Daily Deviation Feature at deviantART

I am the Gallery Director for Pixel Art at deviantART and am trying to encourage Pixel Artists to display their work at deviantART.com. I am offering anyone who wins a challenge or gains an award at PixelJoint, a likely automatic DD Feature at deviantART, provided you are a member and have your work uploaded there of course. Even if you didn't gain first place here, your work may well gain a DD feature, so please upload win, place or lose.

It is quite free to be a member at deviantART, you can become a subscriber if you wish. If you are a subscriber you can have CSS code in your Journal. Your Journal gives you freedom to promote yourself or your interests to whatever extent you wish. Being a subscriber will not increase your exposure or your chance of a DD feature. At any given time there are upwards of twenty thousand people worldwide viewing the artworks and if you receive a feature it is possible to gain hundreds of faves and thousands of views. Here is a link to my front page on deviantART so you can see the layout if you are not already familiar with dA. http://shonegold.deviantart.com

I welcome Artists to contact me at dA and suggest their own work....please promote yourself and your work with me and tell me which piece of work you feel is the best and deserves a DD feature. If you are at dA and haven't received a DD feature or it has been a while since receiving one and you have a piece you feel would make a good DD feature...please private note me at dA.

There are exceptions for not receiving an automatic DD feature, they are :-

If you have received a DD feature during the previous three months, I am not permitted to feature the same deviant within that same three month time period.

If you have created Fanart, I cannot feature it, as all Fanart needs to go into the Fanart Gallery.

I will also resist featuring work which displays little or no dithering*. It needs some reasonable demonstration of hand laid pixels. I have too much flood and cell filled line art which is not created in the manner of hand laid pixels, which I am constantly removing from the PA Galleries. I am not prepared to make my life any harder than it is, by featuring what could be taken as flood filled line art, no matter how well received it is here at PJs.

I reserve the right of ultimate choice and maintain my right as the PA Gallery Director at dA to refuse a piece of work as a DD Feature.

Look forward to seeing you at dA! =)

* For more detail about this at the moment please read the relative comments below.

Posted by ShoneGold @ 1/30/2008 04:30 | 53

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ShoneGold (Level 1 Rookie) @ 2/1/2008 22:39

Akira & Lollige...Early in the piece I was calling these pieces Oekaki and discussing with management about a separate sub heading for Oekaki in DigitalArt. There is a specific program used for Oekaki art and I ended up with people complaining it wasn't Oekaki, they didn't use the Oekaki program, it was done in msPaint using pixels so it must be pixelart. I don't need the extra arguments about is it or isn't it a certain genre of art, other than PixelArt, hence the reason I require people to show me demonstrated hand laid pixels over the majority of the work.....end of story.

Adam...On reflection I would prefer it to be changed to the phrase I use on the help desk when I am explaining to someone why their cell/flood filled work has been moved "PixelArt requires demonstrated hand laid pixels on a pixel by pixel, basis over the majority of the work." I see I can adjust the text, I will have a go at altering it.

Yes Bisque's example does display accepted aspects of genuine pixelart to the trained eye. I am having to deal with hundreds/thousands of people without a trained eye...that is the difference and that is my major problem. Unless I want to make my task totally impossible at dA...this style of PA would be a killer for me as a DD feature with those not versed in the finer subtleties of PixelArt.

I appreciate you are recognizing my hard work but if I can't get cooperative backing and understanding for what I am trying to achieve for PA from the majority of the PA community then it will all be a waste.

The B.O.B. ...At no time was I suggesting Bisque was not a PixelArtist. I was commenting on a piece of work and all of a sudden I had words thrust down my throat. I have enough of my own words, I do not need any one else's put into my mouth!! :D I am quite familiar with Bisque's work and I have been meaning to add a piece of her work as a DD feature. This is why I need people to chase me with suggestions from their galleries. I keep a file of artist's suggestions of their own work.

The B.O.B I would prefer to see a piece of second rate, low quality, messy, dithered work where someone is trying to work within the principle of "demonstrated hand laid pixels over the majority of the work" as opposed to flood filled line art purporting to be Pixelart in the gallery. At least I know the person is trying and with practice, dedication and time their technique and love of PixelArt will grow. I don't have the luxury of veto of art into the PA gallery at dA. All I have is the ability to have a clear cut off point as to how I see and define Pixelart and what the consequences are, if my definition is broadened too wide. I then can move art out of the PA gallery if it does not meet the definition, which I can adequately argue in a situation where i am required to justify the move.

