P.O.W.! Challenge 24--Final Poll

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:00 PM

Final Poll: P.O.W.! 24: The Doll...

I'm finally starting to believe that starting P.O.W.! wasn't a mistake. Everybody outdid themselves this time out (30 pages in polling condition!) and there were a couple of damn good starts that I had to leave out. Good work, everyone and thank you for your efforts. I answered some questions in your polling entry if I spotted one. My apologies for the late poling--I live in a semi-rural area and heavy rains make my online connection too unstable to attempt posting a poll, so I have to wait for a clear weather period.

The voting will be open for roughly two weeks. Vote for one artist (and NOT yourself), and just to remind you--the theme is "The Doll..." with any interpretation you felt appropriate to your story. The art could have been either black and white or color, so don't let that sway your vote.

Artists are posted in alphabetical order...

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:08 PM

Candy Rain...

[Candy Rain, drop me a PM with specs on what you have as a scanner and what software you have (Photoshop, scanner software, whatever) that you can use to manipulate images and I'll post some guidance for you.]

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:12 PM

darknight...

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:17 PM

Rambozo...

Rambozo, we don't have to present WIPs in P.O.W.! as part of the final presentation because there are so many ways of getting to the end result here. I often execute a complete comic in Illustrator without a single preliminary sketch other than a series of 2"-high thumbnails. That's possible because I don't have to worry about exact sizes and relative sizes between the characters (easy to correct before importing into PS), so I sometimes grind out an entire 5-10 pages on ONE illustrator page, but in pieces, then move them to individual pages when I feel comfortable. No WIPs.

I've seen arttorney just start drawing and whatever comes out is the page, no preliminary sketches.

Others go through roughs, tight pencils, B&W "inking" then painting, in tightly controlled stages, or just start painting the same way they do an illustration.

When you get down to it, with 20 to 40 pages entered, we could have an overpowering amount of WIPs posted in the final few days which could increase the chance of mistakes in posting or setting up the poll. I DO like when people post their WIPs, though, as they work because it allows people to see "how-it's-done" by different entrants.

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:31 PM

strings...

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:43 PM

Tangleworm...

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 12:48 PM

Waterbird...

**Ilaekae** · June 5th, 2009, 02:57 PM

I had to go for Candy'... So simple, but it works on multiple levels. I DO have to say that the quality of the others made it a rather hard choice.

**Tangleworm** · June 5th, 2009, 08:16 PM

In terms of rendering, my hat goes to Rambozo. The WIPs were also interesting and provided some insight. Nice one. The character's very nice-looking too, though it took me a bit to recognize him in the last page (Is his mask off?).
The comic itself, though, is okay. It's probably just me, but the story is just a teense too simple in my opinion.

Overall, my vote goes to Strings. I like the story and the no-dialogue feel of it, as well as the drawing style. This was a tough vote, well done on everybody's parts.

**Stoat** · June 7th, 2009, 02:14 PM

Waterbird! The textures are wonderful, and everybody knows dolls are evil. EEEEVILLLLL!

**Brashen** · June 7th, 2009, 02:37 PM

I also voted for waterbird.....nothing else to say really. Just that the other panels are riddled with too many discrepancies to enumerate here.

**Jazz** · June 7th, 2009, 07:17 PM

Well, geez, I almost posted and stupid browser sent me back a page, then forward to NOTHINGNESS. I didn't copy everything I wrote!!! ARRRRRGH!!! Okay, here goes:

I voted for Candy because that story really touched me! Maybe it was because I saw some documentaries on beauty pageants for girls, and the girls were trained by their moms, mainly, to do anything to win. Anyway, the way the girl frowns, so upset, it just melts my heart and makes me sad.

BUT Waterbird, wow!!! I am impressed with your details!!! That is amazing!! I just kept asking to the wind, "Ohhhh, how did Waterbird DO that?? And THAT?? Oooh, and that... @_@" Just amazing!! I think I was paying more attention to the "good" doll's expressions than to the storyline, except were the scissors part came in. I do wonder how the scissors managed to cut the other doll in half. I was a tad confused. Otherwise, I like what you did!

Rambozo, I love the rendering you did!! But I laughed at that "We've SO been tamed" line! Hee hee. I like those expressions at the end part!

Darknight, I think the idea is cute!! I wish there were more to it; it looks incomplete where it is right now.

I was aching to see more!

Strings, I had to look over yours a few times, but then I got the idea! Poor doll, first off! XD I got a kick out of that ending twist! He seemed so loyal then *WAAAAH!!*, so funny! I admit I had trouble following it because the contrast was a bit too light for me, but once I figured it out, I was impressed!

Tangleworm, you had a neat idea!! It took me a few looks here, too. But I was only trying to figure out the parallel. Now I get it, and I do like it! Nice work!

Everyone did so awesome!! Hopefully I'll be able to join in. I'm a scaredy cat, though. o_o And with ideas like these, I'm MORE of a scredy cat!

Ilaekae, I'll always love this idea!! P.O.W. is awesomeness!!

**Sorknes** · June 7th, 2009, 07:39 PM

It was a tough vote between Rambozo, Waterbird and Candy Rain, but Candy ended up getting my vote because of the story. It hit a nerve somewhere

Nice work everyone!

**smugbug** · June 7th, 2009, 09:35 PM

Wow - outstanding round, people!

**AUG** · June 8th, 2009, 04:22 AM

Candy Rain, darknight, Rambozo, strings, Tangleworm, Waterbird

I know that I have said this before but P.O.W. has to be the most challenging community activity. I am always floored by the amount of energy and creativity infused into these panels. It was quite enjoyable reading all of the entries and I just wanted to convey an "ATTA BOY!" to everyone who participated.