POVRay Short Code Contest - Round 3

The results

Compiled by Paul Bourke, March 2004









First place and Third place

Artist: Tekno Frannansa
Entry: cjj
Title: Simple
Length: 72 bytes
Source: cjjqmo.pov
Comments: cjjqmo_c.txt





Second place

Artist: Christoph Hormann
Entry: gys
Title: The agate face
Length: 238 bytes
Source: gyscwj.pov
Verbose version: gyscwj_l.pov
Comments: gyscwj_c.txt

Panel judge (First choice)
An interesting balance between the familiar and the alien - realism carried to a point of believability. The contrasting pink organic rock and pale blue sky produce a disturbing quality of dry heat and fleshy plasticine like formations. Very aesthetic with good use of colour, texture, light and shadow.

Panel judge (Second choice)
Great interplay between our knowledge that this is artificial (as an abstract image generated by code) and our sense of the "photoreal" - or simply of the "real." This is achieved by subtle yet direct lighting - resembling a bright summer's day, upon some billowing white rock - perhaps some calcareous formation on a beach or in a desert. I found this very evocative, and semiotically interesting as it plays around with our convention-bound sense of documentary realism.





Top ten

Artist: Juha Nieminen
Entry: rjj
Length: 247 bytes
Source: rjjaij.pov
Verbose version: rjjaij_l.pov





Top ten

Artist: Tekno Frannansa
Entry: swo
Title: City
Length: 255 bytes
Source: swokwz.pov
Verbose version: swokwz_l.pov
Comments: swokwz_c.txt





Top ten

Artist: Immanuel Halupczok & Mark Weyer
Entry: gxc
Title: Swamp
Length: 203 bytes
Source: gxcjad.pov
Comments: gxcjad_c.txt

Panel judge (Third choice)
Whilst verging on fantasy-kitsch, this image is moody and evocative - obviously reminiscent of a forest, though perhaps it could be a microphotograph of something as well. It is compositionally satisfying, and seems to be the sort of image that one could peer into - spend some time looking at and imagining some voyage taking place therein - in this sense it is a kind of landscape and narrative image.





Top ten

Artist: Mark Weyer
Entry: hyc
Length: 201 bytes
Source: hycxio.pov
Comments: hycxio_c.txt

Panel judge (Second place)
A great highly aesthetic abstract work conveying underwater depth, whilst the crimson colours suggest something unlike water, a journey into the body perhaps. A work that captivates and suggests, and invites the viewer to spend more time and contemplate the piece. A good balance of colour, form and depth.





Top ten

Artist: Bernard Hatt
Entry: eqs
Length: 246 bytes
Source: eqstqh.pov
Verbose version: eqstqh_l.pov





Top ten

Artist: Wlodzimierz Skiba
Entry: hsn
Length: 249 bytes
Source: hsneez.pov
Verbose version: hsneez_l.pov
Comments: hsneez_c.txt





Top ten

Artist: Florian Brucker
Entry: jtv
Length: 241 bytes
Source: jtvpcb.pov
Verbose version: jtvpcb_l.pov
Comments: jtvpcb_c.txt





Top ten

Artist: Manuel Kasten
Entry: mxo
Length: 244 bytes
Source: mxoapw.pov
Verbose version: mxoapw_l.pov





Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: wpu
Length: 251 bytes
Source: wpuatx.pov
Verbose version: wpuatx_l.pov

Panel judge (Third choice)
An evocative rendition of a burnished metal surface, where the sense of scale is completely lost. Good use of colours, lighting and texture.





Artist: Gary Gerken
Entry: qym
Length: 255 bytes
Source: qymyku.pov
Verbose version: qymyku_l.pov

Panel judge (First choice)
Compositionally, a very satisfying work: nice sense of symmetry, gentle colours, and not too "plasticy" looking. I was reminded of the paintings of Frank Stella - such as the Tahkt-I-Sulayman variations from the 1960's, and others from American minimalist painting of the period. In this sense it has interesting art-historical cross-references (whether intentional or not) that aligns it with minimalism and some op-art.





Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: atb
Title: Diamond Rose
Length: 185 bytes
Source: atbums.pov
Verbose version: atbums_l.pov
Comments: atbums_c.txt




Artist: Tom Daff
Entry: biw
Length: 248 bytes
Source: biwbdf.pov
Verbose version: biwbdf_l.pov




Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: cxk
Length: 255 bytes
Source: cxkuhs.pov
Verbose version: cxkuhs_l.pov




Artist: "Dazza"
Entry: cxs
Title: Nugget
Length: 244 bytes
Source: cxstnp.pov
Verbose version: cxstnp_l.pov
Comments: cxstnp_c.txt




Artist: Bernard Hatt
Entry: gjb  *
Length: 248 bytes
Source: gjbfda.pov
Verbose version: gjbfda_l.pov




Artist: Manuel Kasten
Entry: gka  *
Length: 238 bytes
Source: gkadzb.pov
Verbose version: gkadzb_l.pov




Artist: Matt Giwer
Entry: ksq
Length: 86 bytes
Source: ksqngh.pov
Verbose version: ksqngh_l.pov
Comments: ksqngh_c.txt




Artist: Bernard Hatt
Entry: kss
Length: 255 bytes
Source: ksszpg.pov
Verbose version: ksszpg_l.pov
Comments: ksszpg_c.txt




Artist: Juha Nieminen
Entry: ujk
Length: 246 bytes
Source: ujkhkc.pov
Verbose version: ujkhkc_l.pov




Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: lgw
Title: Borg Cube II
Length: 253 bytes
Source: lgwaxm.pov
Verbose version: lgwaxm_l.pov
Comments: lgwaxm_c.txt




