A CALL TO ALL COMPETITORS

[Res Integra]

I made a pirate costume. I would actually wear it.

[Toon Ringleader]

When designing I try my hardest to think about appealing to the users rather than what I feel would look cool at the time, because in the end it's going to be the users that are spending their gold on it, so it's important to make them happy right??
I absolutely agree that pumpkins and spiderwebs, eh, not my favorite thing really, they are hard to work with and can make your avatar look a little strange or overboard at times. And they really aren't things that you are going to want to put on your avatar all year round, but just once a month when Halloween rolls around, and though the theme IS Halloween, there are definitely better ideas that can be used.
Now I'm not saying that these designs are bad, or ugly, because a lot of them are really well done, and look absolutely wonderful, but in the end it really wouldn't be something that I would jump for.

[The Nerdy MikaYuki]

You raise a good point! I suppose mine are mostly Halloween-based... But I do have crescent moon masks that I'm pretty proud of, surely that's not something strictly Haloweenish.

... crying though I have a feeling they won't get picked because of that...

Oh and I like your avatar smile

[Artistic Cannibalism]

Words of wisdom!

[ghostchildiv]

Petite Aristocrat

Ninja kelpie

Would Anyone actually wear it? even the creator? rolleyes

there is never a time, outside halloween, where I want to go full pumpkin.

and even when halloween come around...Well pumpkin isnt my go to thing.

I've never seen anyone do a jack o lantern recolor. (which would make me go full pumpkin)

there are quite a few pumpkin items on gaia, and when halloween rolls around....do you really see anyone wearing them?

As for the cobwebs well. Its hard to use those types of items with out looking spider/ witchy.
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Yes, I would wear my pumpkin skirt. I made it because I would wear it. And because I would imagine other people would. But it's hard to know what Gaians will actually wear. They tend to be difficult to please.

Considering people dress as demons and angels outside of Halloween, I don't see a pumpkin being any less odd to wear outside of a Halloween theme.

I felt like my web design wasn't spidery or witchy. I made the spider web shirt as something that could be utilized year round.

I feel like I am seeing people complain the entries aren't costumey enough and other complaining they can't be worn not as costumes. I don't know about the rest of the population but I'm getting a lot of mixed signals.

well its a nice thing to design for what you would want to wear, and I applaud you for it. however I never see cobweb items that already exist being used. however If you think your design goes over well then go for it. maybe it will fair better than the existing pieces of similar type.

[Petite Aristocrat]

Ninja kelpie

well its a nice thing to design for what you would want to wear, and I applaud you for it. however I never see cobweb items that already exist being used. however If you think your design goes over well then go for it. maybe it will fair better than the existing pieces of similar type.

I wasn't designing with only myself in mind. I had read reviews after other contests had ended to see how people felt about the items that won. I tried to take what they complained about into consideration. No animals, no hoodies, simple designs, etc. I don't expect to win. But no one should go in expecting to win. There's tons of entries and only a hand full will have any hope to get made.

[ghostchildiv]

Petite Aristocrat

Ninja kelpie

well its a nice thing to design for what you would want to wear, and I applaud you for it. however I never see cobweb items that already exist being used. however If you think your design goes over well then go for it. maybe it will fair better than the existing pieces of similar type.

I wasn't designing with only myself in mind. I had read reviews after other contests had ended to see how people felt about the items that won. I tried to take what they complained about into consideration. No animals, no hoodies, simple designs, etc. I don't expect to win. But no one should go in expecting to win. There's tons of entries and only a hand full will have any hope to get made.

haha you and me seem to be at an impasse. I believe you should go in with the attitude that you will win. If you did excellent work on an entry then you have just as much chance as anyone else.

also visualization is 70% of an accomplishment. Often If you believe it will happen it will. not believing you will win hurts you straight from the beginning because you are not believing in what you are doing, and hence might not do as good a job as if you did believe.

