Cosplay Tutorials Collection

Wed May 15, 2013, 11:59 PM

Cosplay tutorials are among the most fascinating I've found in DA, full of inspiration and secrets that make you want to try them, even if you've never cosplayed before. I took a good look around and tried to put together the best collection that I could, so please feel free to browse all of these and try them! Let these artist know how awesome and generous they are for their hard work

This article was written for #ArtHistoryProject, please don't forget to visit the project and also join the nail art contest we put together.

Outfits

Props

Shoes

Wigs

Make up

Assorted techniques

There's still a lot more to see!

find more here.

41 Comments

Joe Madueira-Do you really want to be an artist?

by *WilsonWJr, May 2, 2013, 11:30:06 AM
Journals / Art News / Resources

OnceUponASketch is a Children’s Market Blog.

Norman Grock and Wilson Williams, Jr
have come together to give insight, education and news about the many
facets of the Children’s Illustration Market. From Children’s Books to
Character Design, Storyboarding, Toys and Lic. Products. Find articles,
interviews and resources to help fuel your education and growth. Jump on
to learn more about the varied industries and what it takes to become
successful and make it in them.

Joe Madueira is a prominent comic artist, character designer and video game developer. Joe rose to prominence drawing the X-Men for Marvel comics and launching his creator owned title Battle Chasers. Joe then left comics to work in video game development and since then has ventured back into comics from time to time and will be penciling upcoming issues of Wolverine for Marvel comics.

Joe recently made a post on his Facebook fan page addressing the myriad of questions he receives from "aspiring artists" about how to make it or be great. Here he delivers his advice and wisdom to those who strive to be professional artists. This advice is well met for an artist seeking to become a professional in any field of illustration. Learn from his experiences and apply them to your own in the way that makes the most sense.

Be forewarned Joe is speaking frankly and is using more frank and "adult" language in his post.

Do you really want to be an artist? Or a successful working professional?

Believe it or not there is a difference. I’m not usually a soapbox type guy, I don’t like instructing people, and I think I’m a terrible teacher. But hey, it’s Friday and I’m in a strange mood. So here goes:

I’ve noticed that a good number of my fans happen to be aspiring artists themselves. This is for all you guys. I get asked constantly: “Where should I go to school?” “What classes should I take?” “What should I study for anatomy?” “What pencils and paper do you use?” “Should I be working digitally now instead of traditionally?” “How do I fix my poses? Learn composition? Perspective?” “When am I going to develop my own style?” “Who were your influences?” “Teach me how to draw hands!” The list goes on…

Here’s the deal. All of that stuff *is* important, and it may nudge you in the right direction. A lot of it you will discover for yourself. What works best for one person doesn’t work for another. That’s the beauty of art. It’s personal. It’s discovery. DON’T WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT CRAP!

Instead I’m going to answer the questions that you *SHOULD* be asking, but aren’t. These are things that have only recently occurred to me, after doing this for 20+ years. These things seem so obvious, but apparently they elude a lot of people, because I am surprised at how many ridiculously talented artists are ‘failing’ professionally. Or just unhappy. The beauty of what I’m about to tell you is that it doesn’t matter what field you’re in or what your art style is.

In no particular order:
1) Do what you love. If you are passionate about what you’re doing, it shows. If you’re having fun, it shows. If you’re bored, IT SHOWS. Some guys are able to work on stuff they have zero interest in, and still pull off great work, but I find that when I do this my motivation takes a huge hit. And Motivation is key. Money is not a great motivator. It’s temporary like everything else. And honestly, I’ve gotten paid the most money for some of the shittiest work I have ever done. That may sound awesome, but it’s not. And here’s why…

2) You MUST stay Excited and Motivated. Have you noticed that there are days you can’t draw a god damned thing? And some days you feel like you can draw anything? It’s 4am but you don’t notice because you are in the ZONE. Your hand is racing ahead of your mind and you can do no wrong?! Maybe it’s some new paper you got. Or a new program you’ve been wanting to try out. Or you just found some amazing shit on DeviantArt, or watched some movie that just makes you want to run straight to your board. This relates to the above because while it is possible to involve yourself in projects you aren’t excited about—maybe you need the cash, or think it will look good on your resume, whatever it is—it’s not going to last. You need to stay fresh. Expose yourself to new things. New techniques. You should be getting tired of your own shit on a fairly regular basis. Otherwise other people will.

3) Check your Ego. If you think you’re the shit, you’re already doomed. You may be really, really good at what you do, but there’s someone better. Sorry. There’s always plenty to learn, even for us old dogs. So when I meet young upstarts who have this sense of entitlement, or a know-it-all attitude, I just have to laugh. Some of the biggest egos I’ve ever witnessed were from people who have accomplished the least. Meanwhile, most guys who are supremely talented AND successful, and have EARNED the RIGHT to have an ego and throw their weight around, don’t. Why is that? It’s because…

4) Relationships are important. This may be one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn. Early on, I didn’t value my relationships with people. Creatively or otherwise. I felt like I didn’t need anyone’s help and I could figure everything out on my own. Let’s face it, many of us become artists because we are reclusive, social misfits. We’d rather stay inside and draw shit than go outside and play. We like to live inside our own minds. Why not?! It’s awesome in there! And sometimes we don’t want to let other people in. But like I said—you can’t do it alone. I can honestly say that as much as I try to stay current, as much as I try to push my work and draw kick ass shit that will excite people, I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for all the other people I’ve met and learned from along the way. Guys who pulled strings for me. Took risks on me. Believed I was the right guy for the job. You need to manage your relationships. You need to network, and meet people. Drawing comics is still a pretty good place for reclusive types—but if you want to work in big studios—Making games, Films, animation, basically any other type of job on the planet, you’d better start making some connections. Be likeable. Be professional. That doesn’t mean be an opportunistic ladder climber. Fake people lose in the end. Be yourself, but be professional. It’s no secret that when people are hiring, our first instinct is to bring in people we know. It’s human nature. I don’t like unknowns, even if their portfolio is awesome. If we have a mutual connection, if they have great things to say about you, you’re in. If you have AMAZING artwork to show, and I call your last employer and they tell me what a pain in the ass you are to work with, you’re done. Talent and skill only get you so far. I am literally amazed at how often I meet guys that are total assholes and think they are going to get anywhere.

