This is all fine and well, but there are a large number of people on here (I hate to say it, but really -- teenagers mostly) who either "5$" it or ")" it and have no concept of anything in between.

")" = "0"

Yeah it doesn't really matter anyway as the judges make the final decisions, I just think it's really intimidating and discouraging for newcomers. Especially if you don't notice that even winning designs are scored low.

It does seem to be that way. I'm extremely stingy with both my $5's and my 0's. But I follow a pretty similar scoring method to you.

I think the standard of artwork here is getting better day by day, possibly not the ideas but the execution is generally good. There are obvious exceptions of course.

"It's not really a competition where giving out zeros left and right makes your design more likely to succeed"

Exactly. I've often wondered if people score with that misconception in mind.

I think bringing this up is really valuable, b/c I do believe some kind of common benchmark would be beneficial for gauging one's progress and "printability." I score very similarly to you. I think many people's scoring is reflected by whether *they* would wear a particular shirt, rather than give an objective score for the artwork, execution etc. too.

I love your work, btw :-) I just squized at your live journal link.

well, the average printed design is 2.71 as long as the "newcomers" know that, they probaby won't feel bad. i mean your not going to feel that bad if you get 30% on a test if the passing score is 38%.

Thanks pookie :) feel free to friend me, I'll try to update it more often too!

Knowing 2.71 is the average for printed designs makes me feel better about my 2.17 first submit. I think I would feel bad if I got a 30 when a -passing- was a 38...because then I would fail! But I'd say getting a print is equivalent to an A+ :)

Does anyone know what the highest score on Threadless has been?

Hey, I normally score 2, then prob equally 1 or 3. I guess im critical. Yea as i was looking at all the printd submissions some got a score as low as 2.1 and as high as about 3.5 but mainly theyre about 2.6 or something. But score isnt everything, it only lets u be considered. The highest scoring designs sometimes dont get printed and the lower ones do...wierd. But I think its just how many people said theyd buy it too.