[Petite Aristocrat]

Ninja kelpie

haha you and me seem to be at an impasse. I believe you should go in with the attitude that you will win. If you did excellent work on an entry then you have just as much chance as anyone else.

also visualization is 70% of an accomplishment. Often If you believe it will happen it will. not believing you will win hurts you straight from the beginning because you are not believing in what you are doing, and hence might not do as good a job as if you did believe.

Hm, I don't work that way. I don't try less just because I don't think I'll win. If you're going to do something, I think you should do your best, no matter the circumstances. : ) But if you work yourself up, thinking you'll win, you'll be disappointed when you don't. I just want to go into it with a realistic expectation (For me, at least. Maybe for you, you in every competition you enter. It just isn't the case for me, personally). I suppose we just have different ways of thinking.

[FURlKAKE]

i would love for a design that can be used anytime, not just halloween, to win.

but i think the design that pertains to the current theme is most likely to win.

we do consider designing things that people would actually wear, or at least i do.
i don't think any of us would submit a design if we thought otherwise.

anyways, why really consider what everyone else would wear, it's not like they choose the winning designs. nowadays i design items i want, that i would definitely wear. if mine aren't chosen, oh wells. at least i tried.

i really think it is amusing how there are a number of gaians who want to 'suggest' things but never act on it. they want someone else to do it for them.

[Call Me Nefret]

She's a lady.

A spider web isn't specifically Halloween-ish. It's creepy, yes, but there are many (like myself) who enjoy making creepy/macabre avatars. A pumpkin can also be used for autumnal avatars, as well as anyone who wants to make a fantasy character (like a witch or faerie) that's autumnal.

There's an entire avatar style that uses themes, which usually includes monster or fantasy characters. It would definitely include pumpkins and spider webs. And often the comments on thread involve the phrase "I could so wear that" or "I like it, but I wouldn't wear it". I agree that people should listen to feedback, but I've seen people give positive feedback to those type of items.

And ladies shouldn't be messed with.

[ketsueki tsuki roze]

I try to make my designs functional and out of the box as much as I can so it can be worn year round. I tend to dress my avatar as monsters, demons or things that are not from this world most of the time so my designs tend to lean more that way. Sometimes I just make functional stuff as well.

[ColdHyde]

The over abundance of pumpkins, vampires, cobwebs and anything else you'd find in Target's Halloween seasonal section does become a bit tiresome, especially when one considers that Gaia themselves produce a fresh batch of all hallows eve themed items each October.

It might be nice to see some more designs not taking the theme so literally, but it just doesn't feel a whole lot like Halloween without the pumpkins and spiders. I'm cool with people designing whatever as long as they themselves would actually use it, even if its once a year.

[B l y t h e W h i m s y]

I agree, it's nice to see a unique variety of clothing items & not just your common pumpkin themed item (not that they are bad, just that there are quite a few of them so it's nice to see different stuff). I prefer cute gothic styled items myself but that's just my preference.

[Dare2DreamMedia]

I'd have to say I feel a bit torn about this thread..

I believe each person who creates an item has the thought of others using it in mind. I don't think pumpkins and web styled clothes are specifically Halloween. And hey, know what? The theme is HALLOWEEN, so of course people would want to submit items that would be worn on Halloween avatars.. They could even have other items that exist on gaia in mind to match what they would like to create. Which is why, pumpkins or spiderweb items is probably popular. You might not see a lot of them since it's out of season, but I know gaians who love their Gothic themed items and flip for the webs.

Anyway, just because you don't like to wear them out of season, doesn't mean those who want to design items with them, have any less chance at winning. Designing an item can be hard, since there will always be someone who won't like it and fit the theme to have a chance. The fact they took the time to design and submit something is great.

I hope you also took the time to design something for the contest, so then maybe you won't complain too much if/when you see more items of that theme on gaia and can have something you think would be good for gaia.

[Sith_Empress]

Your thoughts are interesting I hope you like mine

I would so wear this even if its not Halloween