5) Here’s the BIG ONE. The greatest obstacle you will ever have to overcome IS YOURSELF. And the Fear that you are creating in your own head. Stay positive. Stop defeating yourself. There are artists I know that are so damn good they make me pee my pants. I look up to these mofos. I study their shit and I want to draw like them. And they are almost NEVER working on their DREAM project. And—big surprise, they aren’t happy in their job. “Why NOT?! WTF is WRONG WITH YOU?!” is usually my reaction. And the answer is almost always “The market isn’t great right now” “Other stories/games/comics like mine don’t do very well” “The shit that’s hot right now is nothing like mine, It’s just going to fail.” “I’m not sure I’m good enough.” “I need the money.” “Too Risky.” “I tried it before and failed. ” It doesn’t matter what words they use, they are afraid for one reason or another. I know. I’ve been there.

But here’s the deal. YOU NEED TO TAKE RISKS. Guess what? YOU ARE MOST LIKELY GOING TO FAIL. If you want it—REALLY want it, that won’t stop you. You will learn A LOT. My good friend Tim constantly jokes about how I jump out of planes without a parachute and worry about the landing on the way down. You may think that I’m lucky, that it’s easy for me to say because I’m already successful, that I’m in a different situation than you all are. But it’s not true. Risk is risk, no matter what level you’re at. If you’re already successful, you just take even bigger risks. But they never go away. Everything in life is Risk vs. Reward. Not just in your career. LIFE. You’d better get used to it.

I didn’t know what the hell I was doing when I got into comics. I left the #1 selling book at the time ( Uncanny X-men ) to work on Battle Chasers during a time when ‘Conan’ was about the only fantasy comic people knew. And no one was buying it. I wanted to work in games, so I started a game company. I had NO IDEA WTF I was doing. I just wanted it, really bad. We tanked. It failed. No big surprise. But the people I worked with got hired elsewhere and rehired me. I started ANOTHER game Company. We had 4 people and a dream, and some publishers wouldn’t even meet with us, because their ‘next gen console’ teams had 90+ people on them. I literally got hung up on. “Stick to handheld games, it’s smaller, maybe you can handle that…” one MAJOR publisher told us. I don’t blame them. But we didn’t let it stop us. Thank god we didn’t listen to them. Vigil was born. Darksiders happened, AND we got to make a sequel. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the best games in the industry, and the most elite and experienced game dev studios in the world. How is that possible?!!! Hardly any of us had even worked on a console game before. I’ll be honest, I was thinking we would fail the whole time. I just didn’t care. If I had to play the odds on this one, I’d bet against us.

Why am I telling you all this shit? This is not me patting myself on the back. It’s just stuff that has somehow only dawned on me recently when it’s been staring me in the face for so long. I feel like I need to wake you guys up!!! I’ve been limiting myself. I’ve gotten afraid. I’ve taken less risks. I saw my career going places I didn’t want to go. I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t excited. And I’ve realized, that all that stuff I just talked about is the reason I am where I am today. Not because I have a manga style, or I draw cool hands, or there’s energy in my drawings, or all the other things people rattle off to me. There are other guys that do all that same shit, and do it better. And amazingly, those same guys constantly tell me “Man, I wish I could do what you are doing.” “SO DO IT!!!!!” PLEASE listen to me—because I want you guys to make it. I want to look to one of you people for inspiration some day when it’s 2am and I need to keep drawing. Stop worrying about all the other stuff—the pencils, the paper, the anatomy, all that shit. It will only get you so far. You’ve already got most of what you need. I hope this helps some people. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the support over the years. You are all one of the greatest motivating forces in my life and my career. Sappy but true. Ok, let’s go draw some shit!!!

67 Comments

Ten Tips for Nature Photographers

Sat May 18, 2013, 8:00 AM

This article came about after a deviant specifically requested that we write ten clear, simple tips for Photographing Nature. Troubleshooting articles and information can be very useful, but sometimes breaking it down into manageable memorable chunks is so much easier. So without further ado please enjoy our Ten Tips for Nature Photographers!

1) Get into your environment

_{Yes, it's rhubarb. To be a true photographer, you must be at one with rhubarb.}

When we talk about photographing Nature, we don't necessarily mean wide expansive rolling landscapes. Whilst they contain any number of elements that are nature focused and made up from natural resources - Nature Photography is about getting into your environment and getting up close and personal with these elements. So think of it like you are Photographing the components that make up that beautiful landscape, or the inhabitants of those rolling hills. With this thought in mind, you need to jump into the environment you're photographing. Whether that means wading into a lake, climbing a tree (carefully!) or crouching down in the forest floor.

2) Plan your Kit

This includes clothing! If you're venturing out with the intention of photographing animals then do wear something neutral. I once had a Kingfisher land right in front of me whilst I was out with the camera. I straightened up slightly for a better angle and my bright blue top instantly gave a warning. The moment was lost! Try and pick something that will blend in nicely with the environment that you're working in. Also carefully consider your Photography kit. A Monopod is less intrusive than a tripod and takes less time to set up, position and use. So if you're able to get crisp shots with one, then take it instead of a cumbersome tripod. Also charge your batteries >< (For those sharper eyed amongst you, you'll see in the shot below, I don't take my own advice

)

3) Tilt and Swivel!

