So what do you guys think of the ARC winners?
I like the videos that won but I wasn't too impressed by the winning art work (third place was totally kick ass I don't see how it didn't win.

Oh. My god. THANK YOU.

I KNOW RIGHT? [im talking about first place art]
Frick!!! I saw all the entires. And when I saw that one, and saw that Cassandra replied saying ti was very good I pretty much knew it was a done deal. As soon as I saw it I was like "This is pretty much less then average. The photos are mediogre. Nothing spectacular. Screw my life it's probably going to win."

I think part of the reason it won was because come on. It was 8 pictures of Simon. And Im pretty sure one of the biggest reasons Cassandra named it first place was because it gave hugely major much needed love to Simon. I say much needed because if there were oh I don't know, 300 entries, 100 would have been Jace, 100 being Lightwoods, about 89 Clary or somebody else and the other 11 Simon. Not much love as you see. But when I saw it won I looked at it again and tried to see WHY. And honestly.
There is no artistic integrity. I couldn't tell half the pictures what was going on in them. They could have put so much more care into the models. Their poses could have been so much better. As I said, there was nothing outstanding about them. Had they shoved a copy of the book in there I would have had a much easier time believing the pictures were for the Fourth category and not the first one.

I was actually really dissapointed. I entered, and I knew I wouldn' actually WIN, but I made myself feel a lot better by saying "When I see who did win, who beat me, I will smile and go 'Yes, they definitely deserved to win for their spectacular entry'" So You can call it loser's lurgy all you want but I didn't think it deserved to win AT ALL. There were a lot of good entires. I was dissapointed.

The second winner I was kind of like whatever at. I didn't understand them at all actually. I was terribly confused. But whatever; they looked cool. And I did think the third winners should have one. They were really good. I especially liked the one with all of them [as in, not the picture of Jace in a leather jacket]. When I saw it I was like "Great. An actual really really impressive drawing. Just what I need in this contest." XDDD But I did like it.

So I didn't win, but I got an honourable mention!!!! : DDd That made me happy. If you wonder, my entry was the picture of Isabelle on the couch. The last one I believe.

The other winners were outstanding. I loved the video winner very much. And the fanmix was a doubtless winner the first time I saw it. And also the girl taking a bath in spaghetti XDDDD on ingenious. I was going enter a picture of the book aslo [in front of my church. I thought it would be perfect. you know, like with a little caption "Jace about to enter a sacred place so he can get the proper weapons to fight vamps" or something. XD.] But I ran out of time and missed the due time by about a few hours.

So again, I think one of the major reasons Simon's story won was because Cassndra Claire said it herself on the very page "I love minor Character love". But compared to the other 20 truly outstanding entries I didn't think it should have one.

Next time she should say what her criteria for the winning entry is.
it really pissed me off that I didn't win. I didn't even get and honorable mention and I though my artwork was way better than some of those (no offense).

I really though that pencil drawing of Jace would of won. If I was the artist Iw would be so pissed off that I had only gotten 3rd because pencil is a hard medium to work with and a drawing like that must of taken hours.

I enjoyed the fanvid winners (lightwood llama song made me lol).

Notes for next time Clare likes movie posters and minor character love.

In the ARC contest for CoA, the fanbase was small. And I can probably bet money that there were no actual artists in the contest. So she probably judged this contest like she did the previous one -- as in on possibly intention and subject matter then actual artistic skill. And although it would have been a LOT easier for us had she said the criteria, but again, I'm sure she didn't think she would get so many entries like this. I looked at the winners of the other contest, and.... I don't know... it's hard to think that had there been any outstanding entries that she would have picked those ones as winners. But I did find it annoying to have to think of a ridiculously terrible photograph as competion... you know? Like I was looking for drawings. And really good drawings. I was naming off people who would totally get mentioned. And... none of them came up. So we weren't only competing with other artists, but with terrible photography and... photoshop? Like I don't know... It doesn't seem very fair in my eyes.

Btw, which one was yours? Im really curious. You are sounding mad, so your entry was probably reaallllllllyyyyy good. So I probably thought it was also really good and I have a good idea which yours was but can you still give me a link?

And it wasn't pencil. It was charcoal I'm pretty sure. Or black conte. But I don't think it was graphite. The artist said which medium it was and I remember going "Oh niceee" before I saw it. Besides, to actually get those darks seems a little ridiculous to come from pencil. Even from like a 6B that's still ridiculous.

I think next time I'll get off my lazy butt and do something that actually takes some skill. XD. My excuse was I had to do two paintings for school, a clay project, work my mind like crazy for 7 ideas for my sumative, and a whole ton of homework drawings. So my artistic-ness was lying much too low to do something for a contest outside of school.

Next time we should demand for her to put up specific criteria on what the contest winners will be judged on.

To tell you the truth I really didn't know about the CoA contest because I had just dropped the Twilight Series, which I found to be very disappointing, and was really reluctant to read the rest of Mortal Instruments. I was actually pushed to read the rest of MI and I'm glad I did (or am I? Don't disappoint me in CoG Clare!).

I entered in 2 categories (would of been 3 if I had my books with me). entries:
Wallpaper
Artwork
Okay, so the picture wasn't the very best (I have no scanner at the moment so crappy camera shots will just have to work) but I at least expected an honorable mention. I had also spent two days freaking out over getting it finished in time and then 5 hours or more actually trying to finish it.
The wallpaper I was sure what was going to win but that category was really broad (I kinda think wallpapers/icons/etc of been with the artwork category). I would of been happy with an honorable mention on that too...
Clare said 'great work' on my peicies but to me that doesn't mean much (people normally say that to me when my work is crap) so I didn't think much on her comments on many of teh pieces. I saw an awesome pic of Jace with wings holding Clary with an orange/red background and I thought that was pretty awesome and would win.

I haven't seen any comments on Clare's LJ about people thinking the winners were bad. Just lots of disappointment toward those who didn't get the books themselves..

I think the next contest (for The Clockwork Princess, if I'm correct) should be interesting since no one knows the characters or even the story... mmm steampunk.

Meggle had the perfect idea for Book Location....after the contest was over:

She wanted to get her stepdad to put on a dress and lipstick, so she could say that a crossdresser that was sleeping with her mom was holding it.
XD

We also had a great idea during....we wanted to get access to a pool, and take a video of us "breaking in" to take a picture underwater. The picture and video would've both been entered. And it would've been hilarious. But we only got the picture.

I'm happy with the contest winners. I think they were all well-deserved - yes, even Simon's Story. -prepares to be brick'd-

I had two photos to enter, and I totally picked the wrong one. xD

I really liked the video's! I must admit that I had the Lighwood (llama) song stuck in my head, for a while.

I also loved Simon's Story. When I saw it, I was sure that it would win. Not because it was more artistic or beautiful than any of the other entries, but because it was so different. It just stood out. All the other entries I saw were amazing too, and I have no clue how Cassie managed to judge them without feeling horribly guilty. And I admire all of you people for actually getting an entry turned in. I had good ideas, but I failed on that level!