Great work! Congratulation to the winners and also to the top 15s :))

Congrats to the winners :)
At least mine got to the Honorable Mentions :))

Congrats to the top winners, and to all that entered. There are some really nice works out there :)

What the heck kind of contest is this? A bunch of pre-schoolers designed half of the top 15. Who judges this thing?!?!

Congratulations to all who entred!! Special congrats and big up to the winner!! You deserve this and continue to produce thought provoking work.The social commentry was awesome.

I had fun making this with the help of my husband. Congrats to the top 2 as well as the others. To bad some view us designers as kids. I am far from being a kid and have kids of my own.

All works make my mind bad - i want war!!!

THANK YOU crestock.com for the opportunity that you have given to us designers. I do not believe that any body who does art does so reluctantly, nobodies parents forced them into doing art. I have never heard " LAW....? LAW....? Why law, you should go and do ART like you father!!".
I say that to say this, Designers design PRIMARILY FOR THE LOVE OF IT, all other benefits are greatly appreciated but secondary. I thank you for the platitude you have given to us to express ourselves ARTISTICALLY and not only to be rewarded with an international audience but also some really cool Apple prizes.

Thank you for listening, and my GOD Bless you.

Congrats to the Winner... But anyone with the mentality greater than a plant knows when Obama says Hope it's nothing but HYPE.

Well done, Tallyute! And congratulations to the other finalists... I'm happy to be part of a bunch of "preshoolers"! ROFL!

Well done to all the contestants and eventual winners … but, I don't understand how the entry from "fenna" which achieved the top number of "viewers" votes from all the participants (77) not only failed to win but did not get included in the Top 15 and wasn't even given an honourable mention. Maybe this goes to illustrate that a design competition based on a political theme will always be judged on the artists overall message first and not on his/her concept or creative abilities. The political persuasion/s of the eventual judge/s will always be the biggest factor in deciding who comes in ahead on polling day! While I agree that art has historically played a part in politics the reverse cannot be said to be true. Perhaps a theme that focuses on the creative merits of an entry without getting wrapped up in other social issues would be more prudent in future.

Because the artwork is crap and the votes were to a 99% entirely from friends and people who were voting in the direct interest by the interest of the artist based on a personal relationship with the artist.

That is why public voting should not even be offered also when the public votes shall not be counted for chosing the winners in this contest already. For what shall people vote? It is useless, the winner takes it all and the winner is chosen by the judges in this case.

Confusing for a lot of people why public votes are offered and not clearly marked as "votes that do not count" like when voting for a YouTube Video. And this is how voting should be offered, with 1 to 5 stars and the same for comments.

Still I think that "the message underlining the winner" is not 100% positive. As a white person one can easiely feel "underappreciated, less worth and more negative issues can come up" when seeing the slogan on the winner poster. Especially when one is not contra black but also not a "progressive white" as one is not an American or an American Stereotype but regularly sees people as equal when it comes to the race, color, heritage alone and not what the people represent, stand for, think or do.

It looks like the typical "White Kid listens black music and so is thinking like the music tells one...The new Hope is Black! Jiggedy..." Poster.

AND THERE IS NO POLITICAL PROPAGANDA ISSUE INSIDE THE ARTWORK, TO ONLY POINT OUT "THE NEW HOPE IS BLACK" IS NOTHING POLITICAL BUT EMOTIONAL UNPOLITICAL TALK AND NOT EVEN A BIT OF PROPAGANDA!

[Sorry but as long Obamas allover presence is still based on the black and white issue and not on issues on a higher level of consciousness, I can't say anything pro or contra Obama.]

THERE ARE MUCH BETTER ARTWORKS THAT DID NOT WIN! ON BOTH SIDES, OBAMA AND MCCAIN. SAD TO SAY, THE WINNER WAS CHOSEN ON EMOTIONS AND NOT PURE SKILLS OR EVEN A LOT OF SKILLS. IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE NONE OF THE SOURCE IMAGES WAS USED AT ALL BUT SIMILAR LOOKING PICTURES!!!

What I also think is "foolish" to say, less words made the winner, visual presentation is also present in creating the right text part and on this side, the winner artwork looks easy made, fast thought and not a bit interesting. It looks like a copy of already existing artwork.

In the case of the winner - graphically, its a great piece. Focal point, energy with the tilted feel, solid typography, furthering that poster Obama Hope look with a bit of distress.

The message is thought provoking. It feels like it can be open to interpretation. Hope is the new black can mean that hope is the new black man in office. Is it slightly racist? Maybe. But then again, its almost a play on a fashion term and race, hope is the new black.

Two meanings? I still can't help though that part of that slightly clever title feels a little racist. Not being sensitive here I think, clever though.

It is interesting to me as a graphic designer how GOOD design has played a part in helping put a look and feel to the campaigns. There was/is something modern and hip style in Obama's campaign. Great logo, typography was fantastic, it really helped visually appeal to a more modern forward crowd.

These sort of street revolutionary poster designs were also graphically important I think in the campaign.

And thats why I think the winner one. Keep up the good work but always think critically of the message you are sending or are required to send.

Such talented people.. wow :)