I find that my latest D-SLR is fantastic for capturing low-angle shots purely because it has that ingenious feature of a tilting and swivelling LCD. Coupled with live view and you're in tilt and swivel heaven! It's something to consider if you're looking at getting a new camera and you're seriously into nature photography.

4) Experiment with Depth of Field

A shallow depth of field is often great for focusing on something large in an expansive environment. But if you're wanting to capture tall plants in a wider, longer field then consider using a deeper depth. This is perfect for singly out a few poppies in a long stretch of bobbing flowers.

5) Check your Lens

Macro lens's can be fantastic for shooting up close with various nature beings, but also consider using it for those wider shots too. A wide-angle lens is great for capturing expanse, but a macro lens (especially the one I have which doubles up as a fantastic portrait lens) is very useful as well. Just be sure to check your auto-focal points within the camera so that you're not inadvertently capturing a blur.

6) Check your weather!

I mention this in almost every Photography article that I write, but in most D-SLR cameras you can set your white balance now to fit in well with the conditions. Do this! If you've got a dreary day you can set it to make the most of the conditions, if you've got an overly bright day you can ensure it doesn't give you too much over-exposure. Working with white balance will save your images, working against it...well. Let's not go there!

7) Post-Process...just a little

Editing your Photos isn't bad, it isn't something you should hide under your bed, or something you don't want your parents to catch you doing or even something you should do in the middle of the night because nobody will see you....Yes, you know what I'm talking about! Post-Production! Giving your shots a little boost afterwards can save them, honestly it can. In the image above, I used photoshop to enhance the greens so that they contrasted better with the blue. That's all I did, just a few minor tweaks here and there and you'll be fine!

8) Ignore Time!

Being patient, especially when waiting to capture that million pound shot of a wild animal that nobody has seen for a trillion years, is difficult. I know. I've been there. (Still waiting for the shot!!) But you need to have patience, and you need to not have one eye on the clock. Enjoy your surroundings and take some random shots here and there, you might be surprised when you get back and have a closer look.

9) Hood your lens!

Lens hoods are simple, cheap, effective things that will save your life. Probably not in an apocalypse. But more in times when you're beating yourself up because you didn't have a lens hood on. Honestly, they really are fantastic, they cut out a lot of sun glare and flare and when you're bored waiting for that awesome shot, you can have competitions to see who can roll theirs the furthest!

10) Don't be afraid...

There are things out there that scare us, that we don't want to get up close to, and that we'd rather just walk in the opposite direction of. Spiders, bugs, wasps, bees, ants...the list for many, can be endless. But if you've got the right lens, the patience and a bit of time then you can capture most things without having to get too close and risk your life...

62 Comments

A NOTE TO MYSELF AND TO YOU - OUT THERE 8

Journal Entry: Mon Apr 22, 2013, 11:47 PM

A Note To Myself

</h1>

by Bark

Jumbles and tumbles of words, mockingbirds

There's nothing new here, fly away

Find the edge of the day and lift it up

from the darkness

Build a city of dreams and live in it

Construct monuments to the Somethingness

The something that exists once you've peeled

all the layers away

Stop the yammering and hammering of worn-out ideas

Circling the same spot where nothing grows

Find the light and bathe in it until an Eden-like

garden explodes

Life, with a capitol 'L'

Please enjoy the incredible artwork of these deviants and give a little friendship:

Visit their galleries, give some favs

and if you like this news, give a comment, please, for more attention!

This Journal Skin was designed by ~Night-Beast

203 Comments

GUIDE: How to get more watchers/views on art

Journal Entry: Mon May 20, 2013, 1:55 AM

_{mmkay like 2 people asked me this after I held my 1000+watcher giveaway T U T im sorry I didn't give you a direct and easy to understand answer but... I hope this will be better than the answer i gave you two XD I wont note you back but i hope you will see the journal ; A ;
I've also had people comment that they wish they had more watchers so here are some tips ;u;

Also, some parts of this guide is mostly for visual artists that do drawings
I have no experience in photography/other types of art so I apologize ^ ^;

This is not meant to be instructional, these are just some handy tips you can try out

Please do not copy/redistribute this guide, i worked really hard on it!

WOOOOOOOT JOURNAL SKIN FOR THE OCCASION

Before we begin
Remember that the number of watchers you have is just a number. It does not fully represent how well you draw/how many people like you. A common misconception is that someone with more watchers draws better than someone with less watchers and this is not true. In fact, I have seen people who only upload screenshots have one or two thousand watchers and someone with very professional-looking art having less than one hundred. In my opinion, the number of watchers really just determines how much exposure you had in the dA community, particularly to those who have the same style/interests as you (e.g anime/manga, realism etc...).

Also remember that if you don't have many watchers, you are not inferior to those who have more watchers. They started out the same way you did and eventually worked their way up and so can you! We're all humans, we are all unique, but no one is really 'better' than others. Someone with 5 or 6 thousand watchers still have to eat, sleep, and poop just like everyone else including people who have less watchers. D< _{_{sorry the poop part was gross 8D}}

Okay lets begin XD

1. Submit your art to 937483687 groups XD
Well maybe not THAT much but do submit to a lot! It sounds lame but this is exactly how i went from 32 watchers to 1000+ watchers in 6 months. Submitting your art to groups will get you more views and favorites on your artwork and people who regularly check out the groups that they watch are usually very supportive and can leave nice comments >U< I was a little shy at first to submit to groups (and it's totally normal to be), but now I am SO glad that I did. But remember to submit to the group that best suits the theme or subject of your work. Also remember to read the rules in each group carefully and submit to the right folders (as a group admin, let me tell you now that we get very sad when we see something submitted to the wrong folder XD)

2. Favorite the works of/watch other artists
You might think that other artists wouldn't notice/care when you do that, but we really do and we appreciate every watcher. This is just me, but I always check out my watchers' profiles and fav someone their work if I like it. From my own observations, a LOT of artists nowadays watch back quite a bit of their watchers and it's a good way to get noticed by the artist themselves. Also, try to make friends with other artists too. You might even learn from each other and share tips.

