In this year's competition, there were 33 participants and a total of 170 images submitted.   There were 46 camouflage, 63 transparency, and 61 reflections images submitted.

The images were judged in separate sessions for each category.   The judging was performed in two stages: In the first stage, each image was projected for about 10 seconds while the judges scored each image on a 10 point scale.   For the camouflage category, each image was first projected in 2D (monoscopically) for 10 seconds, then projected stereoscopically for 10 seconds.   Part of the judging criteria for the camflouge category was to what degree stereoscopic vision helps in understanding the image.  

In the second stage of judging, the top scoring images were viewed more carefully and compared.   Then the first, second and third place images were selected in each category.   Very often the top scoring images in the initial viewing did not receive the top places in the second viewing.   This result is common when using this method of judging.   The judging was completed in about three hours.

In this year's competition, the judges were asked to evaluate the images based on how well the images fit the category as well as the artistic value of the images.  For this reason, some images with very high artistic merit were given lower scores than their artistic merit would suggest (in my opinion).  In last year's competition with the categories: Surfaces, Objects and Spaces; the judges were asked to evaluate the images solely on artistic value.  The judging criteria was changed for this year's competition because this year's categories: Camouflage, Transparency and Reflections seemed more technical than artistic in nature.  In order to insure that the top images would be good examples of the categories, it seemed that the judges needed to take into account how well the images fit the categories as well as their artistic merit.

Four professionals in the field of art assisted with the judging.   They were:

• Susan Van Baerle - Hennepin Technical College - 3d Animation Instructor
• Stan Bissinger - ITT Technical Institute in Minnesota- 3d Animation Instructor
• Don Bajus - Hennepin Technical College - Animator
• Sara Laviolette - Hennepin Technical College - Perkins Coordinator

Dr. Monte Ramstad