The Style Contest Results
The results of The Style Contest were announced recently. Disappointingly, Bulletin Board wasn’t one of the winners, but it was a tough competition. Congratulations to those who did win!
Honestly, I don’t entirely agree with the judges selections. So, my picks for category winners:
- Hobbies and Crafts: Magic Paper: I can certainly see why this theme won this category. The first time I saw it, the subtlety and great attention to detail left me needing to pick up my jaw. Phenomenal work! My Scrapbook: Blue entry isn’t even worth looking at once you’ve seen Magic Paper.
- Home and Family: If I can’t pick Bulletin Board as the winner, I’d pick Pink Blooms. Pink is definitely not a favorite color of mine, but the simplicity and elegance of the theme make me really like it.
- The Kitchen Sink is a tough category to choose in because there really are several entries that are worth being winners: Quoth the Raven and Shlyapa are fantastic, but I think Red Curve should have won: it’s an uncluttered design that clearly presents the site’s text in a readable manner. That’s the highest praise I can give it: the design makes me want to read the text on the site, not look in awe at the graphics used—something we should all probably strive for a little more.
- Let me be honest up front: I read no News, Politics and Current Events blogs. I typically find their presentation of information terribly cluttered and unappealling, so read through Bloglines. I think they should be using a text-focused design like Red Curve. I didn’t expect to like any of the entries in this category (and really, I don’t), but Top Secret is the best of them, without a doubt.
- Sports and Recreation: Trail Mix is clearly not a contender here. Foggy Forest is a great theme, but is definitely trumped by The Sky Conquest: its use of imagery is very thorough and red accents really scream to the reader, which completely fits the fast and strong energy associated with planes and parachuting.
- Technology: Ineligible because one of the contest administrators created them, I really like Web 2.Oz Ruby Slippers and Emerald City. Make My Way is a great choice for the category winner: as the author says, “simple and harmonious.”
Who would I give the Grand Prize to? It’s certainly a tough choice, but three entries immediately jump to mind: Magic Paper, Red Curve, and The Sky Conquest. Perhaps the best way to choose a winner would be for the three theme authors to put some boxing gloves on and get into the ring—last one standing gets the money!
Comment from Jesse Gardner on July 14, 2006 at 8:11 AM
Well, I agree Dan. I don't agree with every winner (most, but not all), especially Shylapa. Red Curve was definitely the top in my book... and I had hoped that the grand prize would have gone to a style like Red Curve that was certainly not as "themed" and quite a bit more flexibile than the Late Show.
As for choosing The Sky Conquest, I disagree. I obviously had no part in the judging process, but I certainly voiced enough internally that we needed to reward styles that were flexible, not styles that you had to have Photoshop to edit the text on't.
Just my thoughts on the matter...
Comment from Dan Wolfgang on July 14, 2006 at 8:58 AM
Ah, but you're forgetting a very important issue: my judging rules are completely flexible and devoid of any fairness!
You're right, of course, The Sky Conquest is far too inflexible to become a winner, and in that regard, I'm glad it didn't win.