3. Organize your gallery!
Imagine you are at school, and your term mark is solely dependent on how well organized and presentable your gallery looks (I said IMAGINE D<). Don't put all our works in your featured folder; create subfolders too. I highly recommend that sketches, WIPs, and doodles be put in a subfolder or your scraps and only leave your best works in featured. This is because when someone clicks on your gallery, the first folder they will see is your featured folder and if they see a bunch of sloppy or incomplete works they might not want to see more D:

4.Have a neat profile and an eye-catching icon!
The most obvious reason to have a nice profile is simply due to the fact that it's the first thing people will see when they check out your page! You can use cute bullets or dividers (if you're into that sort of thing XD) and custom boxes if you have premium. If you do, choose a background that goes well with the theme of the stuff you draw or your own interests. Remember to credit if you use someone else's custom box background. It also helps to put someone your artwork on your profile page (it's kind of like advertising what will be in your gallery if you say that it's your art!). Your ICON is also very important because the more attractive it is, the more people will want to click on it and if they do... congrats, you just gained a pageview and possibly some views on your art or even a watch! c; In my opinion, the most popular type of icon right now are animated pixel icons... which are very easy to get your hands on or make, and can be fairly cheap XD Remember, the trick to getting noticed is to PROMOTE yourself as best as you can!

5. Be original and have fun
Draw what you like. Draw the way you do. Don't try to copy or mimic other artists. There's nothing wrong with being inspired by them, but if you draw everything they draw, make your profile exactly like theirs etc etc, people might get bored of the exact same stuff that they see. Don't be afraid to try a new style. If it inspires you to draw, go for it! Also, don't use bases or trace other people's artwork. Draw everything by yourself, and be proud of it! Draw what you want to draw, and have fun with it.

6. Make an OC
Finally, an OC is an original character that you can use to represent you or your page. Having an unique OC not only represents yourself, but is unique and belongs to you. Almost every popular artist has a mascot that represents their page. It's kind of like when someone sees art of your oc, they will think "Oh, this character belongs to <insert name>" which also boosts your popularity

p.s. you're not going to get a bunch of watchers/views overnight, you really have to commit to it and remember that it can take some time

Welp... i hope this was useful... it took me >an hour to write XD

Thankyou for reading, and good luck!

Edit: Some people have been adding their own tips and tricks in the comments. You can look in the comment section for other ideas and feel free to comment with your own! Thank you everyone! <3}

65 Comments

Digital painting tips for beginners.

by *marinamaral, May 4, 2013, 4:29:08 AM
Journals / Art News / Digital Art

I'm not the best person to give advice about art, once I do not consider myself an artist (yes, it's true lol). But I've always been very curious and interested with the theme "digital painting", and I spent (and still spend) hours and hours watching videos 2 hours long on Youtube lol livestreams, etc.. I think I'm the only person who has the patience for it, hahahaha, but it was what helped me to evolve and learn all the techniques I know now to perform my work. I asked the help of many artists that I admire, and some even helped me, but most of them do not care how much you want to learn. Thinking about it, I decided to make this journal to pass them what little I know, and I hope that this is helpful for someone. Are simple tips and a little obvious, but unknown for some people who just started in this world full of possibilities. I only ask, first of all, for you dont give up. The difficulties were made to be overcome.

BRUSHES:
This is the central theme of the doubt of the people. I usually say that the choice of a specific brush, personalized and with a thousand possibilities of use, is more important when your desire is to do a painting of landscapes or complex paintings in which you want a result more "personal" and stylized. Most of my paintings, I'd say 95% of them were made with the standard brushes of Photoshop, except for one or two brushes of skin texture. You can do magic with a hard brush + one tablet, just learn to use and control the pen pressure to adapt it to the result you want to obtain. The best brush for me may not be the best brush for you. This is completely relative, and you will only find out which of these brushes makes you more comfortable to work when going to test them on their own and not rely solely on the opinion or recommendation of the people. I have millions of packs of brushes of many different artists, and in the end, when I realize I've only used the standard brushes because I feel comfortable with them. This is how it works.

HOW TO USE THE PEN PRESSURE:
[link] [link]

COLORS:
I never had the patience to read a book of color theory. All my knowledge of colors is based on my observation. When I'm painting a picture I look beyond seeing it as a whole. I want to see the details. I like to see the colors that prevail, I like to see how a certain color behaves in the light and how it behaves in the shade... I think that all theoretical knowledge is valid when you understand it, but there are other possibilities for learning that will assist you in the same way. Take some pictures of reference and study it. Try to see the behavior of colors and hues, and using the color HUE of Photoshop, strive to achieve the same tones without using the color picker. It is very important that you develop your sense of color perception and dont need to make use of the technologies of Photoshop. Dont hold on to what the digital offers you.

COLOR THEORY TUTORIALS:
[link] [link] [link]

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS:
This is a tip I could give in all of the topics in this post. Reference photos are the key for develop your knowledge. I would be nothing without them. Search for reference photos of different kinds of women, men, children, elderly, cold, rain, sun, with studio lights, with natural lights, at dawn, at sunset, on the beach, in the forest, in mountains, at different times of the day, etc., and try to reproduce them. Try to see beyond what is exposed. Over time you will notice a significant improvement in their work. You will learn how the shadow behaves in a particular region from a specific focus light, what is the most appropriate tone to paint a particular scenario, what is the saturation of a color when it is exposed to the sun and when it is exposed to the moon, and know how it all works together. The internet is there at your disposal, look these pictures and study tirelessly. And of course, there are many excellent books available to them as well. Do some research, find the pdfs or buy books. Knowledge is never enough!

