new look

[bigH]

like the new look of the gallerys - cool .

who got to pick the pic for each ?

keep it up :headbang:

H

[classylady]

I really don't know the answer bigH, not sure I like images being shown but if that is the way this new one is set up we just live with it.

I believe but am not sure, it is the last image posted in that gallery.....


maybe Angela can shed some light on this question more then I can.

[Engel47]

Yes Carolyn, as far as I can tell, you have it right - it is the last image posted to each gallery. :gallery:

[admin]

Hi everyone,

I'm the one who changed the look of the category listings. I thought I'd give the new look a try and see if the reaction is favorable. If not, I'll change it back to the way it was before.

I selected the images that appear there. Basically I went for pictures that could be viewed in a small size, I also wanted a variety of subjects, styles and perspectives. Naturally, I chose pictures that appeal to me.

Personally, I like the new look. I like the way the Artist of the Month can be given prominence here. And I think it helps draw interest to each category, helping inspire people to look around at areas that otherwise might have been passed by.

If we all decide to keep this new look, I will continue to update it occassionally or, if I'm unavailable for an extended period, I'll ask someone to do it for me.

glenn

[Engel47]

Aha, thanks for shedding light on that Glenn. I like it by the way :)

[classylady]

I think it different and I do agree with Glenn on inspire people to look around at areas that otherwise might have been passed by.

Excellent Glenn, I think its just getting use to it is all. I'll admit I had my doubts but after your explanation yes I agree totally.

:spotlight Thank You Glenn and Great Job on the Upgrade....:spotlight

:hug: :clap: :blowkiss:

[AnnaKirsten]

Yes, I like it too (already mentioned that under the gallery announcement). It's all coming together in a really good, positive way, I feel.

The only thing to watch out for in a challenge, though, is that we don't cause prejudice when it comes to voting by having a particular image on show due to personal taste. Maybe those ones can be rotated a bit? I think people can easily be influenced in this way if we're not careful?

Something we've been wondering about too, Glenn, is it possible for a facility to be made available to enable us to see images that artists have chosen as personal favourites within other artist's favourites section? This would be of great interest to us all...

And the other thing I think is ACE is that we can select text and do all we want with it without having to go back and re-select it all over again! :star_full

[admin]

Hi Anna,

That's a good point you make. Perhaps the challenges should get a generic picture included in the directory, sort of a title page that is not made by one of the contestants. Or perhaps a picture by one of the past winners could be used. Of course it would have to state somewhere that this was a past winner and not a new submission. Or perhaps these categories shouldn't get a thumbnail.

What do you all think?


About your other question regarding the ability to see peoples' personal favorites: I dunno. :-) I'll try to get you an answer.

glenn

[Engel47]

Glenn - Perhaps we (the mods of each challenge gallery) could upload an Announcement and have that as the "featured" thumbnail?

[AnnaKirsten]

I do like the idea of a past winner's pic showing! Perhaps with Winner for Dec 05 or something under it... Something along those lines?

[admin]

Hi Angela,

Nice idea. I was actually considering that, but announcements tend to be kind of busy and, at this small size, hard to read, taking away from the simple clean look we now have. Perhaps if the picture only included the name of the challenge it would retain a clean poster-like feel. Also, I think the variety of the art is important -- if only a few mods are doing the avatars for all 10 or so challenges, then they might start to look too similar. If enough people contribute (say at least 6 people), then I think it would work. Or, like I said, the simplest solution is to just not show any avatars next to the challenge categories.

BTW: If we show past winners, there's sort of an added incentive to win -- you get your work highlighted in the directory for a time.

What's your opinion?

[Engel47]

Glenn I was wondering about Nicky's (AnnaKirsten) suggestion - I assume the picture in question needs to be in the gallery in question? Reason I ask is that normally the challenge galleries get emptied at the end of each challenge and the winners images are moved elsewhere. I like the idea of an "image" simply announcing the name or theme of the challenge though. PS each mod could do their own image for their own challenges :)

[Engel47]

BTW: If we show past winners, there's sort of an added incentive to win -- you get your work highlighted in the directory for a time.

What's your opinion?

Good idea - I suppose the winners image could stay in the gallery throughout the month of the following challenge - we could edit the title to show it as the winner of "whatever" month.

[AnnaKirsten]

Good idea - I suppose the winners image could stay in the gallery throughout the month of the following challenge - we could edit the title to show it as the winner of "whatever" month.

I second that idea! Does it have to remain in the respective gallery in order to be seen in the thumb? Either way, I think it would be a wonderful incentive for the winning artist to have the most recent winner showing there!

EDIT! Just a thought too.. This may be better than having the challenge winner's gallery even, simply because that gets reallllly jumbled up with no obvious reference on first sighting as to what challenges they belong to until they are opened up, and also very quickly the pictures get lost in the archives of it.. Or alternatively, maybe the current winners could be moved to that gallery once the latest challenge winner has been determined?

Really this is for a separate discussion, and we may need to take this up elsewhere, but just thoughts for now...

[admin]

I like the idea of retaining the winner's gallery. Whoever thought of a winner's gallery should be congratulated.

We can either wait to move the picture as Nicky suggested, or make a copy and have it displayed in both directories. Either way, it seems like an idea worth trying.

As you are all more familiar with your respective challenges, I'll leave that to you to take of, if that's okay.

Thanks for all the good thinking.

[classylady]

Me to and thank you :)

As for what image shows in the thumb nail, sure if it could be done the 1st place winner could stay there for that month, till the next challenge is over with... an additional plus for people, kind of like the buttons some of us made for challenge winners.


Now a question Angela, couldn't the image still go into the challenge winner gallery and just a thumb posted in that section ....???? oops sorry Glenn just saw your reply on that part.


Okay everyone how do you want it done since my challenge is normally over with first.
Please let me know.

[Rumour]

I like the idea and the new look too. Having a winner's gallery is a great way for people to see in one place all the art that people have thought was tops - almost like a top 10 only I think with more variety to it, and of course the same few won't be shown again and again because the different challenges have different artists who participate.

[AnnaKirsten]

Sorry for lack of input since my last reply, have had a night's sleep in between! lol!

I think Glenn's idea of making a copy of the winner's picture so that its thumb can go next to the challenge gallery for that month and the original picture go into the winners gallery is fine. I gather the image has to be inside the gallery being advertised?

Sorry I said what I did about the challenge winner's gallery btw. If people like it, then of course there's no question as to whether it was a good idea! I also like its presence believe it or not!!! :ta-da:

[Engel47]

Can't see any reason why we cannot have both - the winners image in the winners gallery and also a copy of it left "in situ" in the challenge gallery for the month so that it shows as the Gallery thumbnail - with the title edited to say (for instance) January Fractal Winner (or whatever) :) As Glenn said - you are the mods - it's your forum's, and your challenge's :):headbang:

[AnnaKirsten]

Can't see any reason why we cannot have both - the winners image in the winners gallery and also a copy of it left "in situ" in the challenge gallery for the month so that it shows as the Gallery thumbnail - with the title edited to say (for instance) January Fractal Winner (or whatever) As Glenn said - you are the mods - it's your forum's, and your challenge's

Just so long as we know how to make the thumb that goes with the image and upload it into its proper place...