Hi fellow artists!
 
Please help me by giving me your objective opinion.  
Am I too sensitive, or is my artistic perspective out of whack.  
Do you agree with this card reviewer, if so, or if not, why?
 
I submitted this image:
 
http://www.saintluciagreetings.com/images/ladybug_1purple.jpg
 
of a photoshopped work by me and received this email:
 
>Please Note: tHERE IS TOO MUCH DISTRACTING BACKGROUND IN THIS PHOTO -  
>CAN YOU CROP SO ONLY THE LADY BIRDS ARE VISIBLE?
>Please click here to Edit this card and resubmit it.  
 
Peace be with You, Nilla
 

Thanks Moonie   I am going to change it.  

Hi Nilla,  
 
Here is my take for what its worth.  The reviewers are not commenting on your art, but on how your art will reproduce as a 5x7 card.  They are the experts in that arena.  
 
When viewing a piece at the size you sent us to look at (which didn't even fit in my 17-inch screen!), there is no real distraction, however with the Photoshop posterizing filter that you used, a much smaller version may indeed not allow your fun lady bugs to 'pop' out in the image.  
 
Just my thoughts!  Good luck!!

Personally I liked the card as it is because the color of the lady bugs draws your attention to the focal point. I would ask Mindy to look at it as is. I really like it and I like the background also.

Thanks everyone  
I just deleted it. It was making me crazy

I, too, think the problem is that the ladybirds will get lost on a 5 x 7 card.
 
I like the greens, but with only 2 ladybirds they still get lost.
 
Try enlarging the ladybirds your original design  & show a little less background.
 
Good luck!
 
~Audrey

Nilla,  This is too cute, it reminds me of the clothing with the white sheep and only one black, (black sheep of the family..lol.) I agree the other one is a bit mesmerizing, but I think it would make a great poster at zazzle.
Hugs, Janet Lee

First, yes, I think the reviewer overstepped here.  I love the little bugs and I think the plank they are walking is part of the story.  The crop could probably be played with, but I sure wouldn't get rid of the whole background!  A suggestion here and there from the reviewers is one thing, but to flat out say "change it" because of their opinion (unless one of the rules I haven't found yet says they can do so)--I would have a problem with that.  Sometimes it's just easier to delete a card because it gets too confusing to figure out what the reviewer wants from me before resubmitting it.  I have one that I'm about to do that with.
 
I should probably put this in a different forum, but since I'm here...   I seem to have problems with the reviewers, too (not personally, because I'm sure they are lovely people), but they rarely like my text based on what categories I choose.  The categories still baffle me.  And I'm trying hard not to be too sensitive, but it is truly PAINFUL for me to come up with any sort of (what I hope to be) clever text for the insides of my cards because i am not--I repeat--NOT, a writer.  So when they tell me to change my text so it can be in a specific category does not sit well with me.  
 
But what I think I'm realizing finally is that there are certain requirements for a card to join a specific category, and if I want to keep my text as I have it, I have to choose a different category.  Can anyone verify this?  For instance, does the "I love you" category ALWAYS have to literally have the words "I love you" in the text?  Seems to me there could be some common sense involved.  "I adore you" seems that it could imply "I love you".  No?
 
Sadly, I'm not sure I've found a category for some of my more less common ideas.  Sigh.  I hope I figure this all out soon.
 
Happy designing, everybody.  Here's to better communication with our dear reviewers.
 
Robin