Dowerdesigns

[Matt 34.5]

So basicaly I've wanted to design a graphics site since forever, always with the title Dowerdesigns in the back of my head, mainly because I was sick of putting in work for these random graphics sites/forums and having them fall apart because the staff was't devoted. But I really wanted to put more into it then just a forum and a site with information on it, problem being that I lacked the knowledge to do anything really great to it. Recently I've been designing a clan website for The Dawg Pound and after reading MANY tutorials I learned a bit, and though I still won't be able to put as much into it as I wanted to I decided to make a start and build on it from there.

At this point I have the colour scheme and basicaly have what I want the site to look like designed, though still deciding on navigation. On top of that I know basicaly how I want it ran and some content ideas. Honestly where I am I could have the site up and running in a week aside from 2 things,
1) I'm currently not working, so until I get my taxes in april (don't ask why its taking so long :dry: ) or I get back to work when the snow seems to have died down permanently I won't be able to fund it. Unless taken between now and then the site will be Dowerdesigns.com
2) I need more content ideas.

The reason I made this thread is first to help me out with ideas, and second to promote it (even if it isn't to come for quite a while). But before I see random ideas jumping around, I need to mention a couple things.

1) I will be very picky as to who I choose to help staff both the site and the forum. I will be looking mainly for devotion, and ability. If I do make someone staff and they don't help out or they fade out to be like the administration of this forum and others they will be removed, of course Im not all that strict and I will give alot of leeway, just know that there will be a breaking limit unlike other sites.

2) The site will be an open one, it will be in a way ran by the community and the staff will generaly be an authority to keep everything in check and updated for your convenience. The idea behind the site is to offer artwork to people that can't do it on their own, to help support people interested in art, and to basicaly have as close as we can get to an equal trade community where you can contribute to it and get somthing out of it.

3) The main thing Im looking for right now is what would you like to see on a graphics site? And how do you think that function would best operate? for example, you suggest a top members page - what do you think is the best way for me to figure out who the best members are, how many should their be on that page, and how often would be reasonable to update it?

I will read any and every post, I'll take critisism and all suggestions into concideration no matter how big or small. Any help your willing to give is more then appreciated.

[dirka dirka]

Ahhahh!!!

[Tama Drummer]

Originality is something I like to see on a graphics site. Unfortionately, I can't tell you how to do that. Also, banners are boring. So if that site was more devoted to other types of graphic design as oppsosed to forum banners, that'd also be a plus.

[Matt 34.5]

Originality is something I like to see on a graphics site. Unfortionately, I can't tell you how to do that. Also, banners are boring. So if that site was more devoted to other types of graphic design as oppsosed to forum banners, that'd also be a plus.

I intend to have the site be for absolutly anything art-related anyone can bring to it, along with art that isn't computer-related. If you (you meaning anyone) can bring somthing original to it then I'm more than willing to support it, and I myself intend to offer more then just banners on it, but I can't stop banners from being a big part of it because the fact is thats what most people get into when they start out. Also as far as competitions go, its somthing thats easy and can go on often.

Atm Im thinking of having a website support section aswell, among other things that are still in the back of my head.

[Dark Flipper]

Good luck with the site Matt.

<.<

[HoodedH-TDP]

Good luck with the site matt i can bring some graffiti graphics to it lol
oh and im soo being a admin :)

[Learz]

One thing I always love on websites (any kind of website) is a "quotes" section.

Just a small area, probably on the home page, with a quote in it that changes everytime you load the page.
Perferable funny quotes, or "deep" quotes.
And... origional quotes that come from you, friends, the website, TAO, etc....


Oh, and try to have pleasing colors. Alot of places have wacky, eye-hurting colors because they want to be "different".
:dry:

And good luck with your site!

[Matt 34.5]

The colours aren't wild.

I've been concidering making it so that people will have the option to sell their work if they want. Generaly I expect work to be done for free, but if you happen to do some nice work that you'd like to sell, you can put it up for sale on the site.

[R G]

Well I already proudly sport a banner made by the master of design...

Good Luck...

[XLR8ZN]

matt hasn't made me a siggy, but I've seen his work. check out TDP's forums and almost all of the siggy's members have are made by matt!

[Ignition]

What's with people doing my ideas before I get the chance to?
good luck Matt, where now rivals ;)

[Matt 34.5]

That sucks, because to be honest you were at the top of my list of people I wanted to to help me out with it :p

[Blexican]

Well, ive come to the sad realization that I can't run my own site yet, its to much work for me at the moment. But helping someone else I could do.

[Azer]

An actual site.

A lot of graphics sites being created are just forums. Without an actual site, the forum will fall apart very quickly.

Now on creating the site, the question ultimately comes down to you. What do you want the purpose of this site to be? Tutorials on how to use paint programs? Then have a main page consisting of mapped images submitted by staff and administration, with each part going to the tutorial link. This type of site is mainly to help the public.

Another idea is for the site to be a closed one, where user work is submitted to be admired and discussed. However, this type of site is very hard to maintain, as it quickly degrades into a forum, after which threads like "rate the sig above you" pop up.

Perhaps you want the site to be a utility site? This would be where user host tutorials, brushes, good renders, and stocks.

However, notice that many successful graphics sites/forums (deviantart, gamerenders, etc.) already cover these. Thus, I recommend implementing a closed system, where access is by invitation only. Thus, you can try to recruit the elite (or, if that pool is too small, the decently accomplished/having of potential) such that the site becomes specialized and of a higher caliber than the rest of the graphics sites floating around. This way, you can avoid degeneration into a mushball of trite, overabused tutorials, renders, and noobish topics.

