost url
VOTING: original contest voting post url
WINNERS: original contest winning post url
v o t i n g
.01. How should I vote?
Icontests generally don't reward risk-taking, creativity, or anything that bucks the current trends. SHW aspires to be a place where that is set aside. Vote for icons based on artistic merit, innovation, creativity, coloring, cropping, typography, image quality, and effects.
Do not vote based on which icon features your favorite character, or other frivolous reasons.
Definitely do not strategic vote - that is, do not vote for lesser quality icons because you want yours to win. That's cheating, and it probably contributed to why an icon that should have won the original icontest didn't.
.02. How do I vote?
Comment on the voting post with the placements you chose in order:
1st, 2nd, 3rd
.03. Can I vote for myself?
No. You nominated yourself, so obviously you like that icon. To keep voting fair, do not vote for yourself. However, you should still vote - participation is important.
.04. How are votes tallied?
3 pts for first, 2 for 2nd, 1 for 3rd. This helps to prevent ties. However, it's imperative that as many people as possible vote to get a fair distribution.
.05. What if there is a tie?
Ties will be broken in favor of submitters who voted. If all submitters voted, then ties will be broken either by the mods or by an impartial friend of one of the mods. Or by gunshou's dog. Whatever it takes; gunshou hates ties.
.06. What are the special categories?
Click on the underlined carrots for an example of an icon in some categories. These examples are not meant to set the standard for quality, just to give you an idea of what is acceptable for the category. Icons taken from the ranks of gunshou, so_vayne, whispyr, ryfee, and margyydoodle - if you do not wish your icon used as an example, please tell gunshou. Likewise, if you wish to know whose icons are whose, ask gunshou. All examples are from the Final Fantasy fandom, but this is really a pan-fandom contest.
>> BEST COLOR - icons whose coloring is rich and vibrant without radioactivity, or delicate and soft without being washed out. Any striking coloring can be nominated for this category.
>> BEST BLACK & WHITE - no colors of any sort allowed. Contrast and creativity are key attributes here.
>> BEST TYPOGRAPHY - font choice, size, placement, legibility, color, and overall effect. The font should be applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush.
>> BEST CURSIVE FONT - best use of a script font applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush. The same criteria as BEST TYPOGRAPHY apply.
>> BEST SERIF FONT - best use of a serif (with feet) font applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush. The same criteria as BEST TYPOGRAPHY apply.
>> BEST SANS-SERIF FONT - best use of a sans-serif (without feet) font applied by the icon-maker, not part of a texture or brush. The same criteria as BEST TYPOGRAPHY apply.
>> BEST USE OF TEXTURES - creative or striking use of textures of any sort.
>> BEST USE OF BRUSHES - creative or striking use of brushes of any sort.
>> BEST HUSH - no text whatsoever, including no tiny text.
>> BEST SIMPLE - primarily coloring adjustments, few textures, no clutter.
>> BEST CROP - creative or striking crops and sizing.
>> BEST USE OF TINY TEXT - tiny text does not have to be the only text on the icon for this category. Tiny text is not meant to be legible.
>> BEST NON-PORTRAIT - images that feature characters, but not close-ups of their faces.
>> BEST PORTRAIT - images that are close-ups of character's faces.
>> BEST USE OF SCENERY - images where the surrounding scenery is part of the icon's focus. The icon may or may not include characters, but characters should not be the primary part of the image.
>> BEST USE OF STOCK - images that use stock photos as a design element. Clouds, fields, hills, what have you. The icon should include characters.
>> BEST COMIC - funny or crack icons. These should display quality, not look as though made in MS Paint, and should be judged on the quality of the icon in voting, since humor is incredibly subjective.
>> BEST DARK - darkly colored icons.
>> BEST LIGHT - lightly colored icons.
>> BEST BLANK SPACE - icons where the image only takes up 1/3 or less of the available icon space.
>> BEST CREATIVE - innovative and interesting overall. This category is meant for icons that are truly original, not just the same colorings and crops that appear everywhere.
>> BEST TRENDY - striking or creative uses of those elements that have become trendy over time.
More forthcoming. Do you have a suggestion for special categories? Please comment here.
p r i z e s
.01. What are the placements?
First place will always be awarded. Second will be awarded if there are 5 or more people who submitted, regardless of how many icons each nominated. Third will be awarded if there are 8 or more people who submitted, regardless of how many icons each nominated.
Mod's Choice will be awarded as the mod that week sees fit. Some weeks may not have a Mod's Choice icon, depending on participation and how the mod is feeling that week.
.02. Can a person double-win?
No. SHW was founded in part to avoid having the same person win multiple places. If a person would take two placements, the mod will bump the next winning icon up and indicate the vote winner with a honorable mention. For example, say the vote tally for placement looked like this:
gunshou icon 1 - 14
xnihility icon 1 - 18
margyydoodle icon 1 - 12
xnihility icon 2 - 16
The winning post would look like this:
1st - xnihility icon 1 (18 pts)
2nd - gunshou icon 1 (14 pts)
3rd - margyydoodle icon 1 (12 pts)
Honorable mention: xnihility icon 2 (16 pts)
.03. Are there shinies to be had?
xnihility has graciously volunteered to make weekly banners. We could always use more bannermakers, though. Contact gunshou for details.
Placements and Mod's Choice will receive banners. Honorable mentions will not receive banners.
o t h e r
.01. How do I contact the mods? I have suggestions, comments, criticism, a problem, something that needs to be addressed.
You may leave a screened comment in gunshou's journal at THIS POST ONLY, please.
Do you have a question not addressed here? By all means, please comment to this post.