TLS DeviantArt Group

[trash panda]

I’ve gone ahead and set up a TLS.net group on DA which we’ll be using to showcase arts (and crafts) from FF enthusiasts across the web. Now…I’m terrible with words so I’ll put my vision in a TLDR list.

Ze Vision:
+ A handful of fanarts will be selected from the DA community week-to-week
+ At the end of each week, we will discuss the artwork selection AND
+ We’ll cast a community vote for fan-favorite
+ The fan-favorite artwork will be featured on our DA group front page for one week/until the next vote is cast

Since not everyone here is a member of DeviantArt, we can utilize the Favorite Fanart Thread to continue sharing our favorite FF fanworks.

+ The reason I chose to do this is because a lot of our favorite fanarts in the aforementioned thread come from DA and I think this is a good way to actually involve the artists in some of our fan-babble concerning their work/let them know it’s appreciated/encourage them to do more. It would create a line of communication betwixt ourselves and some really great community artists.

+Since this is a relatively new project, I’ve currently got all artistic mediums grouped together: e.g. traditional/digital/pixelart/sculpture/pearlerbeads/knitting/etc. If this project works out well, I’d really like to have some folks help me with this group so that we could focus on different artistic mediums individually.

+ I’m thinking the weekly batch of group-hosted artwork should range from about 7-15 pieces. The reeeeason is that we’ll be having a community discussion about the selected pieces each week so the selection should remain small enough to keep the conversation intimate.

+ I’m also thinking it would be nice to focus on new art and art that deserves more limelight. I.e. there are some really amazing FF fanworks out there that have been circulating the web for the last 10 years and either we’ve already seen it or it’s already bathing in community focus across the web.

+ On how the weekly selection will be made:
Welp, I’ll need help with this because I don’t want to do all the picking. I was hoping that perhaps someone *coughfanworkseditorcough* could help me choose 7-15 fan favorites from the Favorite Artwork Thread or from DA in general.



So TLDRTLDRTLDR: TLS community chooses favorite artwork > The selection is narrowed down to 7-15 pieces > A community discussion/vote his held > The fan-favorite sits on the front of our group page for a week.

Pwrease discuss/share ideas/point out flaws, etc.

 

[Jason Tandro]

I like the idea of a fanart specific roundup. I'll still be doing my usual three bi-weekly, but when this picks up maybe I can start highlighting some of the ones from this too!

Cool idea Howl!

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Who will make the selections? Do you want to have themes? Eg, one week it's "Tifa art", then another week "modern AU", and so on?

 

[trash panda]

I'm thinking FF works in general without a theme (for week-to-week nominations) because I'd like the pool that we're drawing from to remain large. Themed events is definitely a great idea though; I don't see why we can't do both. I believe our featured artworks field has space for several pieces.

As for who chooses...I was thinking we could all continue to add fanarts to the Favorite Fanart Thread and use that as our "general selection pool". Then at the end of each week I'd like to have someone help me choose the 7-15 finalists. I understand that scrubbing through fanart isn't something that people are in the mood for every single week so maybe members can volunteer when they're in the mood. I.e. if you feel like being part of the weekly selection, just say so.

I may just do a quick trial run of this over the next few days so people can see how it'll work and then we can proceed a little more formally.


EDIT: I forgot to mention...I'm not overlooking writers here...if someone wants to do this for fanfiction, please do. :]

 

[trash panda]

Pixel, would you be interested in having a Founder role?
And does anyone have any objections to that? I need someone there in case I fall off the map or something and I know Pixel is present on DA a bit.

EDIT: I'm also making a few fanart selections right now so I can do a mock run of this just to show everyone how it'll work.

EDIT EDIT: We also need an avatar. :|

 

[Pixel]

I hardly ever use DA tbh. And I wouldn't really have time.

 

[trash panda]

Anyone else frequent on DA who'd be interested? ^___^

 

[Flare]

I think it's a nice idea myself (I already joined the DA group ). Also, for the logo, what about using Pixel's image of Aerith sinking, if you don't mind, Pixel? I think it would look good for a long-ish logo like that.
And I frequent DA usually once a day to check my inbox at least, so I wouldn't mind helping out in the group, but tbh I've never done a DA group before and I'm not sure how they work.

 

[Ghost X]

I'd join, but probably not til after I finish uni (mid-2016). Got no time for it currently. Also, isn't there already a DA TLS group?

 

[trash panda]

^ I asked before making it just to be sure. I tried searching for one...maybe there was one but it closed down?

I'm going to adminify you two. You don't have to do anything but you can tinker around with it if you want. It's a group project after all.

 

[Flare]

Okay you pulled my leg and I'll be adminified. The pressure.....

Maybe an old LS group did exist, but there was a memory removal placed upon it so that once it was gone, it's gone from your minds forever. Sounds plausible, right?

 

[Flare]

So, I wonder if we can get some affiliates for the group too, to spread the word more? And I can invite someone to the group on DA I'm friends with, if she wants to join.

 

[trash panda]

TBH I have no idea how this group thing works just yet. Affiliates sound great.

 

[Flare]

We should state that we have no idea what we're doing in the group welcome page.
I don't really know much about affiliates, but I've seen other groups do it. I think it might increase page-views and popularity?

 

[trash panda]

I'm the biggest procrastinator on earth so if you want to add/remove anything from the group or add affiliates, go right ahead.

 

[trash panda]

If anyone is interested, please help me find a few more pieces of fanart for the submission folder so we can have our first community vote...this is sort of quickly thrown together but I want to show everyone how the community vote and discussion will work and then moving forward we can be more organized about it.

 

[Flare]

I will do my best, captain!......maybe after I get dinner together, though.

 

[trash panda]

We only need like 10 or so submissions but some of the artists are not replying. They must have lives or something.

 

[Flare]

^LOL Lives? What are those?

 

[Flare]

So I'm thinking when we get a lot of gallery picks, we should make some folders for them. Should the folders be FF game specific, character specific, or folders based on the voting thing that we want to do?
We got more than 10 pics I think in the group now.

 

[trash panda]

..............why can't I figure out how to make a poll?
Do I have to click the "submit thread" button first?

 

[trash panda]

So ummm could someone pretty please help by making an avatar for our group? I'd do one but all I've really got is MS paint and I think whatever I make would be ridiculous.

 

[trash panda]

I guess I'll figure out an avatar over the weekend.

One more thing - I've been randomly adding artwork to our gallery without contacting the artists in any way so moving forward I'm going to send a little greeting/explanation about what we're doing to the artist whenever I request to add their work to the gallery. I'll draft up something this weekend.

 

[Flare]

I wouldn't mind sketching something up for the avatar, since it's so small; but what should it be?
And I like the idea of having a little note when you request art.

So quick question, when I find art I want to submit to the group, I just click the 'submit to a group' button, find the TLS one, and hit submit; is that how you do it?

 

[trash panda]

^ Yep, that's how you do it...but you also have to select which folder you want the piece to go to. I think you've been putting all of them in the featured folder.