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Holiday Symbols

Whew, that was tough to decide, there's a lot of pretty ones in there @0@;;

1. R4C2 (reindeer) - sdrawkcab
2. R4C2 (holly) - sdrawkcab
3. R1C2 (star) -Vincent Von Richthofen
4. R3C2 (tree) - Tyrus Cassius McQueen

Classic
1. R3C1 - BigSunCowboy gaia_star
2. R3C3 - BigSunCowboy
3. R2C1 - eclaire5
4. R1C3 - Emmett Khan

Holiday rankings;
1. Yellow star - R1C2 - Vincent Von Richthofen
2. Reindeer - R4C2 - sdrawkcab
3. Tree - R3C2 - Tyrus Cassius McQueen
4. Holly - R4C3 - sdrawkcab

The holly was a great snowflake, but it didn’t feel like the most creative design. The tree was a little more creative and fresh. I went back and forth for the top two spots over and over. They were both great snowflakes. I think the reindeer was the most obvious as a holiday symbol snowflake, it was adorable and simple. But the yellow star snowflake was stunning and so detailed it was just hard not to give it the win.

Classic rankings;
1. Black R3C1 - BigSunCowboy gaia_star
2. Green R1C1 - Severus Eragon Kane
3. Purple R2C4 - Falcona Stark
4. Black R2C1 - eclaire5

There were more options for this category which of course made it harder. There was also a lot more variety with super simple ones and super detailed looks. The black R2C1 was a nice classic snowflake. R2C4 is a really cool flake and is a great example of what can be done with editing tech. R1C1 is a great blend of classic and creative, felt familiar but fresh at the same time. R3C1 is just gorgeous. It’s classic yet so intricate, something that couldn’t really be done with paper but would be so amazing if it was. Just great.

Classic: R3C3 - BigSunCowboy
Holiday Symbols: R4C2 - sdrawkcab

Classic
3rd Runner-up: BigSunCowboy - R3C1 - This the definition of a classic snowflake, which several, small detailed cuts that result in a doily-like pattern. However, because the details are so fine and close together, the overall effect becomes blurred and much of the design is lost.

2nd Runner-up - R3C4 - Wing Chun Master Yip Man- I like that the contestant preserved the hexagonal-shape of the snowflake. It acts like a frame and the draws the eye directly toward the center, where most of the negative space has been cut away to result in this particular design. It’s just a little too simple.

Ist Runner-up: R1C3 - Emmett Khan - There other entries like this one, where fine cuts result in these needle-like patterns. However, the contestant contrasted the more delicate design with wider cuts. By doing this, the design has two—maybe, three—types of texture that almost gives the snowflake a 3D effect. Though, this is my top runner-up, it’s just a tad to modern for me to consider it “classic”.

Holiday Symbols
3rd Runner-up: Tyrus Cassius McQueen - R3C2 - This is another entry with fine, toothy cuts. It’s very straight to the point and doesn’t play tricks on the eyes: Pine trees make up this snowflake. Sadly, the design is just too straightforward and lacks interest.

2nd Runner-up: Vincent Von Richthofen - R1C2 - More toothy cuts. What sets this apart from other snowflakes created by this particular method is that cuts were cast in directions that resulted in a star. It reminds me of retro tree toppers and Filipino parols. There’s also a 3D effect happening here, in which the wider cuts are focused along the outer edge of the snowflake. It truly looks like it’s shining.

1st Runner-up: sdrawkcab - R4C3 - I personally enjoy hidden images. At a glance it looks like a traditional snowflake, but upon further inspection, I see holly leaves. A lot of thought and care went into this design. I have a soft spot for this particular design because it reminds me of a ring I own. gaia_star