Darker Shades of Christmas 2023 ~ Sleigh Bells

It was a cold, dark day during the coldest month of the year in Christmasland. As the world grew darker, life migrated to this place where Santa had created light from the darkness keeping the various evils of this world at bay. Here, they would be protected by Santa until the world beyond became safe again. But, within the darkness remained threats, some of these were powerful, and while they had made themselves known in the past... there remained mysteries yet to be faced. Then came a sound, a horrific sound that none could remember ever hearing before... the ringing of an enormous bell shattering the darkness that split mountains asunder and shattered ancient ice.

This year's contest leaves you to finish the story. Darker Shades of Christmas was created as an homage to Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. We have had requests just to do a normal Christmas contest which being a dark fantasy site, isn't really what we do lol. But dark fantasy doesn't have to be horror.

But, as I have explained in the past, Nightmare Before Christmas is set in a real-world experiencing Christmas and thus, all Christmas art is welcome and will be judged based on talent, innovation, and concept. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE HORROR-BASED... it can be a normal Christmas-style image.

So, feel free to create any image you desire and I hope you understand that as a dark fantasy site, we have to deal in fantasy aspects and allow dark fantasy. But this year, let's try to restrict the serial killer Santa's and such. Maybe do some art with faeries, elves and orcs if you wish... or two drunks by a campfire drinking beer with Bigfoot with Santa flying across a moonlit night ;P

Also remember, no AI images unless you are creating a background image. We would much rather you make a background with AI than swiping someone's image off the internet. But, be forewarned, we will have judges this year who are more 3D purist in nature so, if you can, find items to make your entire image with 3d and maybe add details what you used.

RULES

1) Winners will provide a list including each sponsor in order that they would like to have the prizes. We will then choose what prizes you win on a first-come, first-serve basis. You have an entire month from the time that the contest is posted to get us this list and if you do not include the actual prizes you want, you will have one week from the time you are contacted to get these to us. If we do not receive your list one week after you've been alerted of what you have won telling us what you want (in case that was not provided on the list), this is fine. What matters is we have your list telling us the sponsors from first to last.
By the end of the given month "during the contest" if we have not received said list, items will be chosen for you.

2) Unless otherwise specified, make sure to add an alternate prize selection should you want a bundle or partnered item. Some of our sponsors allow this, some do not and some may on certain items of which we have no way of knowing. You may provide a list to us at any time during the month. Providing the list does not guarantee a prize. Items given to runners-up, if any, will come from these lists or be donated by prize winners.

3) Our Responsibility is to contact you and the sponsors. If you have not received your prize, remember that sponsors respond when they can and we will do follow-ups if you keep in touch with us. If we do not hear from you within a month after you are alerted, we will consider you have received your prize but we will extend this from the moment of your previous communication. Like participants and management, sponsors can be slow to respond and we beg your patience on these matters as we will do the follow-ups as promised.

4) Our First Place winner will receive the first item on their list which will be removed from all other winner's lists. Our Second Place winner will be given the first item remaining on their list and so forth. When each winner has been awarded a prize, we will begin again with the First Place winner until all prizes are awarded.

5) Please remember that some prizes are gift card items while others may be coupons.
Also, remember to include the following information ~

A) Username (for DSA and sponsors site)
B. Email Address
C) Real Name & Physical Mailing Address (for software and physical prizes)

6) No AI-generated art. This must be your art and not Artificial Intelligence generated art using images data mined from the internet. You are welcome to share this art in the forums and we might one day add a gallery for this. But we will not allow it in the contests. As long as AI-generated images are created from other artist's work data mined from the internet, we cannot allow it in our contests and any such art will be removed. While AI may not be subject to copyrights, it may be determined later that the end user is so make sure the art is your own work.

7) Your images must follow the theme to the best of your ability but how you do this is up to your individual creativity and imagination. Ask if you have questions about the theme.

This month's theme is... christmas an all things wintery 

8 ) There is a post limit of one image a day... no reworks as all images must be original for this contest. Try adding more diversity such as races and different cultures. Explore the variety that makes up who and what we are.

9) Images cannot be posted anywhere else for five days and must include links to this contest or statements that it is for this contest.

10) Images posted late will be excluded from the judging unless the closing date is extended by the site.

11) Artistic nudity is allowed. No child nudity is allowed. This is defined as genitals and nip's so cover them up or risk violating our rules. A good alternative would be anime or faeries but do not use child morphs.

12) The contest is open to any medium that you wish to use (except AI as mentioned above). This is primarily a 3d art site but hand-drawn, painted, or any other type of medium is fine as long as you created it. Make note of the prizes being offered as only rarely might they not be 3d oriented.

13) We consider it trolling if criticism about content is made when images are within the rules. Constructive criticism and praise are encouraged and welcomed.

14) Our normal monthly contests will have 5 winners. Our larger contests will have up to 31 winners. We will alert members should this change at any time or if the sponsors have alerted us to award items to runners-up.

15) Remember, if you have any questions, please ask them in the contest topic so that staff or fellow members can explain and help you to understand the rules or themes in our competition.


PRIZES

Any questions?

And we have our winners.

First Place is HallowedSylph with dreamslayerartworks.com/galleries/sleigh-bells?i=DarkXmasHS23
Second Place is MyQuad with dreamslayerartworks.com/galleries/sleigh-bells?i=Dragon-Cane-
Third Place is Aqua1955 with dreamslayerartworks.com/galleries/sleigh...re-before-Christmass

Thanks to the three of you for entering. As usual, Christmas is difficult to get participation as people are away from home and the Christmas holiday wrecks participation. Even when we've had a normal of 30 participants Christmas is a difficult time. But we do tend to get great art for Christmas and this year no one got killed lol. No evil Santa's so everyone who want us to disallow that got their wish (although we didn't disallow it).

So thank you again for participating

You are very welcome. Get your list of the things you want to Impmon and let us know the prize list