The Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama Contest 2018

[DinoToyForum]

It's 'Dinorama' time again! I'm delighted to declare the Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama Contest 2018 sponsored by Urzeitshop, officially open! It has been a decade since the very first contest back in 2008, so let's make this one special!

Rules, regulations, terms and conditions

Entry is free

Anyone can enter. All members of the Dinosaur Toy Forum, including staff, are invited to participate. Non-members wishing to participate are invited to register to the forum, this is free.

Dioramas. Dioramas must feature prehistoric creatures: from trilobites to Triceratops, it doesn't matter, so long as it is prehistoric. The definition of "diorama" for the purpose of this contest is open to interpretation. It could be a traditionally constructed scale scene, a photograph of toys arranged in your back yard, or whatever you like. Dioramas must be new (never published or shared on the web before) and must have been produced by the entrant. Stealing somebody else's diorama will result in disqualification.

One diorama per member. Once submitted it cannot be exchanged for an alternative entry.

Title. Entries must be accompanied by a creative title.

Photoshop is allowed, but the original photograph(s) must be your own. Using somebody else's photographs will result in disqualification.

Winners. There will be three winners in first, second and third place respectively (no joint positions). These will be selected by a public poll open to all Dinosaur Toy Forum members, which will take place shortly after the closing date. A tie-break poll will be created in the event of a tie. There will also be three additional honourable mentions: those dioramas in positions four to six.

Prizes. This year the contest is generously sponsored by Urzeitshop, who have provided the following prizes:

1st place prize: €150 voucher for Urzeitshop
2nd place prize: €100 voucher for Urzeitshop
3rd place prize: €50 voucher for Urzeitshop

N.B. Prizes exclude shipping costs, i.e. the winner can choose to pay for shipping costs with part of the voucher or separately.

How to enter

Entries will be anonymous until the winners are announced. We therefore request that entrants do no watermark or sign their entries.

Entries should be submitted as a .jpg image file 1000px wide.

Send your entry as an email attachment with the following format:

The email title should read as follows: "diorama contest 2018 [ forum username ]"

The email body should include the diorama title

Send the email to [email protected]. A confirmation email will be sent to entrants within 14 days.

Deadline. The contest is open from today (Friday 6th April 2018) until the deadline on Saturday 25th August 2018 (entries received after 23:59 hours (11.59pm) AST on 25th August 2018 will be invalid.)

Additional terms and conditions

By entering this contest you agree to give The Dinosaur Toy Blog and Dinosaur Toy Forum the right to share your entry in the public poll, public blog and forum posts, and on social media, for the purpose of the public vote, announcement of the winners, and promotion of this and future Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama Contests.

Good luck!

So, thanks again to our generous sponsor Urzeitshop. We hope you have a great Dinosaur Toy Forum Diorama Contest 2018 sponsored by Urzeitshop, and, last but not least, we wish you the best of luck!

[Archinto]

Oh man i am excited about this! Time to officially throw the gloves off and make something serious bznz!

[IrritatorRaji]

Omg, just as I make a post talking a little about this contest, it opens! xD

And oh wow, that deadline is far! I just might be able to enter

[IrritatorRaji]

Wait, are customised figures allowed?

[DinoToyForum]

Wait, are customised figures allowed?

"whatever you like". So, yep!

[MoarCrossovers]

Here's my chance to test out my diorama building skills.

[Ravonium]

I might be able to participate, considering that a lot of the time you can submit in is in the summer holidays, but don't expect my entry to be any good, especially compared to those who can afford Photoshop 

[IrritatorRaji]

I might be able to participate, considering that a lot of the time you can submit in is in the summer holidays, but don't expect my entry to be any good, especially compared to those who can afford Photoshop 

You don't need photoshop to create amazing photomanipulations There are plenty of free art programs out there, like GIMP, that get the job done just as well.

[Ravonium]

You don't need photoshop to create amazing photomanipulations There are plenty of free art programs out there, like GIMP, that get the job done just as well.

Thanks for the advice, but I'd personally rather just see how well I do with an unaltered image 


Just a general question to the organizer of this contest or anyone with prior experience: are you allowed to use prehistoric-looking modern animals (e.g. Coelacanth) as a stand in for related prehistoric animals?

[Lanthanotus]

After all, while some Photoshop (or whatever you use) may enhance an image, the true knack about a good diorama is in the "right" composition of figures and their environment. PS can only go so far before you'd have to create the whole thing completly digital.

Well, I'll sure participate aswell, am very excited for all the entries to come

Great thing about that sponsoring by Mironimus/urzeitshop, really appreciated!

[DinoToyForum]

You don't need photoshop to create amazing photomanipulations There are plenty of free art programs out there, like GIMP, that get the job done just as well.

Thanks for the advice, but I'd personally rather just see how well I do with an unaltered image 




Just a general question to the organizer of this contest or anyone with prior experience: are you allowed to use prehistoric-looking modern animals (e.g. Coelacanth) as a stand in for related prehistoric animals?

Sure!

[Ravonium]

Sure!

Thanks! 

[DinoToyForum]

After all, while some Photoshop (or whatever you use) may enhance an image, the true knack about a good diorama is in the "right" composition of figures and their environment. PS can only go so far before you'd have to create the whole thing completly digital.

Well, I'll sure participate aswell, am very excited for all the entries to come

Great thing about that sponsoring by Mironimus/urzeitshop, really appreciated!

Yeah, Photoshop can make or break a diorama.

Also, the use of photoshop (if it is obvious, anyway) is probably a factor considered by voters during the public poll.

[Brontozaurus]

My BoTM raptors will definitely have arrived by the closing date! Looking forward to seeing the entries. 

[Libraraptor]

Hooray! Let the fun begin!

[CityRaptor]

So, should the dioramas be 100% realistic this time, or may we also have some fun with alternate universes, lost world scenarios etc.?

[DinoToyForum]

So, should the dioramas be 100% realistic this time, or may we also have some fun with alternate universes, lost world scenarios etc.?

Whatever you like. 

[IrritatorRaji]

So, should the dioramas be 100% realistic this time, or may we also have some fun with alternate universes, lost world scenarios etc.?

Given that this was an entry a couple years ago, I don't think scientific accuracy matters too much

[Megalosaurus]

[...]
Yeah, Photoshop can make or break a diorama.

Also, the use of photoshop (if it is obvious, anyway) is probably a factor considered by voters during the public poll.

Yes, I don't vote for notorious photoshoped dioramas and I'm sure other members don't do it either.

So, should the dioramas be 100% realistic this time, or may we also have some fun with alternate universes, lost world scenarios etc.?

Given that this was an entry a couple years ago, I don't think scientific accuracy matters too much

Ja, ja. just look at the entries from 2017-2016. That "Whatever you like rule" destroyed my vision of the first diorama contests, where entries were researched to some extend.


But, WAIT!!!
This was my diorama entry of 2017:

I didn't intent to win. Boys just to have fun with wargamming.

My entry this year is gonna be much more accurate.

[DinoToyForum]

Variety is the spice of life.