I’ve noticed that there are several younger artists on this board asking pretty basic questions. That is not an insult. I got a great answer from someone for what, to him, was a basic question, but for me was a problem. I’m very experienced but needed someone with specific knowledge. I found that through several good posts from the contributors here. So I have an idea.
How about we create a topic/thread/room just for advice for young artists that answers basic questions, points to resources, and maybe even gives them inspiration or hope?
At least once a week I go back and forth by email with a young artist to help them prepare files for print. I go through things like smallest barcode size that’s scannable, bleed sizes digital vs flexo, rgb printing better at home but industry is cmyk and how to bridge that gap…
Other people here have great insight on other areas: theory, style, whatever…
I could start with the same checklist we use where I work for production as a great reference that will save a lot of time and pressure on the next generation.
I’m thinking it would be a “Start Here” for young artists type thing.
I’m not apposed, but we do have an area for student/junior artists to post.
And like you said, even senior artists need a hand or two when faced with something out of their element.
Plus there’s specified areas for different fields of design. We get a lot of help requests in those designated areas.
I like the concept, but I’m not sure it would work so well here. Without really diving into it, my best guess is that a large percentage of the posts on this site, in several of the categories, deal with beginners (and others) asking questions or wanting feedback, which often turns into helpful advice.
I think the idea has merit and I appreciate you taking the initiative to bring it forward.
However, I think that if we create a thread or section for new members to “start here,” it will discourage them from looking anywhere else in the forum. Personally, I want members to dig around in sections and threads, you never know where you may find answers or inspiration. I consider the entire forum a toolbox, why make a second one? If we notice duplicate questions, we often link to a similar thread so the OP can read what’s already been said.
I agree with Biggs, too. Many of these topics already have sections.
I like the spirit of the idea, but would add that it’s important to consider what kind of forum this is, and what it needs.
Here’s what I mean:
Consider the Adobe User Forums. Adobe runs this for the purpose of establishing a “community” of professional experts whose responses and advice to fellow users serve to reduce, and in some areas eliminate, the demand for formal and dedicated technical support functions within its organization. In such a case, it is a good and prudent objective to make the destination full of easy-to-find, no-need-to-post-that-question-again resources and information, making it all freely available to the company’s paying customers. A lively forum of this type means “yes, we have a huge user base!” but it also means “a lot of them have problems and need help.”
Here, on the other hand, posting activity is the forum’s life blood, and anything that might discourage posting or preclude the need to even register could be detrimental to the forum’s health. Ivan has brought some advertising on board to help defray costs, and if posting activity starts to dry up, so will advertising incentive. In that sense, it’s actually better for the forum in the long run, even if we get the same questions over and over, to avoid posting information and resources that expressly serve as “standing reference” or make it so that a guest can come get information they need with a click or two, and then go away forever without ever having seen and been seen.
As long as it isn’t something that would stop a newbie in their tracks from exploring the rest of the forum, I have no problem with it. This place is filled with great info and I would hate to see someone stuck in one thread/section.
I really have no strong feeling either way. I’ll defer to majority rule
I think graphic design is not a linear subject enough to have a “start here” beyond what’s been said on the wikipedia article.
If it were a list of priorities, it would come with too many assumptions. If it were a list of basic considerations, it would be an oversimplification of the skill.
I’m with HotButton on this. It wouldn’t invite participation in the forum in the long run.
A lot of good comments. My suggestion wasn’t in any way a criticism of this site. I’ve gotten many good answers here and more than a few laughs. And I definitely do not want to go against the spirit or ethos of the site.
I guess I’m not really thinking of a “start here” thing after all. But like a “resources” type page.
EX: I have a lot of customers who need to do a supplemental facts panel but don’t know the rules. If you go to the FDA site for the info it gets really confusing. Also, most of the rules are pliable according to the art. So I send them a vector template to use.
A resources section makes sense as long as it doesn’t turn into a competition over which resource should be at the top of the list. It would need to be objective as to whether or not this is a universally accepted resource. A lot of things are subjective in graphic design.
Also, we would need to be careful not to turn it into an advertisement section for business.,
The concept is sound… but even if such a resource was created, would newcomers go there?
Many of them seem to post their questions without even doing a search on their topic first… so trying to get them to go anywhere specific seems, well, optimistic.
So I’d question whether it would be worth the time to create.