Metaru (Level 8 Brigadier General) @ 2/1/2008 22:21

and sonic/megaman/maplestory/mario/Kingdom hearts sprite edits, and a big etc.

The B.O.B. (Level 11 Master Assassin) @ 2/1/2008 09:11

Exactly. Plus, I'd rather people new to pixel art not try dithering till the latter stages of development, as most of the time they seem to have a huge misunderstanding of how to use it, and it ends up being a cluttered piece. Also, a general know how of traditional art is a MUST, which is something most people overlook. Just because it's with a mouse, or tablet, doesn't make it any different to pen and paper, or brushes. And yeah, Lobster-Bisque is a pixel artist, and her junk-funk are definitely a good example of pixel art technique, no dither required.
At any rate, It's still great that someone is taking initiative to bring back the pixel love back at DA, as it was dying, beneath a load of furries, and smilies...

Adam (Level 9 Human) @ 2/1/2008 08:52

"Dithering or demonstrated Pixel Technique would have been a better phrase." sounds better. I think you should change it in the text too, it's hard to find it in your comments.

And actually Bisques example features many of those: manual AA, a kind of selout, and decent shading. It's far from the floodfill and oekaki examples you linked here.

Anyway, thumbs up for the hard work!

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 2/1/2008 05:52

there is an oekaki gallery in the manga section.

Akira (Level 5 Sniper) @ 2/1/2008 00:03

Bring in an Oekaki gallery? Oekaki pretty much describes the examples you posted. I think the mods here use the term to differentiate between that type of art and pixel art.

ShoneGold (Level 1 Rookie) @ 1/31/2008 21:43

Whoops sorry about those links...maybe someone cleverer than myself could fix them.

I am not just writing the preceding note to Bisque, it is an open letter to all of you.

ShoneGold (Level 1 Rookie) @ 1/31/2008 21:29

Bisque...Yes basically that is what I am saying....and the reason I am saying that is because when the average kid on msPaint sees this work, there will be little discernment on their part that it is anything more than they can do with brushes and bucket fill on msPaint. They would be able to reproduce a piece which is quite similar in appearance to yours without using PixelArt technique of high magnification and using the pencil tool set on 1 pixel and hand laying the majority of the pixels with care on an individual basis other than the lineart...particularly as your piece is so very large.

Here are some examples of charming Digital drawings which I regard is not Pixelart. Why? Because two of the pieces have heavy outlines not created with a single pixel outline and the third is more a lineart sketch....all three have bucket fill and some display brush work which would not require magnification. Not all flood filled Digital Art is as charming as this in the PA galleries and it gradually moves around the scale of pixelArt and non Pixel art which can on occasions come down to a purely subjective judgment on my part.... http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs24/f/2008/030/1/1/_Peace__by_raptorsky.gif http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs23/f/2008/030/b/d/Dia_feliz_by_Garoto_de_penas.png http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs22/f/2008/030/3/8/Sapphire_Kynn_by_gelertyfun4every1.gif

Please do not argue the case for these pieces of work they are not acceptable under the definition to which I work. I need boundaries to work to, I need cut off lines as much as anyone else. I cannot be reviewing thousands of pieces a week and not have set parameters for myself. I have been at it every day for over 6 months, I know what sort of boundaries I need to maintain, if we are to create clean tidy galleries to show off your quality PixelArt. I know I will be cutting off some of the meat along with the fat.....I do understand this.

I am not a power hungry, dictatorial old dragon, nor am I trying to re define Pixelart, I am merely someone attempting to achieve the impossible in the shortest possible time, in probably the worlds toughest place for PixelArt. I am busting my guts so we can really see PixelArt happening as a known and respected artform as opposed to kids doodles on Paint......we need to get past the phrase...."I did it on Paint, so it must be Pixel Art"

Regrettably, I will not please everyone and I may well be loathed by some and more than likely vilified by others, all of which will be unfair and unjust to me but well tough! Too many folks lose sight of what is important by trying to be loved and popular.... hate me, loath me, abuse me, report me, I will take it all. I have a single focus and that is to make PixelArt great at dA which in turn will eventually mean the world. You can walk with me or away from me....please yourself. Hang in there with me and I reckon it will be a fun ride! If you walk with me, can you please suggest your work to me....don't let me overlook you, I am immensely busy and I forget sometimes to check you for a DD.

Bisque (Level 3 Sergeant) @ 1/31/2008 18:30

so something like what i posted as an example wouldnt make it as a Pixel DD, because..it looks too close to non pixel art? Or am i still not understanding..

