is there any way we could break up the contests by separating the animated pics from the still pics. In my mind they do fall under two different categories. I love both, but sometimes the still pictures are far more beautiful than the animated ones and vice versa. I think these need to be separated for the fact that some don't know how to create an animated gif. Also, I'm sure, that it kind of is a flashy way of doing true art work with the attraction of motion. To all of you gif animators out there: I appreciate and adore your work, it is something which I cannot create, but it seems as if there might be some advantage to doing that. And to the still artists, you only have one frame to master. It takes time and patience to create an animation that has both timing and realism. Would anyone else like to comment on this topic?

by the way, I skipped watching Entourage for this. just kidding. I got the on demand thing. I just wanna see who this pisses off.

Take's in deep breath of air
Ah sweet giffy magic

ya gifs are great but personally i don't think they should be allowed in the chops.

gif anims are a part of what photoshop can do, and this is photoshop contest, so they should be allowed and should not be separated from static images.

I agree the idiotic Belgian...

Yeah exactly. And if I go around saying any differently I'm sure someone's going to say to me I can't use vectors so I think I'll keep my mouth shut

I didn't know you could make gifs with just photoshop. I always have to edit them with ImageReady.

well yeah imageready, but that's part of the photoshop package (and with cs3 it's totally photoshop as imageready has been ditched (integrated in ps) )


good point there too

I wouldn't say that gifs are any less work or less quality, and I don't think too many members here are 'swayed' by the simple motion involved. My gifs start as full size, high res static chops. Sometimes the giffing is only an afterthought. Now you will see some great and ordinary gifs here, just as you will with jpgs.

To say gifs should be allowed simply because Imageready is part of the Photoshop package is just exploiting a loophole.

I can type a story in Photoshop with the type tool, but we're not allowing stories into contests.

Grouping motion with still images is comparing apples and oranges.
I'm assuming this is the reason that gifs aren't allowed into the H2H where fairness is held in higher regard.

I've seen too many great images lose out to mindless gifs because so many voters are mesmerized by movement.

A (good) animation of a single source still requires the creator to be able to chop, the same tools and knowledge are required as with 'normal' chops. So in my opinion there's no difference (excepting for multiple frames.)

I've seen the opposite happening too. Maybe this is true for newcomers who see the giffy magic for the first time. But I think most people that are used to this place are not that easily fooled

PS/ImageReady can also do HTML Javascript Rollovers and stuff - let's allow these also, it might add to the fun

While I can definitely give credit to GIF images in the talent and skill required to manifest, I do have to say that they should be in a different category.
Why? (You may ask..)
It isnt any differentiation of creativity, talent, or skilled use of Photoshop to create them....
What it IS though, is a definite difference in what the two actually ARE.

One is an ANIMATION...the other is a PICTURE.

While the use of static pictures to create the animations are valid, they are all (however many needed) used to comprise the whole concept..... animated movement. The use of whatever tools to create them is irrelevant.

Quite simply, while an animated GIF uses the similar processes to be created as a STATIC image...they are still two different things.

I think having two different areas for them might be a good idea, as it keeps the doors of creativity open. Perhaps, during the same contest (same image, format, voting etc) winners of static images can be given AND winners of animated images can be given...
Having the two areas I think will not only show the talent and creativity of both styles, but allow for more focused learning of each, by the artists and knowledge seeker of each type or style.

Agree with Grefix