Hi all!
Well, we had a very promising influx of entries for the contest this time! Of course, there can only be three winners, and so therefore we are down to the judging...

How this all works:
Each judge that was not participating in the contest marked each banner with a score out of ten for six different categories. These categories were:

Colour - how well colour was used in the banner.
Style - whether they liked the particular style the banner was created in.
Professionalism - how professional looking each banner seemed.
Originality - how much original idea was used.
Adherence to Oasis Theme - how much it fitted the Oasis.
Would You Use It?: Here, the higher number denoted the more the judge would want to use this particular banner to advertise the guild.

Judges have also left an overall comment on each entry, so you can see why they have voted in the way they did.

With these scores, which will be posted in groups with the judge who judged them, and not by user, the total scores will be added up for each entrant, and the mean score calculated. The mean score for each entrant will be used to decide who wins what. In the event of a tie-break situation, the winning banner will be decided by poll. The first to five votes shall win.

Okay, let's get down to the results...

Leid's Judging:
Username: Rasui
Colour: 8
Style: 8
Professionalism:8
Originality: 10
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 10
Would You Use It?: 9
Total: 53/60
Overall comments: This is a great idea and design over all. The cut out of the character is almost perfect and the back ground graphic is nice and relaxing. The choice of words really sells me on this one. The only problem I have at all is that it's hard to read. At a glance (which is the most you'll get in a forum, usually) there are some words that fade in a little too much. An alteration to this design and it would be perfect!

Username: X Second Setback X
Colour: 9
Style: 9
Professionalism: 10
Originality: 8
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 10
Would You Use It?: 8
Total: 54/60
Overall comments: The execution of a basic idea really came through here. Everything is clearly written and the graphic itself is really nice. I didn't get the gears and it makes it feel like maybe the desert around the oasis is a war zone, and maybe that's the idea, but it left me wondering. Otherwise the layout is spot on and everything is clean and pretty!

Username: Mad Hatter's Revenge
Colour: 9
Style: 9
Professionalism: 9
Originality: 9
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 10
Would You Use It?: 9
Total: 55/60
Overall comments: This image has very well placed text and good use of color. The orange on the left is a little too bright for me and the water seems just a tad to dull next to the bright orange, but otherwise the graphic itself is a stunning image and the phrase is very inviting. The reflection was a cute touch!

Username: Loveless Beloved
Colour: 8
Style: 8
Professionalism: 8
Originality: 9
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 10
Would You Use It?: 7
Total: 50/60
Overall comments: The composition is very well laid out and the editing is perfect. My only comment is that there is too much orange for my taste. The sun is a hot spot in the image and the camels make me feel like I'm not seeing that oasis, just this one going desert. Perhaps you were trying to convey the long journey to finding a good oasis, but I feel showing the oasis is a stronger selling point. Perhaps using a different back ground image would work better with your great idea!

Username: Anie Aristocrat
Colour: 9
Style: 10
Professionalism: 9
Originality: 10
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 10
Would You Use It?: 9
Total: 57/60
Overall comments: A great idea: you hold the oasis in your hand. It makes it personal and magical. Everything is well put together and clean. The text on the right get a little hard to read and I'd pick a different gradient for "The Oasis" but those are the only flaws. A great banner!

Becki's Judging:
Username: Rasui
Colour: 7
Style: 8
Professionalism: 8
Originality: 8
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 7
Would You Use It?: 7
Total: 45/60
Overall comments: I like it, I find the idea of having the girl there very original, and a very good job on cutting her out and placing her in the image. My only real problems are that the text isn’t that clear to read in places, and it doesn’t really seem that Oasis-like to me in appearance.

Username: x Second Setback x
Colour: 8
Style: 9
Professionalism: 9
Originality: 8
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 8
Would You Use It?: 9
Total: 51/60
Overall comments: I like this. A nice size for signatures, and I can tell you have thought about where to place each segment of text. The image is nice, conveying the Oasis theme, although I don’t get the gear images. Do they have some sort of meaning, or are they there for aesthetics?

Username: Mad Hatters Revenge
Colour: 8
Style: 8
Professionalism: 8
Originality: 8
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 8
Would You Use It?: 7
Total: 47/60
Overall comments: I like it, very nice image, the only problem I have is it appears too bright for the text, and you kind of lose it in the image. Perhaps if the text was bigger, or more bold, it would be better. I also like the reflection of the text in the water.

Username: LovelessBeloved
Colour: 8
Style: 7
Professionalism: 7
Originality: 8
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 8
Would You Use It?: 7
Total: 45/60
Overall comments: I love the little description, I think that is very sweet and nice touch of the camels. The only problem again is the orange on white, it doesn’t make the text stand out enough for it to be noticed by a passer by on the forums.

Username: Anie Aristocrat
Colour: 8
Style: 9
Professionalism: 8
Originality: 9
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 8
Would You Use It?: 8
Total: 50/60
Overall comments: I love the idea of having the oasis in your hands, and I love the subtle colours. The only problem I really have, is that the text blends in a little too much, you need to be able to see it clearly to know what the banner is about.

Zennarion's Judging:
Username: Rasui
Colour: 5
Style: 5
Professionalism: 6
Originality: 7
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 3
Would You Use It?: 4
Total: 30/60
Overall comments: I liked how you cut the girl into the picture, but unfortunately, it doesn’t exactly fit into the theme of the Oasis.

Username: x Second Setback x
Colour: 8
Style: 5
Professionalism: 7
Originality: 6
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 8
Would You Use It?: 7
Total: 41/60
Overall comments: I like how you used the desert as the theme, and also how there is an oasis in the picture.

Username: Mad Hatters Revenge
Colour: 7
Style: 4
Professionalism: 5
Originality: 5
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 6
Would You Use It?: 5
Total: 32/60
Overall comments: I like the colors in the picture, and also how you thought of reflecting the pictures in the water.

Username: LovelessBeloved
Colour: 7
Style: 5
Professionalism: 6
Originality: 5
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 5
Would You Use It?: 3
Total: 31/60
Overall comments: I like the pictures and the text in the picture, but I don’t like the camels that much.

Username: Anie Aristocrat
Colour: 6
Style: 8
Professionalism: 7
Originality: 6
Adherence to Oasis Theme: 6
Would You Use It?: 6
Total: 39/60
Overall comments: I like the theme in this picture, and it fits the theme very well… Unfortunately, I don’t like the colors that much.

And now for the final scores:

Rasui: 40
X Second Setback X: 48.6
Mad Hatters Revenge: 44.6
LovelessBeloved: 42
Anie Aristocrat: 48.6

We have a tie-break situation!
Both Anie Aristocrat and X Second Setback X are tied for first place! How exciting!

Of course, this is where you guys come in. The two banners of these entrants will be posted in a separate sticky in the main forum. When it goes up, please vote for your favourite, and remember, the first to five wins. Therefore, if you want your favourite banner to win, vote fast! Prizes will be sent out when the winner is decided.

Thanks all!