"NOTICE FROM STAFF: Your entry to the Oatmeal contest was removed, as photo manipulations and use of stock images were not allowed by the rules. You will still receive a participation prize, but your entry can no longer be voted on. If you feel this was a mistake, or have any questions, please file a ticket. Thank you."

Did anyone else get this message? And can anyone link to/remember the rules, because I remember specifically NOT seeing a rule against use of stock images. (Used a stock image of a pillow, oh shit!)

found here :)

hopefully next contest has the rules on the submission page so no one gets confused, I get that trying to find the rules by reading the news comments can be difficult to find what you need :x

There weren't as many specific rules for this contest, but it was mentioned on the comments of the original news post that all art should be done by the user themselves.

Link to news post

I do think they should have made the rules more obvious though, because not everyone reads comments.

Whaaat, I pretty much never read news comments! If there weren't official rules against stock photos on the actual contest page, they shouldn't that they disqualify anyone, because come on. >.<

Anyway thanks you two.

Yeah, I just suggested a little while ago on the feedback thread that they make the rules a bit more specific/obvious next time, so hopefully they will.

Sorry about your entry :c

Thanks. It wasn't going to win or anything, but man that's dumb. XP

at least it looks like you'll still get a participation prize, so nothing to really worry about. =) I do hope next time the rules are all stated on the entry page to prevent this from happening again