If you post an awesomely awesome skin and you're level 1, you will get attention if YOU want attention. If you're not going to advertise it and let others know about it, it will NOT get popular. The famous people today who are winning these contests were all level 1 at one time. They all started somewhere. Upload good quality submissions, and then when the contest period comes, make an extra good skin. You don't just magically get into the finals and get attention.

I also highly agree with Hawkstormer. I hate how the finalists page (before placement) is ordered by submission date. Obviously the person who posts last will be first on the list, which then gives them a LOT more attention then the last person on the list. The order should be randomized.

I see were you're coming from everyone but firstly: I don't care about winning secondly I see what you mean just there should be a more fairer way of seeing peoples skins.

Most of the winners recently have been users we've never heard of. I am glad to see them coming up in the list. Keep in mind that judges have to go over most of the skins, and their diamonds are worth a lot more than a regular user who may never have seen your skin.

Again, I point back to previous contests - one of them had a user that only had one submission (the skin he made) and he won first place with it. He was a brand new member that made an awesome skin.

-P

I agree with the people above, but I must say, the fact that the final submission order never changes just gives more viewage (and possible diamonds) to the more recently released submissions. Maybe if the list was randomized every so often would each skin get about the same exposure to the public than being all hidden past the first couple of pages.

I agree with this. I've never really entered a contest (with caring about wining, DO IT FOR THE FUN!!!), but whenever I see the winners, I notice that a lot of them are very popular (high levels and subs, or mods).
I also agree with the "underdogs". You could have created the most awesome skin known to man, but you wouldn't be noticed at all since you're a level 1.

The only people I ever see complaining about the contests are people that aren't popular.

Get popular by making good, quality skins and then you may have a chance of winning.

However, remember kids, it's not about winning; it's all about taking part!

Good skin = diamonds

Most of the entries so far are terrible. hence why most of them have 1-3 diamonds.
Advertise your skin everyday for a while, and properly do stuff with it. Take feedback and that poop. The contests aren't perfect, but they aren't terrible. The skins are judged based on Originality, Technique, Execution, and some other things. You only need diamonds to get into the finalists, which isn't hard.