(Oh what a terrible pun... it doesn't even make sense till you've read the blog entry anyway...)
Well I *was* trying to draw for Art tomorrow, but this has been playing on my mind since I heard it this morning. Anyway, at school at the moment, there's a competition to design the cover of the school year magazine - 'The Towers'. Best entry is *supposedly* meant to be used as the cover for this year's magazine, and as opposed to previous years it's open to the entire school.
Now first, some background information. Last year's cover was strictly open to the Year 11 Photography classes, with the design for the cover simultaneously used as an assignment to gauge photoshop skills for the digital component of the Photography course. One of these covers was also *supposed* to be used as the cover for the school magazine. Now, nothing against the entries, but it was kind of slim pickings, my own cover included, with the librarian only picking out 3 or 4 that she actually tolerated. Still, she's openly stated many times since that she pretty much detested all the entries, and thus the 'competition' out of the submitted covers became null and void. Instead, she put all the pressure on Shuang to design a better cover, despite the fact that Shuang also designed one of the original covers that was picked out anyway - though it seems the librarian didn't even like *that* one (personally I thought it was quite good, but eh.. different tastes I guess). Not only did the librarian just disregard these other entries, she pretty much forced Shuang to emulate the cover of another school's previous year magazine instead of even using Shuang's original design. Now, this brings me to this year...
The Towers is just so... corrupt, all because of the librarian. Pretty much the same thing is going to happen this year, despite opening the competition up to the entire school (in hopes that the turn out will be better than those forcibly created for the photography assignment, though that's still running). Despite advertising the competition and 'trying to get the students involved', she's already basically consulted Shuang on the matter. Essentially, if she doesn't like any of the entries this year, yet again will she just throw caution to the wind, chuck them all, and get Shuang to design something perfectly to her own liking.
Of course, nothing against Shuang, her photoshopping skills are absolutely *brilliant*, and I can see why the librarian would want her to do this, but the whole notion of manipulating this 'competition' to gain *publicity* instead of actually running it like a competition, when behind closed doors she already pre-planned to do whatever she pleased with the entries, just irks me. It's hardly a competition at all... more just a shameless promotion and luck-of-the-draw that you may by chance submit a cover that the librarian finds *pleasing* ... and if not, well she just ignores any democratic process and manipulates in a new entry that she finds suitable.
If you're going to hold a competition, you abide by fair processes. Even if she just got Shuang to enter in the first place she'd still probably win, as she's quite skilled and I love her work, but the fact that this librarian would wait specifically until *after* she's seen all the entries before even deciding whether or not to intervene with her less-than-democratic methods.
It reminds me of a specific Simpsons episode - 'Pygmoelian' - where, although Moe puts in all his effort to win a contest, he still ultimately comes out losing in a sense when a multitude of stickers are plastered over his ugly face, which was meant to be displayed in the Duff Calendar. So... instead he goes out and gets plastic surgery to make things look all nice and spiffy.
Moe sporting his fancy new face in 'Pygmoelian'. Courtesy of Wikipedia.
It's just covering up the problem and pretending things never happened, despite how others might feel about it. Honestly, even if the cover isn't the *greatest* looking thing ever, I would seriously find it more gratifying if it was designed by some junior student who put all their time and effort into drawing it. Of course it would have to be up to some level of quality, hence the competition, but it shouldn't have to be exactly to the librarian's liking in every single way, shape or form. Firstly, it'd probably make their (the entrant's) day, and secondly (and most importantly) things would be a great deal more fair for all concerned.
Yes, I know, you'll probably point out that I'm being hypocritical or something since I intend to enter this competition myself. However, keep in mind that the librarian hated my own cover from last year during the Photography assessment, as well as the fact that there are PLENTY of talented graphic artists in the school. By no means am I expecting to win this competition. If anything, it's just to show the librarian that I'm still getting myself involved in Towers - being in the roll call and all - or rather, that I'm not slacking off. Still, it'll probably backfire and she'll hate my design this year as well, in contrast to the myriad of better ones - Shuang included - and thus just think I'll be crap when doing my actual pages for Towers, heh.
