The criteria for each Main Category

Choosing the correct Main Category for your image is important. Badges, titles, ranks, and perks are given based on your performance in each category. Listed are the requirements for uploading an image into each of the Main Categories.

PhotoArt

Photoart is a fusion of photography and other mediums of art such as paintings/illustrations, computer generated imagery or even other photographs. An image submitted to the PhotoArt category must contain at least one photograph or part of a photograph combined with other art mediums. A image that is composed of two or more photographs is also allowed. Additionally, a photograph that has been modified by selectively filtered areas, paint overs, or other modifications to the photograph that alter the original photograph in a way to be unrecognizable are also allowed into this category.

In some cases where there are significantly more illustration, painting, or computer generated content than the photographed content, the image will then be placed into another category. For example; if an image was composed mostly of computer generated 3d scenery but had a small portion of a photograph, the image should be submitted to the Computer Generated Category.

Many grey areas exist and at such a time where an image falls into a grey area, an administrator will make a final decision.

Illustrations/Paintings

Illustrations or Paintings, regardless of the medium used, may be submitted to this gallery. The images may also be photographs or scans your your own artwork, such as paintings on canvas. Photographs of others artwork must be submitted to the Photography Category. You may have other elements in your image such as a photograph or 3d object, so long as the majority of your image is an illustration or painting. Photo paint-overs are eligible for this category provided that the entire image has be hand-painted over, and not the use of a filter program.

Photography

Pure photography only should be submitted to this category. Any amount of editing is allowed on your photograph. Only one photograph may be used in creating your image. If more than one photograph, composited, is use, then the image must be submitted to the PhotoArt Category. Multiple images of the same scene for use in HDR effects are allowed however.

Computer Generated

Images created using computer programs such as 3d modeling and fractal generators should be submitted to this category. Not all images created by computer programs should be placed here. Images that use computer programs to hand paint or draw such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, etc, should be submitted to the Illustrations/Painting Category.