Photomanipulation Chat + Mini Contest

The idea:

Last week, Aeirmid and I were talking about how people on dA seem to often feel lost in this big community. Especially if they're new to dA, but also if they've been here a while and still find it hard to get a critique. And how on the other hand some people cry for critiques and if you give them your honest opinion, they pretty much kick you for your efforts.

We all like to think that this has been a recent problem, but trust me when I say that even when I was a newb here (in 2004), dA didn't feel all that much more accessible. And there's always some idiot who will think asking for critique and asking for praise should be the same.

What I remember the most from my early days here is something that has nothing to do with critique groups (there were no groups then anyway, but still they seem worth mentioning) or mentoring projects or whatever else. I found out about the deviantArt Messaging Network - dAmn in short - which includes a chat system and joined a chat about digital art. I got stuck there I'm not talking about big events (though they're undoubtedly fun), but just some friendly conversation, sharing WIPs, sharing ideas, helping each other find stock... talking about anything and everything and also about manips and Photoshop and about "I want to do this, but how on earth do I do that in PS?" and someone would give you some pointers or link you to a tutorial

Jade and I thought that this might be exactly what we could need right now for all photomanipulators to meet up, casually, and chat some. I for one would love to get to know you all a bit better than "just" by swapping comments and faves and the occassional journal.


The plan:
So just today we got around to creating the chat room and a group to go with it (which is awaiting approval) where we can put up blogs about the chat (the rules of conduct and some info about the admins etc) and about events (once we hold any).

All of this is still very much in the experimenting phase, but we wanted you to get involved as soon as posible! Help us find appropriate privclasses (Founders, Operators etc sounds infinitely boring), help us make it a place to go to after a long workday to relax and all in all help us shape this chat so that all of us get the most out of it!

Basically, what I'm saying is: there is no plan yet. But with your help, this chat can be anything we want it to be


The link
The chatroom is #Photomanipulated and that will also be the group name
The group is live at Photomanipulated!!!

Mini Contest

To celebrate our new chat room and the new group, we're holding a group icon & stamp mini contest!

Theme: create an icon for Photomanipulated that can either also be used as a stamp to promote the chat later or ceate a matching pair of icon and stamp.
_{Using your own artwork is okay, using somebody else's only with permission! If you use stock, please credit properly!
Icon has to be 100 px wide by 50 px high, jpg or gif - stamps are 99 x 56 px, you can use the template shown below}

How to Enter: Create your icon and stamp and upload to your dA gallery, then submit to Photomanipulated's Icon & Stamp Folder - please become a member to submit! If you don't want to become a member, send the group a note with the link to your submission(s) and we'll add them for you!

Deadline: Friday, March 16th 11 pm CET - find a countdown here www.timeanddate.com/counters/c…
Note: As we currently don't have many entries and I will be away for 2 weeks, I have shifted the deadline once again - when I'm back we can finally kickstart this baby!

Prizes: Journal feature from Aeirmid and myself as well as a prominent spot in the group so everyone can always see you made the stamp/icon

Judges: Aeirmid & myself kuschelirmel

_{PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NOTE:
I have a full time job. I have a boyfriend who won't be impressed if I spend all my time in front of the computer. I need time to do some manips myself. So don't be pissed if you come in and I'm not there. I'll be there as often as I can, especially in the beginning, but the goal of the chat room is not to meet me, it's to get in touch with each other. I'm just a small part of what we think of as the manip community on dA. And even though I may have a prominent place within it, I'm not the be all and end all. And besides, I'm on Central European Time, which may not collide very well with your own time zone anyway If you need my help or advice, you can always note me, too.}


Soooooo
I'm there now for a while and probably most of tomorrow.

Question is: Will you?!


Jasmin