Still what are you gonna do? As immoral as her selection criteria and running of this 'competition' might be, she's the one in control. Debating it would probably just get me kicked out of Towers anyway. It's not like she doesn't hide the fact that she goes behind backs to control every little facet of this magazine anyway.
Guess I should stop ranting though. It's just been on my mind for hours.
Adios.
Well I *was* trying to draw for Art tomorrow, but this has been playing on my mind since I heard it this morning. Anyway, at school at the moment, there's a competition to design the cover of the school year magazine - 'The Towers'. Best entry is *supposedly* meant to be used as the cover for this year's magazine, and as opposed to previous years it's open to the entire school.
Now first, some background information. Last year's cover was strictly open to the Year 11 Photography classes, with the design for the cover simultaneously used as an assignment to gauge photoshop skills for the digital component of the Photography course. One of these covers was also *supposed* to be used as the cover for the school magazine. Now, nothing against the entries, but it was kind of slim pickings, my own cover included, with the librarian only picking out 3 or 4 that she actually tolerated. Still, she's openly stated many times since that she pretty much detested all the entries, and thus the 'competition' out of the submitted covers became null and void. Instead, she put all the pressure on Shuang to design a better cover, despite the fact that Shuang also designed one of the original covers that was picked out anyway - though it seems the librarian didn't even like *that* one (personally I thought it was quite good, but eh.. different tastes I guess). Not only did the librarian just disregard these other entries, she pretty much forced Shuang to emulate the cover of another school's previous year magazine instead of even using Shuang's original design. Now, this brings me to this year...
The Towers is just so... corrupt, all because of the librarian. Pretty much the same thing is going to happen this year, despite opening the competition up to the entire school (in hopes that the turn out will be better than those forcibly created for the photography assignment, though that's still running). Despite advertising the competition and 'trying to get the students involved', she's already basically consulted Shuang on the matter. Essentially, if she doesn't like any of the entries this year, yet again will she just throw caution to the wind, chuck them all, and get Shuang to design something perfectly to her own liking.
Of course, nothing against Shuang, her photoshopping skills are absolutely *brilliant*, and I can see why the librarian would want her to do this, but the whole notion of manipulating this 'competition' to gain *publicity* instead of actually running it like a competition, when behind closed doors she already pre-planned to do whatever she pleased with the entries, just irks me. It's hardly a competition at all... more just a shameless promotion and luck-of-the-draw that you may by chance submit a cover that the librarian finds *pleasing* ... and if not, well she just ignores any democratic process and manipulates in a new entry that she finds suitable.
If you're going to hold a competition, you abide by fair processes. Even if she just got Shuang to enter in the first place she'd still probably win, as she's quite skilled and I love her work, but the fact that this librarian would wait specifically until *after* she's seen all the entries before even deciding whether or not to intervene with her less-than-democratic methods.
It reminds me of a specific Simpsons episode - 'Pygmoelian' - where, although Moe puts in all his effort to win a contest, he still ultimately comes out losing in a sense when a multitude of stickers are plastered over his ugly face, which was meant to be displayed in the Duff Calendar. So... instead he goes out and gets plastic surgery to make things look all nice and spiffy.
Moe sporting his fancy new face in 'Pygmoelian'. Courtesy of Wikipedia.Yes, I know, you'll probably point out that I'm being hypocritical or something since I intend to enter this competition myself. However, keep in mind that the librarian hated my own cover from last year during the Photography assessment, as well as the fact that there are PLENTY of talented graphic artists in the school. By no means am I expecting to win this competition. If anything, it's just to show the librarian that I'm still getting myself involved in Towers - being in the roll call and all - or rather, that I'm not slacking off. Still, it'll probably backfire and she'll hate my design this year as well, in contrast to the myriad of better ones - Shuang included - and thus just think I'll be crap when doing my actual pages for Towers, heh.
Still what are you gonna do? As immoral as her selection criteria and running of this 'competition' might be, she's the one in control. Debating it would probably just get me kicked out of Towers anyway. It's not like she doesn't hide the fact that she goes behind backs to control every little facet of this magazine anyway.
Guess I should stop ranting though. It's just been on my mind for hours.
Adios.