SHADOWS AND LIGHT TUTORIALS:
[link] [link]

BLENDING COLORS:
I would tell you not to use the smudge tool. The result is much more beautiful when you learn to mix colors with brushes.

BLENDING TUTORIALS:
[link] [link]

FINAL TIPS:
* Reference photos, reference photos, reference photos, reference photos. Let your brain crazy with it. Fall in love with them and make a habit of studying them.
* Redo the reference photos, and do it again without letting her sight. Test what you learned from your study.
* Forget the packs with 250 different brushes!!! Learn to use the basic first and find the most comfortable for your work. With time you will know to choose a different brush for the composition of your painting.
* There livestreams online 24 hours a day and many Youtube videos. Watch at least 20 minutes if you like. This was one of the habits that most helped me to evolve my knowledge.
* Be inspired by other artists, and dont despair to find your own style. That comes with time!
* Talk with other artists, exchange ideas and knowledge. You'll see that things are productive if they are taken in this way.
* Dont be disappointed and dont give up when a result is not as you expected it to be. Get over yourself!!!!

SOME RECOMMENDED TUTORIALS:
My favs: [link]

TUTORIAL GROUPS:
- [link]
- [link]
- [link]
- [link]
- [link]

PAGES FOR PHOTOS OF REFERENCE:
Pinterest, Deviantart, Flickr, Google Images, Facebook, Tumblr.
- photo-reference-for-comic-artists.com
- www.morguefile.com

[link]

MY TUTORIALS
[link]

***

I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to take your questions. I am here to serve them.

One step ahead and you are no longer in the same place.

Sorry for my bad english.

13 Comments

Who Cares About the Literature Community?

Wed May 22, 2013, 10:00 AM

A few days ago we had a chat to discuss community issues and solutions (see the original journal for details). Huge thanks to everyone who came and raised awesome points!

It took 45 minutes for the volume of talk to max out Sta.sh Writer's character limit and this chat went for two more hours, so I'm just going to summarize the key discussion points, starting with big actionables for #CRLiterature and for the community.

I've put the chat stuff lower down as it's denser: the outside bullet is the issue, and the inside bullet is possible solutions (not necessarily in order, each point is really a response to the original issue). There is a lot to think about in there, but feel free to pick and choose the issues you care most about.

Sorry for leaving a lot of stuff out, but I hope you guys are too busy figuring out how best to act on what we discussed to pay too much attention to that. Also, feel free to re-raise issues in the comments here! And check out

s for potential solutions.

#CRLiterature

More educational opportunities—publishing, writing for fun, writing as a career, etc. (We do have a Project Educate week on Story Planning coming up, so stay tuned!) Basically something inclusive that doesn't end up centered on one group or another. Don't just educate about writing, educate about interacting with the community. And, while we're at it, more critique chats!
Better support for new writers—#Expose-Lit is out there, but as the 'official' literature hub we should have more of that going on.
Better explanation of what you can do as a member of the group. In addition to posting your news, we can also help you host a chat event or offer contest prizes/judging. People haven't really taken advantage of this, though. You don't have to be an admin to contribute!

Community

PROMOTE #CRLiterature! If you have friends who are interested in the literature community, please get them to watch #CRLiterature; if you run a literature group, please consider affiliating (after reading our guidelines on the home page) and link your members to communitywide blogs like this one—and post your news. We had about 30 people attend the chat, and that was great, but it would have been even better to see more new faces.
Going with the above, favorite/comment when news articles (e.g. FotoFriday ) are posted and share them in your journal or your chat. Both are needed to get these to the footer for maximum visibility. Also, participate in contests and prompts when they happen! We know it's not easy to think of something all the time, but if there isn't return on an activity, there's no reason to keep doing it.
Be proactive. Do you have an idea for an event you'd like to see? Don't expect someone else to think of it—it's your baby. Note the group if you need help organizing it or if you just need a place to do it.

Chat Discussion

`MagicalJoey: How does one go about offering support to those newer/younger poets whose only support structure is their little friend who thinks that all their work is great?

`PinkyMcCoversong: I like to use the sandwich method. The bread is something nice, or a compliment -- you have a layer of bread at the top and bottom of your critique. In the middle you have meat and veggies, the really important stuff that might be hard to take, and then you cushion it with more bread.
*LadyBrookeCelebwen: I tend to go read the person's profile page first. If they're nice and polite to other people, I'm more willing to try than if their first comment on the page is about how mean so and so was and that they need to go off and die. And I agree with `PinkyMcCoversong, if they're not here to improve, I'm not going to force critique on them.
=Lucy-Merriman: I think tempering encouragement with critique and, most importantly, examples of good writing. A young writer needs to develop their taste.
^Beccalicious: There was talk of someone trying to revive the #Adopt-A-Writer programme, which could help. ( you can try noting `nycterent if you're interested in taking over this group!)
~softlikewhispers: I think this is more related to the individual than to the literature community, so to say.... I believe if a person is on dA writing and wants to hear a truthful opinion, he or she will know where to go.
=SilverInkblot: I've adopted a policy of not giving critique unless asked, or unless given to writers that are well established in the community/ that I know won't bitch (too much )
`PinkyMcCoversong: I think that if we focus on the people who give us crap for helping them, we're not using our time wisely at all. And it widely discounts the kids who ARE being receptive to feedback.

