6 weeks ago I announced the “Saying Goodbye” competition. I didn’t offer any clues or inspiration as to what the theme meant, participants had complete creative control.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a massive 183 entries!
All Entries
All entries were judged on the following criteria:
- Aesthetics
- Story telling
- Impact
The Finalists
These are the entries that although didn’t win, look great and deserve a mention:
Created by Pratik Solanki
Another great entry by Pratik Solanki. The composition and fun atmosphere make this one stand out. The color scheme could be better, but it’s still great, keep it up!
Created by Greg Zaal
An entry by Blender Nerd‘s Greg Zaal! As I wrote on twitter: “well done mate! Looks dope. Captured the atmosphere nicely.” The ocean and jetty in particular are great 
Some brighter lighting on the character would improve the focus, but it’s still a solid image. Well done
Created by carita87
A simple yet effective concept. The footprints on the window were a nice touch. Great job carita87!
Created by Josh Maule
This perfectly captures the mood of saying goodbye to a loved one. Well done Josh! The style could be more decided (as some parts seem cartoonish and others realistic), but it’s a solid effort nonetheless. Keep it up!
Created by mcdavid
A great tribute to forgotten childhoods. Nice job mcdavid! Better lighting would definitely improve the image, but it’s still excellent.
Other honorable mentions are:
- PansWorld
- Pedro A (NSFW violence)
- JohnMervin
- Jonathan L
Runners Up
These Runners Up will both receive any item they choose from the Blender Store:
Created by Nita
I like the less serious approach and the cartoony style. The characters look fun and the lighting is simple. A clearer story would improve it (as currently it’s unclear if the focus is the children or the grandma), but it’s still an excellent image and one deserving of the runners up prize 
Created by Ex-Nihilo
Beautiful! This one wins points for harmony. Everything just seems to fit together nicely. From the soft lighting to the desaturated color scheme. I’m still not sure who is leaving or staying, but it’s a nice piece of work nonetheless. Great job Ex-Nihilo!
Winner
Created by Simon Meloche
We have a winner!! Definitely an unorthodox approach to the theme but it’s one that I love. It’s light hearted and fun. The lighting and colors are the hardest things to do well and you nailed it. The frothy part of the wave is the only weak point, but the rest makes up for it. Beaches are notoriously difficult to create (speaking from a first hand experience), so the fact that you managed to create believable sand AND waves in the same picture is nothing short of amazing.
So Congratulations Simon! You’ve won:
- $200 Cash
- Expose 9 (Hard Cover)
- $300 for any Charity of your choice
- A permanent spot in the Winner’s Hall of Fame
Thank you to everyone who entered this competition! I’m constantly surprised to see what the Blender community is capable of. Time and time again I’m wowed by the entries that are sent in. It truly is a blessing to have such an eager and ambitious audience.
Unfortunately I don’t have enough time to explain why each image didn’t win, but if you list your name in the comments I’m sure the community would be more than happy to offer you some constructive critiques.
The next competition will be announced in 2 weeks. Stay tuned