Artist: Frans Slothouber
Entry: lxj
Title: Nighthawk
Length: 190 bytes
Source: lxjmlz.pov
Verbose version: lxjmlz_l.pov
Comments: lxjmlz_c.txt




Artist: Manuel Kasten
Entry: lzw
Length: 252 bytes
Source: lzwcaz.pov
Verbose version: lzwcaz_l.pov




Artist: Mark Weyer
Entry: mhq
Title: Checkered Spheres by Reflective Planes
Length: 208 bytes
Source: mhqybg.pov
Comments: mhqybg_c.txt




Artist: Mark Weyer
Entry: cpo
Length: 22 bytes
Source: cpoaiv.pov
Comments: cpoaiv_c.txt




Artist: Leo Bleicher
Entry: dkh
Title: Pinched Cube
Length: 252 bytes
Source: dkhqxn.pov
Verbose version: dkhqxn_l.pov
Comments: dkhqxn_c.txt




Artist: Leo Bleicher
Entry: muk
Title: Pinched Cube - Checker
Length: 256 bytes
Source: mukzgo.pov
Verbose version: mukzgo_l.pov
Comments: mukzgo_c.txt




Top ten

Artist: Daniel Prust
Entry: qha
Length: 255 bytes
Source: qhaohk.pov
Comments: qhaohk_c.txt





Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: rpk
Length: 256 bytes
Source: rpkxkc.pov
Verbose version: rpkxkc_l.pov




Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: ruk
Title: "He" (atom)
Length: 241 bytes
Source: rukmxi.pov
Verbose version: rukmxi_l.pov
Comments: rukmxi_c.txt




Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: sqb
Length: 255 bytes
Source: sqbipl.pov
Verbose version: sqbipl_l.pov




Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: plu
Title: Fire Julia
Length: 256 bytes
Source: plujvr.pov
Verbose version: plujvr_l.pov
Comments: plujvr_c.txt




Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: syb
Title: Mandel Flower
Length: 255 bytes
Source: sybkqt.pov
Verbose version: sybkqt_l.pov
Comments: sybkqt_c.txt




Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: udk
Length: 252 bytes
Source: udkoxn.pov
Verbose version: udkoxn_l.pov




Artist: Tom Daff
Entry: uqv
Title: GreenBad
Length: 248 bytes
Source: uqvssb.pov
Verbose version: uqvssb_l.pov




Artist: Mark Weyer
Entry: usq
Title: Moonlight
Length: 225 bytes
Source: usqqpq.pov
Comments: usqqpq_c.txt




Artist: Paolo
Entry: vdk  *
Title: Broken words
Length: 254 bytes
Source: vdkgtw.pov
Verbose version: vdkgtw_l.pov
Comments: vdkgtw_c.txt




Artist: Noe Falzon
Entry: wct
Length: 245 bytes
Source: wctsji.pov
Verbose version: wctsji_l.pov
Comments: wctsji_c.txt




Artist: Dave Matthews
Entry: wlb
Title: Checker Fractal
Length: 234 bytes
Source: wlbtwv.pov
Comments: wlbtwv_c.txt




Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: wxh
Title: Underwater Plant
Length: 252 bytes
Source: wxhqam.pov
Verbose version: wxhqam_l.pov
Comments: wxhqam_c.txt




Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: ycb
Length: 252 bytes
Source: ycbnhi.pov
Verbose version: ycbnhi_l.pov

Coordinators pick
While they didn't make it in to the top ten, these three entries were among my (the contest coordinator) favourites.





Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: ahi
Length: 246 bytes
Source: ahivwu.pov
Verbose version: ahivwu_l.pov

Coordinators pick





Artist: Manuel Kasten
Entry: xde
Length: 184 bytes
Source: xdepvn.pov
Verbose version: xdepvn_l.pov

Coordinators pick





Artist: Matthew Grove
Entry: xzl
Length: 253 bytes
Source: xzlvgr.pov
Verbose version: xzlvgr_l.pov




Artist: Juha Nieminen
Entry: nwi
Length: 256 bytes
Source: nwiemm.pov
Verbose version: nwiemm_l.pov




Artist: Rafal Maj
Entry: yio
Title: Borg Cube III
Length: 255 bytes
Source: yioadf.pov
Verbose version: yioadf_l.pov
Comments: yioadf_c.txt




Artist: Paul Bourke
Entry: gbz
Title: Chladni
Length: 233 bytes
Source: gbzntv.pov
Verbose version: gbzntv_l.pov
Comments: gbzntv_c.txt

Coordinator comment
This entry and the next three are contributed by myself, the coordinator of this round of the competition. Fortunately none of them reached the top three or I would have had to worry about convincing the community of the legitimacy of the voting process.





Artist: Paul Bourke
Entry: gbn
Length: 204 bytes
Source: gbnfii.pov
Verbose version: gbnfii_l.pov




Artist: Paul Bourke
Entry: hun
Title: Hungry Attractor
Length: 241 bytes
Source: hunwxy.pov
Verbose version: hunwxy_l.pov
Comments: hunwxy_c.txt




Artist: Paul Bourke
Entry: xhe
Length: 166 bytes
Source: xhebow.pov
Verbose version: xhebow_l.pov
Comments: xhebow_c.txt

Coordinator comment
This makes an attractive background image, render it at the native resolution of your display.


A special thanks goes to the panel for their ratings and comments. They are: Dr Peter Morse (Creative Arts, Melbourne University) and Richard Brown (Victorian College of Arts).

* These entries used TTF files included in the POVRay distribution. While not breaking the letter of the rules (#include files are not allowed), they break the spirit of the rule which was to preclude the use of any external files.