COMMUNITY

I saw the post here questioning the 2nd and 3rd place winners in the Art & Craft category, which includes my work.

Similar comments appeared earlier about the videos being longer than 5 minutes, even though that was listed as a guideline, not a strict rule.

Still, I’ve always tried to follow every requirement as closely as possible.

To clarify, yes, part of my work was made using a 3D printer, printed, cleaned, and hand-painted by me.

Some models were even designed by me (the small plants), but I didn't include that process in the video since I didn't apply in the 3d digital art category with my models...

I applied with a complete diorama https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diorama), all done by me, by hand, over ~100 hours.

The model is just the canvas, the same way a canvas is used for a painting, where do we draw the line? Did the digital artists write the software they used? Did they manufacture the drawing pad/pc or tablet? Do artists create the paper itself? I included all the elements I made by hand in my making-of video, and the judge could/can make their call based on that.

I was also accused that I didn't print the model by myself...

For those unfamiliar with the process, my making-of video clearly shows the steps, including support removal and painting. https://youtu.be/MKuUNWvmpe8?t=213

What feels strange is that the same works, including mine, keep being attacked, while the first place winner, whose entry raises much more serious questions, is never mentioned in those posts (it is mentioned by many others, but there is no intersection between them).

At this point it’s hard not to wonder if the same person is posting under multiple accounts or if it’s a small group supporting each other.

If we’re talking about fairness, then all works should be held to the same standards.

Some digital entries in Art & Craft didn’t meet several conditions, missing a proper making-of video, wrong resolution, or unclear originality, yet they were still approved.

Meanwhile, I documented every step of my process (this is why it went over the 5 minutes guideline length).

And to be honest, in 2025, generating a few AI images with a slideshow template and some text takes maybe an hour.

I tried to generate one in just a few minutes myself to show how easily these can be created today, which makes the lack of verification for originality even more concerning.

To be clear, if the organizers review my video and decide that exceeding the 5-minute guideline deserves disqualification, I am completely fine with that and can accept it.

But I cannot support a contest where rules are applied inconsistently, and where clear explanations are missing about why some entries were accepted despite breaking multiple requirements. All I’m asking for is fairness and transparency from the organizers. If they cannot provide clear answers and ensure that the same rules apply to everyone, I’m seriously considering withdrawing my entry altogether.

I didn’t join this contest for prizes or rankings, I believed in fair competition and creative expression.

Right now, it doesn’t feel like that anymore.