Warming up

Inside Manhattan's Webster Hall, the crowd nurses cocktails while four workstations, just visible among several large screens, await the computer jockeys who will ride them to victory--or defeat.

Each of the outer screens is connected to one of the workstations, and each displays--preshow--its respective workstation's Cut&Paste-branded desktop. The large central screen will feature glimpses of the participants as they whip up their designs.

Webster Hall's ornate balconies serve as a dramatic (and beautifully designed) frame for the goings-on--as well as providing more space for the audience. In addition to healthy-size crowds, this year's tournament has seen a record number of entrants, according to founder John Fiorelli.

(For a behind-the-scenes look at this year's U.S. champs in the 2D category and their winning designs, see our related gallery, "A tale of 2D designers." And you can check out our introduction here.)