Invisible Paint Brushes rock Circulation: 81,826,882 Issue: 156 | 3rd day of Gathering, Y6
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So You Want My Vote?


by black_magic_ti

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I love the weekly Beauty Contest. I love to browse through all the pets, and vote for the best ones. Looking at every species and every picture is always a thrill! I try to look at the Beauty contestants every week, and observe as much as I can. In doing so, I have noticed patterns in the way that I vote. I’ve found many reasons that cause me to vote for certain pets -- or to not vote for others. And that is why I decided to write this article.

For all of you out there, hoping to get my vote for your pets in the Beauty Contest, this should be an important read. I’ll give you hints on how to get me to look at your pet, and possibly vote for it. And if I think your pet looks great, chances are, other Neopians will, too! Now read closely, and take notes, my friend. I will start your lesson in Getting My Vote.

1) Originality

Yes, I love an ORIGINAL picture. I will not vote for images taken straight from the website and then redone using a paint program. Not only is it unattractive, but it lacks ORIGINALITY. I see so many of these, it’s very unlikely that ANY of them will get votes. They all look the same! Which is why YOU need to make the picture yourself! If you feel that you don’t have the artistic talent to make a picture of your own, why not try other contests, such as the storytelling competition? (Don’t worry, everyone is good at something!)

2) Beauty?

I’m not necessarily looking for the most ‘beautiful’ pet, with the prettiest dress or nicest fur/scales/feathers. I’m looking for a good piece of artwork. After all, even non-Neopet beauty pageants don’t focus on looks alone. They ask the contestants questions about themselves, so that the audience can get to know them. The contestants’ character is very important, which brings me to my next point.

3) Character

You want me to like your pet, don’t you? I certainly won’t vote for a pet that I don’t like! Which is why your pet needs CHARACTER. A real personality. Describe your pet. Tell me who he/she is, what he/she is like. Even a quote from your pet will help us to know what they’re like. And another thing that will get you my vote is a good…

4) PETPAGE!

I LOVE it when the pet’s page is personalized, with all sorts of information about the pet. Write a story about your pet, or have your pet introduce him/herself. If you have even more pictures of your pet on its petpage, kudos to you! I’d love to get to know your pet before voting for it, which is why a personalized, detailed petpage can enormously raise your chances of getting my vote!

5) Don’t beg!

Please please please please please don’t beg! See how annoying that was? Don’t beg for votes. I vote for the pets who’ve earned a vote, not the ones I feel sorry for. Begging will MOST DEFINITELY lower your chances of getting my vote. If you can’t get votes by means other than begging, then you don’t deserve votes.

6) Colour

Even though I can appreciate a black and white sketch, I prefer a picture with lots of colour. Not only are they much prettier, but they have more character. Whether your pet is pink or blue can make a huge difference. Also, coloured pictures are more likely to draw attention from the voter, raising your chances for a vote!

7) Quality

When I click on a picture, and it comes up as fuzzy, smudged, or smeared, then I won’t vote for it. Make sure that your picture is a good quality before submitting it, and also check the picture’s size. If the size is wrong, the picture will appear as fuzzy and hard to see.

8) Advertise

No, I don’t mean to advertise by begging. A good way to advertise is through your signature. While chatting on the boards, other users will notice the link in your siggy and be likely to look up your pet and possibly earn you another vote! Mention it in your userlookup, tell your Neofriends, or announce it in the chatboard of whatever guild you’re in. The possibilities are endless.

9) Stand out

Don’t be afraid to be different! When I see a pet that stands out from all the others, I make a beeline for it! If your picture isn’t like all the others, no worries! Your pet should be unique, just like you! Even if you gave your Aisha a third pair of ears, or made your Gelert a longhair, it will stand out, and you’ll get my respect by doing so. (Besides, it could turn out looking really cool!)

10) Accessorize!

Maybe your drawing of your beloved Ruki is pretty, but it just might be lacking something. I love to see pets with jewelry, neat clothes, or even tattoos. This helps in both giving your pet character and helping it stand out. If you like to accessorize yourself, wouldn’t your pet like to accessorize, too? Try drawing your own favorite jewelry or clothes on your pet. The result could be absolutely fabulous!

There are hundreds of other ways to get votes for your pet. Just look and see. Study past winners. Poll other Neopians about what they like to see in a beauty contestant. Show your artwork to your friends before submitting it. Or even read articles on how to get more votes in the Beauty Contest. ^.^

I know, you might be thinking now that it’s all too much work, or even wondering why you should want my vote at all. But I can guarantee that by putting in the extra effort to make your pet stand out in the Beauty Contest, you will be more likely to get votes, and possibly win.

Good luck in the Beauty Contest!

-black_magic_ti

 
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