Rules

Nominations

Nominations open the 17th of December (1:00am MST) and close the 7th of January (1:00am MST), a period spanning exactly three weeks.

You can give your reasoning as to why you nominate, but these are not required. These reasons will not be made known unless the nominee asks for them privately. The nominators who gave the reasons will be kept anonymous.

The winners of each category from last year (2010) are not eligible for the same category. They can, however be nominated for other categories. Example: Say Example won Best ______ Emoticonist last year. This year, I can nominate her (or her work) for any other category except Best ______ Emoticonist.

You cannot nominate stuck-in-suburbia or Kerubimu for any category, as they are not eligible to win any awards.

You cannot nominate yourself for any category.

The period of eligibility is from December 14th, 2010 to December 17th, 2011. Emoticonists and deviations eligible for awards will have been active, created, etc. during this period.

Nominations will be noted to TheEmoteAwards, please include all nominations in one note, with the subject: "Nominations".

You can nominate as many deviants/deviations/etc. as you want per category, but please remember that you will only get to vote for one nominee per category.

Voting

Once the nominees are selected and made public, the voting period will be announced. The voting period will be two weeks long.

You can only vote once per category.

You cannot vote for yourself.

In the case of a tie, the tied individuals will be declared, with a new voting period of one week started.

Votes will be noted to TheEmoteAwards, please include all votes in one note, entitled "Votes".

Prizes

You will get the prestige and community recognition that comes with your shiny, new title(s).

A shiny badge, proclaiming your new title, from stuck-in-suburbia.

A year-long feature on stuck-in-suburbia's page.

A Journal feature from yarjor.

A Journal feature from Synfull.

A Journal feature from Kerubimu.

A Journal pimpage from BlissfullySarcastic.

Please note stuck-in-suburbia if you would like to donate prizes! A listing will be kept up to date on stuck-in-suburbia's page.

Categories

Returning Categories

Emoticonist of the Year - The most prestigious of emoticon awards, this title will bestowed upon one who epitomizes what we all strive to become, someone dedicated to the community and the craft.
Previous Winner(s): Mirz123 (2010), CookiemagiK (2009)

Best Animated Emoticonist - This individual is an emoticonist who has lovingly created some of the best animated emoticons of 2011.
Previous Winner(s): Droneguard (2010), CookiemagiK (2009)

Best Static Emoticonist - This individual is an emoticonist who has thoughtfully crafted some of the best static emoticons of 2011.
Previous Winner(s): Indae (2010), Seiorai (2009)

Best Chat Emoticonist - This emoticonist has given rise to some of the best emotes, animated or static, during 2011 to be used within within conversation.
Previous Winner(s): CookiemagiK (2010), zachriel (2009)

Best Newcomer - This is an individual who first became active in the emoticon community between December 14th, 2010 and December 17th, 2011. While they are young in the craft, they have grown and shown what they can do.
Previous Winner(s): LedMaiden (2010), Sinister-Starfeesh (2009)

Most Improved - This is an individual who, from December 14th, 2010 to December 17th, 2011, has grown the most in the art form. They've tested boundaries and come into their own.
Previous Winner(s): LedMaiden (2010), Kermodog (2009)

Best Emote Plz Account - Previous winners of this category have gone on to become part of the legendary Emoticon Legend. This category's winner is a Plz that was created between December 14th, 2010 and December 17th, 2011, contains at least one normal sized emoticon and is the most useful and beautiful of them all.
Previous Winner(s): / (2010),  / (2009)

New Categories

Best Emoticon Tutorial - This category was created in honour of the great teachers among us. This tutorial shall be the most helpful, most inspiring and most instructive tutorial set down this year.

Best Emoticon Group - Nominations for this category will be for those groups that, this year, have pulled the community together, and enabled emoticonists from all walks of life to come together as a community.

Chat Emoticon of the Year - Deviations eligible for this category must contain at least one regular sized emoticon, have been submitted between December 14th, 2010 and December 17th, 2011, canvas height cannot exceed 25 pixels. The emoticon must be designed around an action or emotion that lends itself towards every day conversation. It can be either static or animated, and cannot include emoticon OCs or adaptations of previously existing emoticons.

Animated Emoticon of the Year - Deviations eligible for this category cannot be eligible for the Chat Emoticon of the Year category, submitted between December 14th, 2010 and December 17th, 2011. Deviations must contain an emoticon of any size, has some sort of animation, and designed for visual purposes, as opposed to use in conversation.

Static Emoticon of the Year - Deviations eligible for this category cannot be eligible for the Chat Emoticon of the Year category. They must have been submitted between December 14th, 2010 and December 17th, 2011, contain an emoticon of any size, consisting of only one frame, and designed for visual purposes, as opposed to use in conversation

Emoticon Project of the Year - Deviations eligible for this category must have been submitted between December 14th, 2010 and December 17th, 2011, and allow for other emoticonists to take part, utilizing emoticons in some form of collaboration.