[shatterstar]

just make it a pportfolio with an about me section. then when you start working and want stuff to put on a resume it will be handy. that will give you long term incentive to maintain it as well. if you're having forums then you can make it a portfolio of all the staff.

[Matt 34.5]

On the site itself at first it won't be much. Like I said Im hoping to add onto the site in the future to where people have their own profiles, share, submit work, etc... Atm I don't know enough to implement what I want. Basicaly, what I see the site being for now is based around the forums, unfortunatly.

The idea is to offer help to artists, and people looking for art. I intend to fill the site/forum with tutorials, downloads, refrences, and renders. Im planing to let the site grow in its own direction, based on what hand Im dealt with the community. To break it down, the more people are interested in and/or supporting one thing, the more the site will grow to help support people interesed in that one thing. So lets say I see the community getting interested in web design, I will find ways of changing the site to help them with learning how to do things related to web design, etc... But it will never be soley based on one thing, Im planning on offering variety.

[Ignition]

Yep.
Mine started out as a portfolio and self promotional website... Now I'm leaning toward registering Ignite as my design firm. I have to see what .com/.net/.ca's are available though. It's going to be mostly an art and design website, which may include a forum.

[shatterstar]

the moment you make the site forum-driven, it is completely dependent on a minimum level of activity being maintained by everyone involved. you need _something_ other than forums to bring enough people to the site to hit that critical mass needed for a self-sustaining forum.

if you want an idea that includes forums, make it a tutorial site. find a few people who can take a labelled psd/xcf and churn out a tutorial in say, 48 hours. does not have to be just signatures.

i'd suggest talking to xaliasx on DA, the former admin of chaosgfx. he managed to maintain a massive gfx forum without a non-forum attraction like PR and GR have. (their renders).

[Azer]

Like what I said: I want a graphics site to be a site, not a forum.

[Ignition]

what does Matt care what you think Azer? He's going to make what he wants.

[Anarchy_United]

Can you pwease have a paint section? When you see some of the stuff masters do, it is amazing(by master I don't mean me, I am at most a JourneyMan).

[Matt 34.5]

what does Matt care what you think Azer? He's going to make what he wants.

Thanks, but I asked for input :p

Like I said I want to have it be about the website, but I don't know enough yet, and intend to start here and grow from there. So for now, the forum will be a large part.

[sayter]

banners arent very lucrative as a business endeavor unless you know the territory, anyhow. Working in adult web stuff, I do quite a few banners. It is quite evident at this point that MANY companies do this, and have been doing it for a very long time (adults and non) and for the most part own the market by a huge margin.

Is this purely a financially motivated site? If so, you will want to look into affiliate programs. As a webmaster it is probably your singlemost valuable method to getting a little cash in your pocket. Referral links, ads, etc are al viable ways to make some cash.

However, if you are looking to sell SERVICES, namely yours, then you will want a well rounded portfolio featuring not only digital design for websites (interfaces, banners etc) but also standard digital art (to show your technical skill in art, if any) and you can only benefit from logos, business cards, and print design (shirts, posters, etc). Inclusion of these mediums will be well worth your while. And if you want to stay afloat in the market today, Flash is a definite MUST and not purely because of its' animation capabilities. if you can make a .pdf file with your entire portfolio within it, that is also useful for taking it around with you in an easily browsed format without worrying about scratching a CD, etc. Toss it on a keyfob, have a client doubleclick it, voila (assuming they haven't seen the section on the site, of course)

For print design be sure to keep bleeds in mind, as well as CYMK color type versus RGB, as well. a smart client will notice. Thankfully, most aren't that clever since most dont know abotu design. that't why they hire YOU :)

I have other info, I just lost it in my head. But hopefully that helps you somewhat.

[Blexican]

and i erally like forums, whats your point azer.

[RAGING INFERNO]

My Idea would be sort of similar to rep. like, you rate the designs that people show and theres like a top 50 list almost like the tao player rankings. then, your designs have a certain popularity

[FiReBrAnD]

If you need help with tutorials or what not I will help you out. Hell I will even help run it with you if you need any assistance.

[Excaliber]

Well I am not sure if this idea has died yet but I still feel like posting.

I think that this is a great idea and I would be ever so glad to contribute in any way.

The only thing I have to say is that I don't really like rep or credit systems for example. When you have these types of things what ends up happening is that you get people that only care about rep or credits and just do whatever they can to have more than everyone else so that they can have their little ego boost or whatever. This seems to take away from the actual art purpose of such communities. It becomes a competition for rep or credits or whatever.

I am however in favor of small competitions such as artwork of the week and so on.

On another note, if you wanted to have some sort of reward system I would suggest maybe a trophy system where people earn a trophy by winning a weekly or monthly contest.

I just don't like the idea of rep or credits based on how much some noob likes some other noobs picture that they put some text on.

Or you could just make it easy and have no rewards system at all but it is up to you.

And again I am not sure if this idea has died but I would love to contribute to it if it has not.

[~X-Doomsday~]

I am not sure if he would have time but he might be able to help you out, As i think you know The-X-Treme aka rich is very good at banners and all types of the form, He is also good at making sites. http://www.x-factortao.com/ that is a link to the front page for the XF site.
So if you want just pm him and he might be able to help with the site part if you want him to. Again he is very busy and not sure how much time or how interested he would be.

[Matt 34.5]

The idea hasn't "died", I'm just not going to rush it, and I have little active time, but Im working on it.

And thanks Doom, I already know about rich. I've had a couple offers to help with the site from people that know about web design.