Sketch Fest recap and musings...

[ellenmillion]

Sketch Fest this weekend was a blast! http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestwall.php?date=23

I did more programming than I did sketching, but I did finish five pieces - I still need to scan the last one. The new prompts page was zoomy, as promised, and I added icons to improve how the page 'scans' when you're looking at it. http://www.ellenmilliongraphics.com/sketchfest/sketchfestprompters.php

I also had some thoughts about tagging/claiming/uploading that I'd love some user input on:

It would simplify things for me, if I made it so that uploading ended with the Sketch Fest. BUT, I could allow registered artists to upload work that they had claimed during the fest itself. The claim would gain some additional meaning - an artist would be already finished* with the piece, or very sure they were going to be, before the end of Sketch Fest. Tagging would allow the artist to express interest in a prompt and make it easy for them to find later, but NOT allow them to upload work to that prompt once Sketch Fest had ended. (This, actually, is open for discussion - I could allow uploading to tags just as easily as claims...) Commenting would still be available while Sketch Fest was running, just as it is now...

This is a definite perk for registered artists, but truth is, I haven't seen an unregistered artist upload anything after Sketch Fest ended for a while, and it would save me a step in running things, plus prevent the occasional sad artist who has a broken scanner or can't get their art up while things are still open.

Updated list of improvements to make:

Prevent multiple tags/claims by same artist

Prevent duplicate comments on artwork

Option to sort prompts without grouping (framework is in place)

Image class stuff

Image borders on inspired page.

Quote marks, strip the slashes: email alerts, artistpage claims, next/previous thumbnails, probably some other places.

Make a way to cancel/delete claims and tags

Update prompt page (it's pretty blah right now)

multiple sales option-thingy

Potentially change the way after-Sketch Fest-uploading is handled.

Not all of this will happen soon, of course. I've worked ahead of my funded time, and will continue to do a little more, but I've got some other projects that need tackling first...

Also, check out this awesome feedback from a user at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Sketchfest

That seriously made my day. :)

Alright, this post is long enough. I'll do my daily stuff in another entry later...




*Where finished, of course, does not indicate 'actually finished', necessarily.

Comments

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

Thumbnail frames on the "See what you inspired" page? XD

Your idea for uploading later to a claimed prompt sounds very good to me. The vast majority of participants is registered, anyway.

What I don't understand is why tagging is public. I mean, way back when it was a suggestion, I thought it would be for the artist a way to mark the prompt so they can find it again without committing to sketching the way claiming a prompt does, but since tagging is public, and the prompter gets a notification about it if they have notifications switched on, it seems hardly different from claiming to me.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

*added!*

I took tagging off the 'counts' list on the prompts page for that reason - it probably makes sense to lose the notification and public appearance of it, too - maybe just show a count on the prompt page (x people have tagged this for potential follow-up, or something).

That would certainly be easy, and will fold into making the individual prompt page look nicer.

Oh, I was also thinking about making it possible to see the prompts page from previous Sketch Fests - that might be kind of fun!

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

Yes. Yes, it would be. :D

[jenny heidewald (from livejournal.com)]

I like the idea of tagging, but I don't want the tagged ones on my claim list, until I claim them, because once I claim something I HAVE to draw it. My rule. :) I made an exception for the one I accidentally claimed, I didn't draw it. Also when I am posting my work I go along my claims list, so things are in order, it usually gets pretty long, so I don't need anything extra in there( in that line of though, it would be nice to keep things I have only commented on out of my claim list, but that is for another day). :)

I know I dedicated my funds from the December SF (when I get them done) to EMG-Zine, but would there be a way to have an option for you to use the funds to what project needs it? I waffle between Sketchfest and EMG-zine.

[redokapi.livejournal.com]

Most of the creative jam type things I've done have only a very short window of time to submit things after the end (maybe an hour). That being said, it's sometimes nice to be able to scan my stuff later, especially if I'm mostly sketching at night.

I like the idea of registered users being able to upload claimed prompts after the end. It would definitely give more meaning to "claiming". I kinda worry that some artists may claim a ton of stuff, just so they have to option to upload something for it. I don't know if this is really a legitimate concern or not. Maybe change "claimed" to "finished" (or just add "finished") as a designation that the piece is finished, you just haven't gotten around to uploading yet?

I might suggest giving an hour or so after the end of Sketchfest as a grace period for uploading work (could this be automated somehow?) for those who are sketching madly until the very end, and then only allow uploads for claimed/finished prompts.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

An hour's grace period to finish sketching and make those last-minute claims seems logical - and would be easy enough to code in. And changing it to actually be 'finished,' I like that, too... the biggest point for the claims in the first place was to let other artists know which prompts (and prompters) had gotten attention so that (hopefully) no prompters got shorted. Finished would be more accurate than just claiming, really!

[jenny_evergreen]

How did I not know Sketchfest was on FB?! *fixes that*

I do think it's important that artists be able to upload for a good while after, but I don't think requiring that they be registered to do it is a problem.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I haven't done as much with the Sketch Fest FB page as maybe I should... >.>

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

*nods* Yup, I'm definitely going to make tagging a feature that only adds to your private list.

Sketch fest stuff

[edward cammarota (from livejournal.com)]

Not sure if I am the only one with this problem.....sometimes I buy so fast, I don't remember what all I got at the end, is there a way to have a checklist of what a user did purchase?????

If I am the only fool who can't keep track of what he buys, then don't worry about it :)

Of course that would take away the surprise of getting stuff you don't remember buying in the mail :) :)

Re: Sketch fest stuff

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

I was actually just wondering that, earlier today - whether any buyers would want the same sort of tools that artists have, where they can see a list of what they've bought... I shall have to add this to my list! :)

(And spoil your surprises!)

Re: Sketch fest stuff

[jenny heidewald (from livejournal.com)]

I'd like to see a list of what I've bought. :)

(Edward, I forgot to ask, did you get your ACEOS and goodies? :) )

[draken-art.livejournal.com]

Under the Artist's Profile: The prompts list - can we get that ordered into two or three columns? Maybe with a visual marker as to which ones were used as inspiration for others?

Also I would like to see a way to "recycle" old prompts from that page. This way prompts that didn't get touched for what ever reason have a chance to get claimed. This also allows one to reuse a prompt w/out worrying about creating a duplicate in the list.

Artist Profile: Does it have to be centered? Or can the bio be left/right justified?

[draken-art.livejournal.com]

Added: is there a way to get older "sold" pieces added to the "this is what you sold" page? I've only had a small few sell, but they don't show up on the "sold" page at all.