I prefer the render that belongs to sig #2, but I like the background for sig #1 more. Vote went to sig #1. Render picking is pretty important since one's entire work will be revolved around it (most of the time anyway), but the background shows the effort you put into the piece. That's not to say that you spent more time putting work into sig #1 than sig #2, I just like the design you went with for the first one.
I actually spent more time on #2. I just couldn't get the background to pop like in the first one... it was missing something, and I don't know what. That's why I prefer the first one. Though, I don't see what the two of you have against the render used.
Maybe I'll move the render from one image to the other and see how it does?