=OHiNeedTea: I'm sorta concerned about the interaction between writers on dA because I just find it difficult to get much of a response from people...even when I try to just start up some kind of conversation with people it just fizzles out because most people don't seem to care about anything that isn't themselves or their writing

`PinkyMcCoversong: I know that I take longer to respond to intensive critiques, and a lot of the time I stew in them and then just say thank you, this well be helpful in my revision. I find that defending my choices as a writer is usually unhelpful, you know?
=futilitarian: I also think that it's part of the dA thing. I've always always had to give a lot more than I get, comment wise.
~K47454k1: Personally I try not to respond heavily to critique as a matter of grace. It's too easy to get into the pitfalls of interaction where it's easier to just read the thing say thank you offer to return the favor and let the feedback percolate.
:devjamberrysong:: I feel like there always needs to be a lot of questions on both sides for a critique to be really engaging. If a person comes in and pounds the writer with just their impressions but doesn't ask any questions, they might not be answering the questions the writer needs to be asking.
^NicSwaner: The source of this problem is about how active the readers are and how willing they are to be engaged in someone else's work, which lately, people are waiting for the work to come to them in the form of their message centers, features, DD's and things of the sort. I feel that as useful as the message center is to everybody, it makes them hide behind it as well.
~BrokenTales: Is there some consensus that long critiques might be overwhelming to the author? ((Answers: leaning yes.)
=futilitarian: If I'm planning a total overhaul and someone's nitpicking details, it's annoying. If the critique is pitched at the right level for where I'm at with the piece then it's awesome.
~Tense: I think long critiques do in more time what a live discussion could do in muchhh less :/ ( Want to hold a critique chat? See above for how to do that!). I think as well critiquers want to know their efforts are appreciated, and I think it can be hard to express that as a receiver.
^Beccalicious: A lot of chat regulars are quite happy to have impromptu crit sessions too, as long as the person asking is willing to give a bit too.
I'm planning to do a guide on turning critique into a dialogue (from both sides). Thoughts welcome, and remember that we invite news submissions!

=Lucy-Merriman: Alright, basically, I'm concerned about a few of the lit groups--particularly #adopt-a-writer and #Writers-Workshop, because they both used to be really standout groups, and now they're kinda limping along like a half-dead lizard. Should we attempt to revitalize these groups, or have people just moved on to other groups?

=futilitarian: I think there's got to be an impetus on us all to note the admins of those groups and offer to help out, though.
^neurotype: I think admins also need to be better about backup, there's this attitude of 'this is my baby' which makes it really hard for others to assist.
*LadyBrookeCelebwen: Real life is a huge problem. And part of me says that in the long run, it's hard to keep things alive.
`IrrevocableFate's Love dA Lit series lists groups that need help, and you can crosspost journals to #CRLiterature!
Also think about what you're doing with your group: =Lucy-Merriman mentions #House-of-Playwrights as a great genre-specific group; other prompt-specific ones like #ScreamPrompts have had a lot of success, too. If you're only using groups for exposure, don't expect a lot of return.
=EclecticQuill: If an experienced writer founds a group with a good team of admins, then they wouldn't need to devote massive amounts of time to it.

~Tense: People complain about fragmentation in the community, but I think it's something that should be embraced. It's pretty obvious that people throughout the community want different things from their experience of the site, so in my opinion the goal should be to help likeminded people find each other rather than to try and make changes to attitudes on any large scale.

^neurotype: This has been a theme a few times: casual vs serious writers. The serious writers need to not assume everyone wants the sharp stick of critique jammed up their arse, and the casual writers need to not expect the serious writers to tone it all down. (casual like 'oh I just write to get my thoughts out' - closer to journaling - serious like really cares about the craft)
^Beccalicious: That's kind of what we want out of #CRLiterature—it is supposed to be a "see what's out there in lit for you" and hopefully the appeal reaches to different people—which is why we want to really encourage groups and individuals to CROSS POST THEIR JOURNALS
*LadyBrookeCelebwen: How do you get a sense of unity and common ground for everyone though? Not everyone is coming to lit for the same reason, and quite frankly, it'd be like expecting everyone in any other group to have a sense of unity.
=futilitarian: If everyone in this room participated in one awesome lit group and entered one contest a month and posted one awesome forum thread a month and suggested one DD a month, the lit community would be in pretty good shape, imo. I think those things are ways of promoting the community and getting it visible and out there as much as about fostering a sense of community. ( ^Beccalicious and I are pretty dry on notes. Seriously, I get 5-10 a week maximum.)
`PinkyMcCoversong I'd like to see fewer contests and more challenges/prompts.
^Beccalicious: I am a little hesistant about using contests to "entice" the community into doing things. At the time they work well but as soon as they are over, the incentive is gone and everything goes back to white noise.
~BrokenTales: contests with critiques as prizes have a little more potential, but only if the winner is of the kind to engage with the critiquer.
~Tense: I kind of think making use of the chat is key.
*toxic-nebulae: If you've just started out and aren't sure whom to watch, I'd suggest looking at the galleries/watch lists of anyone who comments on your pieces, or watches you, since chances are they have the same type of thing.

`PinkyMcCoversong: I focus a lot of my energy on providing information and resources for writers interested in publishing. I'm wanting to know if this is helpful to the larger community, and whether we need more, and if people in general know where to find this kind of information on site.

^neurotype: Beccalicious mentioned this earlier, why don't we make a bigger deal about good advice?
=EclecticQuill: The problem is, that 99.9999% of the time, the message stops with you...because those that hear it don't pass it on.
^Beccalicious: Why aren't people faving, commenting and spreading the word on good articles anymore? We spend a lot of time planning things like our PE weeks and then when an article has spent a long time being put together, its sad to see it garner 5 favs and 1 comment. +FAV/COMMENT PLEASE.
`HaveTales-WillTell All we can do is encourage our friends to pass stuff on. If a few do, it keeps going: like a nuclear reaction that just won't catch, but doesn't quite fizzle out either.
(General consensus: For those of us who are interested in publishing, being able to find accurate resources easily would be great. Here's a good starting point. Also, *SadisticIceCream, `apocathary, #Lit-Source.)
=doughboycafe: A hub would be great, or, of there already is one (I kind of feel like Love dA Literature is great for that). But also a realistic couple of articles about publishing. I agree with a lot of comments that publishing is great, but also writing because you like it is great. Perhaps it would be good to discuss the fact that publishing isn't the end all be all, but a great goal if you want to pursue it...and then...how to be ready to publish. Because I also feel like besides knowing how to find good places to sell yourself, there are a lot of steps that lead up to even being ready to submit.

