September Ranked Matches - HEAVYWEIGHTS

[Electronick]

you're only as good as your latest.

Damn how I hate that, but ain't it the truth?

[ChrisMcJunkin]

For the record, I'm not talking trash or trying to instigate anything, I was just honestly a bit confused by the statement and wanted clarification. I've never half-assed any entry and I've never no-showed. I just wanted clarification.

I don't agree with the assessment though that you're only as good as your most recent piece because everyone has different things going on in their lives and some pieces are going to be better than others. If you yourself aren't able to remember past the most current thing that someone else produced that's really not their fault but your own, honestly. Plus its all subjective, so what you may think is someone's best piece, someone else may not.

Personally my favorite thing you ever produced, Electronicron, was your Spidey racing piece. I honestly don't remember off hand what you produced last month because it didn't impact me like that piece did. So no, I don't agree with that logic. (Not saying that what you did last month was better or worse but that whatever it was didn't stick in my mind.) But that Spidey pic was so well conceived and executed that it actually became my desktop background for a few months, which is something that I can't say for any other piece in Pummel for me.

[NewYorkPicasso]

Now I gotta go into Electronicron's sketchblog to see this Spidey piece you are talking about.

[Juggertha]

For the record, I'm not talking trash or trying to instigate anything, I was just honestly a bit confused by the statement and wanted clarification. I've never half-assed any entry and I've never no-showed. I just wanted clarification.

I've always viewed those predictions as 90% BS and just for fun.

Sorry if I offended.

[ChrisMcJunkin]

I'll save you the search.



One of my favorite pieces I've seen in Pummel. I'm not saying it was perfectly executed or anything but I just pretty much loved everything about it. And anytime I think of Electronicron's work that's the first thing that comes to mind and that was from February of this year. You can see the thread here.

Same as Pop's take on Sin City. It had it's flaws but I loved the line work, composition and his take on the characters and it stuck out to me. Pop might turn in a number of pieces that are technically better but he'll have a hard time making something that I like better than that piece because it stuck with me. And hell, that piece didn't even win it the Sin City match.

If Walter was still competing I doubt he'd ever manage to do anything that was at utterly awesome in my mind as his Batman piece and that kid's hella' talented and produces great stuff on a constant basis (I still keep up with him over at Deviant Art and on Facebook).

But no I don't agree with the assessment that you're only as good as your current piece. I really think that if you can make a piece that sticks with someone where when they think of your name and your work, they smile because they remember you by that cool piece you did then you did something significant.

[Juggertha]

I think you may be taking the phrase "you're only as good as you latest" a bit too literally.

[ChrisMcJunkin]

I've always viewed those predictions as 90% BS and just for fun.

Sorry if I offended.

Honestly, no offense taken. And I was already tying the above reply when you posted.

But honestly, I think it makes for good conversation, which is something I'd like to see more of (other than people just ribbing each other). Seriously, I don't get to talk a lot with other comic artists types so I look forward to it wherever I can find it.

[dfbovey]

It is interesting to talk about.

I think not only for the sake of improving your craft, but also the nature of this "game"... the goal is to constantly try to improve over what you've done previously. That's my goal every time I participate. Honestly, that's become the main focus for me, even over beating my opponent. I have this competition with myself to try to do better each time out. If I don't by my own standards, then I'm not satisfied. Even if I win.

If someone told me that they liked piece "A" and that it was what they think of every time they think of my art, then I'd be working hard to replace that image in their minds every time out.

I'm sure some people have pieces they like of mine over other piecess. Ask 5 people you might get 3-5 totally different opinions on that front. Like you said, it's all personal taste in that aspect. But the goal should always be to improve. Not only to better your skills, but also climb the ranks in this contest. The two probably go hand in hand. And in that aspect, I agree with Juggertha's saying, that you are only as good as your last piece.

But even then, shit happens. Sometimes we try and fail. Sometimes outside events get in the way. I just hope that if you look at every entry I posted here since the start, that you see a steady flow of progress and improvement without too many hiccups along the way.

[Juggertha]

I liken it to movie stars (or whatever industry we want to compare). Sure, we can think Tom Cruise is da bomb, and he kicked butt in Top Gun, but for many, our image of him might very well be of his most recent work. Perhaps Tom is a bad example, as his sofa jumping comes more to mind, but I think you get my point.

We've seen guys go on streaks here...both winning and losing, and in truth it's not all that important, but it's often something noted on. Sometimes it's just luck of the draw, but often times it's something they are doing (right or wrong). Hanzou comes to mind as someone who's been doing a lot right lately (compared to some of his earlier record). Nowadays, it's easy to think of him climbing straight to the top...and easy to forget about last year when his style was often hit and miss.

We tend to remember the recent.

For me, when I think of the artists in pummel, I usually recall two things - their most recent piece from last month, and my favorite piece from them. Sometimes that gives me balanced view of their work, sometimes it skews things a bit.

I'm glad that this discussion is just a general thing... And it's a good one to have.

[Dann]

I see what Chris is saying...
There's always one piece of work that'll always stick in your head when you think of the artist. For instance, it was the piece that made Bovey actually lose a match (the space battle) that's my favorite by him....and when I think of his art, that's what pops in my mind first.
Improving's always the name of the game here, even tho each new piece won't be the greatest, latest thing. I think since I've joined Pummel, I've gotten a zillion times better, but I really dislike my Game of Thrones pic while I'm most proud of my Captain America...with a close second going to my retro space battle that was done for Pummelmania.
And Jugg's...I really don't think Chris was offended or anything, just not sure why you thought he was struggling. I mean, let's face it....he was going up against ME...of course his game was off!
..and that's my feeble attempt at trash talk!