@Metaru: I'm not whinnning i'm just cranky and confused LOL

Metaru (Level 8 Brigadier General) @ 1/31/2008 17:41

stop all the whinning folks. remember, I AM the emo here.

The B.O.B. (Level 11 Master Assassin) @ 1/31/2008 16:54

Bisque, you ARE a pixel artist. I've seen you're work, and it's pixel art(if not great pixel art). Maybe Shone mistyped something again.(at any rate, don't shoot anyone till we solve this mystery)

ShoneGold (Level 1 Rookie) @ 1/31/2008 16:53

Tymon...I can see one or two potential pieces in your gallery. Private note me at dA please.

Bisque...Never in my wildest ranting would I suggest you weren't a PixelArtist and a most accomplished one but you just gave a very good example of what would create a real headache for me if this style of art was given a DD feature at dA, owing to the sort of subtle difference between PixelArt and Digital drawing, for someone who was not so versed in the recognition of PixelArt. This was the very thing I was trying to describe.

Haze01...I pretty much don't need miscat reports done now, I try to put in several hours a day moving miscats, they pile in continuously over a 24 hour period and I do need the occasional night of sleep, so at any given time there will be miscats in some galleries ....the only category I am not on top of is the non iso Character section. If anyone wants to press the miscat button and tell me what is Fanart and should be moved, that would be awesome. I handle all the report desk moving of PA as well. I have the Dollers pushing the miscat button in characters, for Dolls as we speak....but Fanart is a hassle to identify for me.

Haze01 (Level 1 Intern) @ 1/31/2008 15:32

lollige: If you see floodfills, cheap paint drawings, or other tooled art on DA in the Pixel Art section, you can report it as a miscategorization that should be in the Digital Drawings section.

Bisque (Level 3 Sergeant) @ 1/31/2008 14:30

so apparently I'm not a pixel artist then

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 1/31/2008 12:51

hey, so am I and I got 2!

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 1/31/2008 12:31

You did not get one yet Tymon? Your work is really worth one!
I guess you better message shonegold on dA and you'll feel how its like to get one ;)

ShoneGold (Level 1 Rookie) @ 1/31/2008 03:35

The B.O.B...Give the man the prize!

Exactly!

Metaru... After 5-6 six hours a day over the last 6 months sorting through the PA Gallery you better believe I am starting to get an eye for it!

leel...Congratulations! =)

ShoneGold (Level 1 Rookie) @ 1/31/2008 03:19

Adam...Let me clarify this a little further down but each piece is individual and unique and needs to be viewed in that way but I need to cover my ass with the hundreds of msPaint doodles I have to review daily in the gallery. =)

MashPotato...Indeed, I do mean demonstrated Pixel technique, I was not clear enough when I wrote this article, I think I wrote it at about 2am my time, after working for several hours at dA, thank you for the phrase. You are well overdue for a DD feature...please PM me at dA and suggest the piece you feel most deserves a DD Feature for your first...then please update me with your next suggestion.

Tymon...What is pointless? A DD feature? Let me tell you, it feels damn good to be at the centre of attention of thousands of people for a day! Shortly it will explode to tens of thousands of people viewing your DD ;-)

Lollige...Dithering or demonstrated Pixel Technique would have been a better phrase.

Frost...Thank you! I believe PixelArt is worth it. It is an awesome art form.

Larwick...Poor choice of definition but it was in an effort to get my point across of demonstrated laying of pixels, shouldn't try to write to experts in their field at 2am in the morning without proofing it first!

Opacus...As I said before! =)

Ensellitis... =D I will be back shortly to tell you about the next PA Competition I am running..there will be prizes!

Bisque...As charming as your work is, overall I agree, I see very little demonstrated Pixel technique in your work, that is quite true.

Dumbo...Gotta believe it man! =p

Lollige...Appreciate the response to Bisque...this is 100% correct....in training for my role are ya? Hang in there I may well die of exhaustion before too long! =D

Skeddles...when I go into folks' list of artwork here, I see thumbs to the left which I need to press for a download....at dA you go into a persons piece of work and often you need to press the download button to the left unless it is saved in PNG file format. Both appear with the same time delay in full view. However, I hear what you are saying and this is on my list of to-do for the PA Galleries.