*LadyBrookeCelebwen: I wonder if in our quest to fix dA Lit, we're running off a lot of people. It's fine that a lot of us want critiques and detailed comments but I'm not sure that openly complaining about comments that are just "I love this", for example, is the best way to go about it. I know that we want to fix things, but I worry about driving off people that don't want to hardcore invest in it.

=futilitarian: I don't think that's the aim and I don't see how it will be the effect of making the lit community tighter.
^neurotype: I think the issue is that people want more critique, but it gets phrased as 'I don't like what I'm getting now' sometimes.
=SilverInkblot: I don't think the complaint there is about casual commentary—the complaint is about the lack of anything aside from casual commentary.
~Tense: I think we should encourage people to be more communicative about what they want in general.
=doughboycafe: I think it's pretty natural to want just a sentence or two about *why* someone liked something, even if it's a comment on visual art. But it's not as though a three word comment should be discarded. Still it seemed to me like the problem was that lit community members wanted more of an effort from other lit community members. It's really easy to tell people what you want. You can just put it in the artist's comment and ask if certain things are working or not working.
^NicSwaner: Maybe the problem lies with the anticipation for feedback and high expectations that aren't satiated?
(Some commentary on feeling like you don't deserve critique because you don't give it out.) Don't forget the Lit Forum's monthly crit thread, and that you can post in the Thumbshare Forum! Easy ways to find people who say they want critique if you don't know anyone particular already.
~Tense: I think specifically asking someone for critique implies that you really value it.
=OHiNeedTea: The only time I really feel annoyed about a very short comment is when it's supposed to be an exchange and I write a mac off detailed critique sandwich and then I get "I like this, there's nothing I'd change" in return... because I always think that's not true, they're just being nice! Don't be afraid to ask that people return a critique, maybe by note if you're shy.
^Beccalicious: Also I often think people think critique giving has to be a 4000 word essay, when sometimes a few pointers can go just as long.
(Discussion of #theWrittenRevolution's successful practice of requiring members to submit a critique when they send a deviation to the group gallery. Also, questions for critiquers to respond to specfiically.)

~BrokenTales: This might sound arrogant (it probably is), but I do feel that journal/group features get thrown around like candy with doing much good. A little exposure, maybe a comment from an onlooker (maybe), but other than that nothing of benefit for the author. I would like to see more features that have at least some feedback for the author attached. Can we encourage this?

~BrokenTales: Well, if we agree that it should be this way, we could lead by example. Perhaps if someone asks for advice on a contest, or feature lists, or just generally chatting, we can try and encourage a little description when they feature things.
`PinkyMcCoversong: I wonder if the scheduling thing will help this. Hey, beta testers! Try scheduling your posts!
~Tense: As for the features thing, I think if your features were thoughtful and regular, people would keep coming back to see what you were sharing. The trick really is for individuals to make their profiles somewhere worth visiting and exploring writing from, as opposed to just hoping everyone will improve their features, which is just not realistic.
^Beccalicious: I discussed with someone in the journal about people making better use of their journals and artists comments to sell their pieces to the reader.

Discussion Questions

Do you think the topics covered are things we can or need to change?
What do you think you can do as an individual to improve the community?
Is there a topic NOT discussed here you feel needs addressing?

227 Comments

Project Educate: See the light and remember it

Fri May 17, 2013, 1:48 AM

Photography Week

See the light and remember it

Lighting in photography is a living, changing art. One of the most important abilities of a photographer is to see light and to remember it. Light is the most changing element in our daily life. We move among solid objects and among people who do not change drastically during a day or a week. But visually the appearance of our environment and of people around us may change from one hour to the next due to the time of day, the weather, or the particular source of light. Photographers are aware of these changes and store in their memory the impact different types of light have on our emotions and our subconscious. For a photographer, watching the light becomes second nature.

Some of the photographer's palette of tools:

-The angle of light

-Quality (hard or soft)

-Color

-Intensity

Angle of light

front lighting:

side lighting:

back lighting:

Surreal State Of Enlightenment. Sunset. by ~LevAni11

Quality of light

Hard vs Soft: Light can be hard, soft or gradations in between.

Soft lighting gained its popularity because it gives the scene a more natural look than hard lighting. But at the same time, it has a danger of lacking character. Soft light is very forgiving. Uncontrolled, it is still acceptable photographically. It's really hard for soft light to look bad, but it's not hard for hard light to look bad. If you go too soft in the lighting, it just becomes boring. The difficult thing is really to light softly, but to create a contrast at the same time.

The hardest source of light known in nature is the noonday sun; whereas an overcast sky is the softest source known.

soft light:

The paper heart of children birds. by *LVSkoglund

hard light:

Color

Light has color. We all can differentiate the different color temperature the light has when you are walking in that beautiful light just before the sunset or normal day light, or flash.

to all the ships at sea by ~sarahannloreth

madeleine with strange suitcase by *SlevinAaron

Intensity

The amount of daylight changes with the hour, weather, season and latitude.

A fun exercise

Staying as close to home as possible,find a location that lets you face east and head there in time for the sunrise. Compose your shot with a focal length between 35-50mm and shoot into the sunrise. Shoot the same composition one or two hours later, then at noon, then two hours before sunset, then one hour before sunset, and then at sunset.
Repeat this exercise during these same intervals with another composition but as you face to the south.
Finally, download the images into your computer and look at them in a slideshow. That way you will really see and feel the difference of the light and the difference that the right time of the day can make.

Feel free to share your results of the exercise in the comments below!

