AFA-2011
I'm not feeling well, but I wanted to make a post about this year's AFA's ceremony, to say thank yous and share my thoughts, and, okay, brag a little. :)
For those on my flist who don't know, it's a yearly celebration of graphic makers' best works that takes place on BuffyForums. Fanarts get nominated by artists, then participants vote for the best in various categories. The winners receive awards at the online ceremony that is set up in such a way that artists from different timezones are able to attend at least part of it, to chat and congratulate each other. It's a bit like the Oscars, only less pompous and more international and fun. :)
Here's the link to the event's website. If you like quality wallpapers, do take a look at the nominations, because there is *a lot* of HQ art there. :)
Sadly, I couldn't attend this time due to RL reasons (stupid RL). But I won an absurd amount of awards (31 ! *faints a little*), including the most honorable of them - Best Artist:
I have to confess that, while being (of course!) flattered and delighted by all the awards that I got, I also feel a bit stunned. I didn't expect I'd get half of them, not only because at the time I posted, the winner arts didn't seem to have any special success, but because, IMO, there were better pieces. So many artists on BF have made huge progress over the last year, while I feel that I haven't evolved much. Not that I'm complaining :))) - I'm just not sure what to think. It's weird to discover that some of my arts are better liked by other people than by myself. *scratches head*
Having said that, I'm incredibly happy my art was recognized despite the fact that the year 2010 wasn't very fruitful for me as fanartist. And I'm deeply thankful to all who voted for my stuff and awarded it so highly. ♥ While I persuade myself that I art because I want to, and that am not feedback-dependant (much :)), this is seriously the highlight of the year for me. The realization that other people actually enjoy what I do - it is the most amazing and encouraging feeling.
THANK YOU!
What else... I was sad to see several of my favorite artists not participating/missing, especially Matilda and galathea_snb . I really hope to see them back next year. But the thing that made me squee with delight was some of my other favorites getting the recognition they deserve, especially smth_blue who, I think, has evolved tremendously over the last few years and become one of the deepest-thinking and creative artists out there. She pretty much dominated the "best wallpaper" category in my voting form. ♥ Also, realmoffancy who's honed her style into such elegant minimalism that it often looks like a professional's, and Sayjay whose aesthetics and way of thinking are so amazing and distinct. (And I couldn't help but swell with pathriotic pride seeing newcomers from Russian/Ukrainian fandom enter the challenge and win several awards, too, especially fragilidad . Congratulations, guys! :D)
Lastly, I adored so many award designs. Random, but true. :) Debbie's and Sayjay's awards were so pretty (and there's so many of them! And yet all of them are unique and creative). daydreamingnet 's and Clément's manip awards had me LOLing, literally, and so did Buffylover's love/tearjerker ones. :D realmoffancy 's made several very very interesting and pretty experiments with style, all totally different. Xinyi's text award was a typography artwork in itself, and ehlwyen created incredible, artistic series of illustrations in the form of awards which I'm now hoping to see on bigger canvas.
I'm very tired now, but, even if I still have to catch up with the comments on the forum... I just wanted to say thank you to all who made this year's event happen. To Sayjay, to all the nominants, to all who took their time to vote, make awards and post feedback. Despite the hiccups and postponements in the beginning, I think the event just showed once again how inspiring, committed and creative our little community is. I'll say it on the forum later, too, but I know I 'm lucky I'm a part of it. :)
And - congratulations to all the winners!
For those on my flist who don't know, it's a yearly celebration of graphic makers' best works that takes place on BuffyForums. Fanarts get nominated by artists, then participants vote for the best in various categories. The winners receive awards at the online ceremony that is set up in such a way that artists from different timezones are able to attend at least part of it, to chat and congratulate each other. It's a bit like the Oscars, only less pompous and more international and fun. :)
Here's the link to the event's website. If you like quality wallpapers, do take a look at the nominations, because there is *a lot* of HQ art there. :)
Sadly, I couldn't attend this time due to RL reasons (stupid RL). But I won an absurd amount of awards (31 ! *faints a little*), including the most honorable of them - Best Artist:
I have to confess that, while being (of course!) flattered and delighted by all the awards that I got, I also feel a bit stunned. I didn't expect I'd get half of them, not only because at the time I posted, the winner arts didn't seem to have any special success, but because, IMO, there were better pieces. So many artists on BF have made huge progress over the last year, while I feel that I haven't evolved much. Not that I'm complaining :))) - I'm just not sure what to think. It's weird to discover that some of my arts are better liked by other people than by myself. *scratches head*
Having said that, I'm incredibly happy my art was recognized despite the fact that the year 2010 wasn't very fruitful for me as fanartist. And I'm deeply thankful to all who voted for my stuff and awarded it so highly. ♥ While I persuade myself that I art because I want to, and that am not feedback-dependant (much :)), this is seriously the highlight of the year for me. The realization that other people actually enjoy what I do - it is the most amazing and encouraging feeling.
THANK YOU!
What else... I was sad to see several of my favorite artists not participating/missing, especially Matilda and galathea_snb . I really hope to see them back next year. But the thing that made me squee with delight was some of my other favorites getting the recognition they deserve, especially smth_blue who, I think, has evolved tremendously over the last few years and become one of the deepest-thinking and creative artists out there. She pretty much dominated the "best wallpaper" category in my voting form. ♥ Also, realmoffancy who's honed her style into such elegant minimalism that it often looks like a professional's, and Sayjay whose aesthetics and way of thinking are so amazing and distinct. (And I couldn't help but swell with pathriotic pride seeing newcomers from Russian/Ukrainian fandom enter the challenge and win several awards, too, especially fragilidad . Congratulations, guys! :D)
Lastly, I adored so many award designs. Random, but true. :) Debbie's and Sayjay's awards were so pretty (and there's so many of them! And yet all of them are unique and creative). daydreamingnet 's and Clément's manip awards had me LOLing, literally, and so did Buffylover's love/tearjerker ones. :D realmoffancy 's made several very very interesting and pretty experiments with style, all totally different. Xinyi's text award was a typography artwork in itself, and ehlwyen created incredible, artistic series of illustrations in the form of awards which I'm now hoping to see on bigger canvas.
I'm very tired now, but, even if I still have to catch up with the comments on the forum... I just wanted to say thank you to all who made this year's event happen. To Sayjay, to all the nominants, to all who took their time to vote, make awards and post feedback. Despite the hiccups and postponements in the beginning, I think the event just showed once again how inspiring, committed and creative our little community is. I'll say it on the forum later, too, but I know I 'm lucky I'm a part of it. :)
And - congratulations to all the winners!