My high priorities were getting management behind PixelArt...done! ...Ridding the Gallery of JPG files...done! Separating the Dolls from PixelArt...done! Getting fanart and ripped sprites out of PixelArt....done! Keeping miscats under control.... mostly done! Getting Daily Deviations happening regularly....done! ....Educating the general population about Pixelart...to do. Elevating PixelArt to a respected and understood artform....to do. To bring the PixelArt community into the enormous artistic spotlight which will be deviatART in the very near future....to do. Build a larger PixelArt community who will recognize and fave quality PixelArt and build the fave numbers for the artists..to do. I want to see the faves in for PixelArt in the thousands not the hundreds.....can't be done? Bloody oath it can be done mate! =D

However getting this download thing fixed is low on my priorities so I guess the world will need to wait to see your lovely work. I am glad Fool and a few other of you guys don't feel that way. I need quality PixelArt to promote Pi>*** Message truncated (4000 chars max) ***

leel (Level 5 Killer Klown) @ 1/30/2008 17:15

woot i won a challenge once.

>_>

*doesn't know how to be subtle about it*
*just realized it was moved out of the pixel art section.. boo*

Metaru (Level 8 Brigadier General) @ 1/30/2008 16:53

after all, as BOB well said, We all got our "Detect Non PIxelart Element" Skill at Level 6.

AKA we all have enough pixels in our eyes to notice such thing.

7even (Level 9 T-rex) @ 1/30/2008 16:04

The B.O.B. (Level 11 Master Assassin) @ 1/30/2008 15:32

   How about this, although the post is read as above, just think of a daily deviation qualification as " a fine example or display of PIXEL ART TECHNIQUE used in a correct, or outstanding manner. Pixel art techniques can come in many forms, but are all mainly derived from using hand made pieces-ie, NO autodither, autoAA, gradients, etc...hand placement, and control are key.
*and yes, most of the time it's fairly obvious to the trained pixel artist's eyes, what is and isn't 'hand' made."

   As is the case, we understand that certain pixel art games aren't completely made to this fashion, as time is money, and any tool to make the job easier and quicker will obviously be applauded by the project manager or employer(though quality may suffer a bit...or something). However, this site in particular would rather the artist or person develop these techniques and grow, without relying on easy made techniques, to broaden their understanding of the form, and help them become a better artist, not only in pixel art, but in other art forms as well. This, I hope, is the same mantra that is being echoed in Deviant art's pixel art gallery now a days.
   As far as dithering, don't think it's necessary, if that particular person's style calls for it, much less, needs it. Flood fills are gross as well, just like rips and edits.

Dem's my two pesos, son..

Larwick (Level 8 Tengu) @ 1/30/2008 15:30

Indeed.

Opacus (Level 7 Ichikyu) @ 1/30/2008 15:22

And as I said before, I think only her discription is a bit wrong, not her perception.
Both http://shadowwwolf.deviantart.com/art/Tree-56118557 and http://shadowwwolf.deviantart.com/art/Dodonpachi-65574787 got a DD, and there is no dithering on them whatsoever.

Opacus (Level 7 Ichikyu) @ 1/30/2008 15:20

Don't take him so seriously man, he's just joking around.

Bisque (Level 3 Sergeant) @ 1/30/2008 14:59

@skull: DA wont allow you to upload a gif bigger than 100x100 w/o a preview file.

@Lollige: uhm. Although I understand that a situation like that could arise, making a 'dither only' rule simply b/c you dont want to have to deal with people disputing category moves is in no way a reasonable decision, so I doubt that's the case here.

Either way we're talking about DDs for the Pixel Art Gallery, not the Dither Gallery.

All I'm saying is that more clarification is needed.

I mean look..

No Dither (Flood Filled)

No Dither (Detailed)

neither of these images use dithering anywhere. The first -obviously- would not qualify, but what about the 2nd?

"It needs some reasonable demonstration of hand laid pixels."

I think this part is 100% correct. If it doesnt look hand layed then it's a no-go, but there are so many more ways to do pixel art other than just dithering, so mentioning dithering as a must just adds confusions I think.

Larwick (Level 8 Tengu) @ 1/30/2008 14:56

Skull, i thought if you added a gif larger than a certain amount, it would automatically need a preview. If you submit png's they don't need a preview. Right?

Everyone's entitled to their opinions of places. I find alot about DA to be lacking, obviously, we refer to it in quite a derogeratory manner over here at PJ. However it is a really good place to go if you need to get yourself seen in the 'art world', at least to a certain extent. Also, there's a chance here for us to help improve it when it comes to PixelArt. Don't wanna push anyone though.

About the dithering thing, i think a better wording for the situation is needed. Eg. "Art aiming to be Pixelart with low standards in it's field will not be classed as such at DA" etc etc. Then cell-shaded stuff will be accepted, right?