What kind of lighting do you tend to use in your photography? Are you a hard light lover or a soft light lover? And why?

55 Comments

Hetalian Contest Time!!

Journal Entry: Mon Apr 22, 2013, 5:08 PM

1/5/13: CONTEST HAS STARTED!

Yeah, I know...who just wakes up one day and says "I'm gonna hold a contest"? THIS GENT.

So, if you couldn't guess, this contest is for HETALIA!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The contest will begin 1st May, 2013. Entries will not be accepted before 00:00 (12:00 AM) BST.

The contest will end 31st May, 2013. Entries will not be accepted after 21:59 (11:59 PM) BST.

The deadline will not be extended for a sole person; however, if multiple people request such, it will be extended by two days (until 3rd June). It will not be extended any longer and the contest will be officially over. I will announce if such a thing happens.

The theme is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING Hetalia related. Crossovers are allowed (as long as the plot doesn't stray too far from Hetalia)!

Any type/style of art is allowed: drawings, paintings, literature, arts and crafts, and photography, MMDs, to name a few.

Every contestant is only allowed to submit up to three different entries.

Any questions you may have can be answered by me, *TheRollingScones.

2P, Nyotalia, Cardverse, Sweet Devil, Nekotalia, etc. are allowed! It doesn't matter what you decide to do!

You are welcomed to donate prizes to the contestants to your liking. (Example: llamas for winners ect.) Tell me what you're willing to offer and it will be listed.

If you would like to enter, comment in the comment section. Anyone is permitted to enter.

Link me to your finished work.

RULES

You may only submit up to 3 different entries.

No pornography [yes, I mean lemons and hentai] will be accepted. Any entries with such will result in disqualification from this contest, and any future contests I may hold. There is, however, no restriction on blood/gore: but you must put the appropriate warnings on the deviation. If you don't, the same will happen as what does with porn.

OCs are allowed to an extent. No drawings of just an OC are allowed, and the same for fanfictions: EnglandX[InsertOCnamehereplz] will not be judged. I don't have anything against OCs...but...you know how things get. Shipping wars start out of the blue and shite, so let's just avoid that. However, if you throw your OC in for a moment in fanfiction, or even draw your OC with more than two official Hetalia characters, then everything is fine [as long as you follow the rules].

Courtesy is extremely important: DO NOT BE RUDE TO OTHER MEMBERS. Everyone has their talents. If I catch you being rude, you will be removed from this contest.

I don't want to have to do that! Let's all just have fun!

If you steal another's artwork and I am made aware of it, you will be removed from the contest and possibly reported for art theft...In other words: play fair.

Please submit new work solely for this contest.

PRIZES

First place

3 month Premium membership.

4 Hetalia Oneshots (example: EnglandXFrance, TaiwanXMale!Reader, Nyo!AmericaXReaderXCanada and OCXCuba. Mix it up however you want)

OR a four-part CountryXReader series. Characters are of your choice.

Featured on my profile for a month.

Full body drawing in colour of one character from ~Atlas-Missle.

+Watch and a llama from me (if I haven't done so already) and ~Atlas-Missle.

Second place

1 month Premium membership.

3 Hetalia oneshots or a three-part CountryXReader series. Characters are of your choice.

Featured on my profile for one month.

Coloured headshot of one character from ~Atlas-Missle.

+Watch and a llama from me (if a haven't already) and ~Atlas-Missle.

Third place

250 points

2 Hetalia oneshots or a two-part CountryXReader series. Characters are of your choice.

Featured on my profile for one month.

Chibi of two characters in colour from ~Atlas-Missle.

+Watch and llama from me (if I haven't already) and ~Atlas-Missle.

Honourable Mention

150 points

A Hetalia oneshot or CountryXReader.

One traditionally drawn chibi from ~Atlas-Missle.

Featured on my profile for one month.

+Watch and a llama from me (if I haven't already) and ~Atlas-Missle.

Judges

&

The contest will begin 1st May, 2013. Entries will not be accepted before 00:00 (12:00 AM) BST.

The contest will end 31st May, 2013. Entries will not be accepted after 21:59 (11:59 PM) BST.

I will remind everyone one week before the contest terminates, and announce the closing of the contest on the following Saturday!

Please maintain a friendly environment!

154 Comments

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

Journal Entry: Thu May 16, 2013, 3:24 PM

--- dear friends and visitors,
unfortunately I'm not longer able to make my large news in deviant art... the stashwriter only shows the numbers of the thumbs but not the pics...
so I'm just going on here with my little journals here... hope you enjoy it ...

Please enjoy the incredible artwork of these deviants and give a little friendship:
Visit their galleries, give some favs
and if you like this news, give a comment, please, for more attention!

This Journal Skin was designed by ~Night-Beast

80 Comments

The Journal Portal

Community Mood

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

Outfits

Props

Shoes

Wigs

Make up

Assorted techniques

Do you really want to be an artist? Or a successful working professional?

1) Get into your environment

2) Plan your Kit

3) Tilt and Swivel!

4) Experiment with Depth of Field

5) Check your Lens

6) Check your weather!

7) Post-Process...just a little

8) Ignore Time!

9) Hood your lens!

10) Don't be afraid...

Don't hesitate to contact #CRPhotography!

A Note To Myself

Edit: Some people have been adding their own tips and tricks in the comments. You can look in the comment section for other ideas and feel free to comment with your own! Thank you everyone! <3

#CRLiterature

Community

Chat Discussion

Discussion Questions

See the light and remember it

Some of the photographer's palette of tools:

Angle of light

Quality of light

Color

Intensity

Feel free to share your results of the exercise in the comments below!

What kind of lighting do you tend to use in your photography? Are you a hard light lover or a soft light lover? And why?

1/5/13: CONTEST HAS STARTED!

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

deviantART [dee·vee·un'nt·ART]

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