Skull (Level 11 CEO) @ 1/30/2008 14:35

If you only upload the detail file, there's no need for the preview file, like here on PJ.
For example, my Nice One, Gary. doesn't have a preview file on dA and that works just fine.

Ensellitis (Level 11 Sensei) @ 1/30/2008 13:52

you are fucking stupid. spam means unsolicited. 2 posts does not make it spam, if they were we wouldnt have accepted them.

i am done arguing with you

dumbo (Level 4 Mercenary) @ 1/30/2008 13:30

I agree with you on that 100% skeddles...

Squirrelsquid (Level 4 Rubbish) @ 1/30/2008 13:30

I guess I will get me a DA account soon - wonder why I didn't register yet :P

surt (Level 11 Godfather) @ 1/30/2008 13:27

Intrusive ads, slow, suck up culture and silly dithering rules? No thank you.

skeddles (Level 11 Sphinx) @ 1/30/2008 13:13

I would submit my pixels to DA, but people cant view them without clicking download. Not worth it. If thats fixed, then I will but now, no. Guess DA will live without my pixels.

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 1/30/2008 12:50

Bisque, I fully agree with you that its pixel art.
But.. If you were a gallery director. and people were making random doodles in paint and then floodfill it.. The only way to stop that is to say: No floodfills.
Then some piece like yours comes, and someone who's flood fill was moved and hates everyone now will accuse the person who submitted that as floodfill too. If the gallery director wont move that out, he will want his piece of floodfilled pixel art back too.

Here on PJ mods can accuse people for having pornographic pictures submitted when they sumbit random paint floodfilled doodles.
on dA you cant...

dumbo (Level 4 Mercenary) @ 1/30/2008 12:47

You

those DD like no one I've ever seen!

... stalker.

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 1/30/2008 12:46

opacus is double right.
That I posted the first one makes it spam XD

Bisque (Level 3 Sergeant) @ 1/30/2008 12:11

Your perception of..or atleast...description of what you think qualifies as pixel art (or atleast pixel art 'worthy' of being fatured by you) is a little skewed. I for the most part do not dither. Do you see any dithering HERE? No, but that doesn't mean it's not pixel art. Dithering is a style choice not a necessity for the art genre.

I think a better/further explanation may be needed here.

Opacus (Level 7 Ichikyu) @ 1/30/2008 11:21

Lollige actually posted the first one.

Ensellitis (Level 11 Sensei) @ 1/30/2008 11:11

still doesnt make spam. i think you need to learn some terminology

if you got a problem with the lack of news then submit some.

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 1/30/2008 10:21

it is if you realize there were no other posts ens ;)

Skull (Level 11 CEO) @ 1/30/2008 09:45

The DD club is so awesome.. (Thanks go to Ens for the invite)
ShoneGold has really done wonders for DeviantArt, my hats off to you, and I only hope this gets a good few artists on there to clean out the filth. :o

Khris (Level 1 Thug) @ 1/30/2008 09:45

Huh, didn't think someone could recommend their own work.

Otherwise, I also agree about the dither issue being an odd requirement. Dithering is a technique and does not define pixel art. Likewise, does crosshatching define pencil, ink, or brushwork?

Ensellitis (Level 11 Sensei) @ 1/30/2008 09:28

2 posts in a month isnt spam dummy

Opacus (Level 7 Ichikyu) @ 1/30/2008 08:35

Well my tree, and Dodonpachi both got featured and neither of em use any dithering so...

Larwick (Level 8 Tengu) @ 1/30/2008 08:24

Yes, well done for the hard work ShoneGold!
I also don't fully understand the dithering thing..

Frost (Level 6 Serial Killer) @ 1/30/2008 07:40

Thumbs up for your hard work.

Hapiel (Level 11 Bonsai) @ 1/30/2008 07:30

I do still not fully agree about not accepting nondithered pixel art but I understand its importance.

PJ is getting really spammed with news items about dA XD

MashPotato (Level 7 Underboss) @ 1/30/2008 06:53

Mm, I'm a little unclear on the dithering issue as well, although from the rest of the paragraph it sounds like you may mean any demonstration of pixel technique (so things like aa are also included). I hope so, because a lot of people (including me

) don't use dithering very much!

Adam (Level 9 Human) @ 1/30/2008 06:30

"I will also resist featuring work which displays little or no dithering."

Hmmm. I'm not sure this should be treated that rigorous.

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