challenge and contest ideas

[brynn]

Hi Friends,
I thought I'd start a thread for ideas for challenges and contests.  Anyone is welcome to post their ideas, and comment on others' ideas.  It's quite likely we'll use some of them!

At the moment, I was just trying to think of something for Spring season or Easter.  What do you think about a contest for making greeting cards?  I was thinking of Easter cards, but since the contests are year round, they could be submitted for any occasion or holiday.

   Duh!  And today is Valentines Day.  I should have thought of this a few weeks ago!

For a challenge, I was thinking of (don't laugh) drawing rocks.  It's something I find quite hard to do, even with pencil and paper or paints.  In this challenge, I would personally want to try it without using any filters (except for blur).  But I'm not sure I would make that part of the challenge (for everyone).

Anyone else have ideas?

[Lazur]

How about an "Inkscape guru" smilely contest?


In my humble opinion, besides the lack of members contributing overall, simple challenges/contest are not working due to the lack of something "plus".

Drawing for art's sake may not suit everyone. 
As everyone could come up with an idea they would like to draw.
I would prefer drawing a decent rope pattern, knotworks, and similar stuff too. 
But simple typographic contests -or type fights- or graffiti related still would be fine.
Others may like fashion designing more for example.
No need for contests to showcase such personal related works, they could also stand alone.
Or in subtopics?


How exactly such a contest would work then?
It would and/or it should give guides to the creative juices.
Some more focus on a technic, some more restriction on the theme.
 
In general, however it would need competitive people with creativity but with a lack of inspiration.
And affordable time.


Also, that "plus" is missing.
Yet it may not be conveying enough to join a contest/challenge just because a featured spot on the frontpage of the gallery.
Not saying a "reward" of any kind could get more real attention. Perhaps some other play factors should be used.
Like that open comic challenge was fun, but maybe too complex.

[brynn]

I would prefer drawing a decent rope pattern, knotworks, and similar stuff too.

That would be ideal for challenges!

Challenges are a way to learn new skills, such as draw a rope pattern.  Or maybe, what kind of different things can be you draw with Stitch Sub-Paths, or other feature?

Contests are more opportunities to build the gallery, and make it look nice.

Of course, since the Inkscape website has finally started to be developed, people will be more interested in participating there.  I had no way to know the Inkscape website was about to be developed, when I first started this site.  But I still have interest, time, and motivation for Inkscape Community, so there are no plans for closing.  Our Inkscape Tutorials page (Home tab) is very popular, despite the lack of participation in forum and gallery.

Anyway, if you have any ideas, please feel free to post 

I don't know what "something plus" would be.  At this point, the only "plus" we have (compared to IF) is an admin who participates.  Well, also tutorials and gallery.  But IF has the history, and not many people apparently see the need or benefit of participating in other forums.  If there would be some way to get some status from the developers, that might help.  But I have NO idea how to get that!  I have been working hard on the Inkscape website (I wrote several of the new pages, including the updated FAQ, which is a beast of a page!) but it takes time, energy, and commitment, to gain status.  It can't be instantly earned.

I could be what they call an "eternal optimist" 

[Lazur]

Sorry I'm just thinking way too negative.

I don't know what "something plus" would be.  At this point, the only "plus" we have (compared to IF) is an admin who participates.  Well, also tutorials and gallery.

A "plus" I meant of the context of the challenge itself.
Not just showcasing, but to get something other than experience in reward.   
Something cooperative if you will. That needs interaction.
That is not predictable.

Curiosity may be another key.

A bit different example on cooperative work:




But in general.

Inkscapeforum's has 60% of its topics from newbies not reading the manual. Or more.
Meaning, they would hardly put in the effort to participate in a challenge. Way out of comfort zone.
Same by the competitions, where those entered that actually can handle the tools quite well.

This forum can give a more organised help for the same people, who won't join in the exact same way.

Challenges are a way to learn new skills

Yes, but people may not want to show how bad they are at the start.

Contests are more opportunities to build the gallery, and make it look nice.

As far as I know inkscape.org offers 10 MB space for each members.
Not much of a space for the heavy duty.

Anyway, if you have any ideas, please feel free to post 

My idea was to start some basic descriptive geometry challenges.
Though I lack on the jargon. And maybe would need to dig deeper into jessyink.

[brynn]

If it were a bunch of women, or mostly women, we could make quilt squares (not like that zoom quilt, but like an old fashioned bed quilt).  That would be easy enough for new users.

This forum can give a more organised help for the same people, who won't join in the exact same way.

That's what I was thinking, when I made the snowflake challenge, where I provided a tutorial, to go with it.  Maybe we could think of another idea where we provide a tutorial?

I don't know what "descriptive geometry" is.  Is it something new users would be able to do? jessyink doesn't sound like a new user/beginner level.  Or do you mean that new users probably would not be pariticipating in challenges and contest, and we should focus on intermediate and advanced users?

[Lazur]

Quilt squares can get tricky if drawn with no strokes, but filled areas next to eachother.
Avoiding rendering issues of double segments/gaps from anti-aliasing.


Not sure if tutorial-based challenges would work for their own sake =inviting first attempts.

A good one would be challenging on the concept and not the skills used or something similar.



Descriptive geometry is a way to visualize 3D by construction in 2D. The jessyink part is just my take, showcasing possible solutions.
Suggested the idea first here.
Mostly these would be challenges for those who can use the tools but want to learn a bit on drawing.

Like drawing cast shadows, as on the first image here.

[Janne]

Lack of time and being a bit shy because I'm not a 'designer' has kept me silent for a while - but I like the idea about typography - actually something I'd like to work with

[brynn]

Splitting out last 3 replies into own topic....but which board, I'm not sure where to put.  Since we have the galleries, I didn't make a board for showing work.  Maybe I should?  People could still upload to their gallery, but post in the "show work" board, to get comments. 

Thoughts?

[spaventapasseri]

What about an isometric city, village, town made entirely with Inkscape? I opened a same contest few months ago on the italian forum but since than I had no opportunities to work properly on it. I draw only a table  :lol:ahah , but would be nice create something like this and later put all together in the same city our buildings , cars, ect ect..

Something like this

isometric cities

What do you think?

[brynn]

Oh, that looks like a lot of fun!  Do we need to give any kind of style or theme?  So it looks like it works as all the same city?  Or proportions?  I guess scaling isn't a problem.  But someone would have to take the time to do the scaling and putting all together.

[spaventapasseri]

I think we should use all the same isometric template maybe as reference , what do you think?

[brynn]

You mean make a template with the isometric grid, which has been customized in whatever way we need it.  And then attach it to the thread, so that people can download it.

That might help....although it might be confusing for newbies.  If we could customize it enough, it might work....  Well assuming we can get people involved.  But we could put an outline on the template, showing the boundaries of the city.  Or maybe draw the streets on it?

[spaventapasseri]

I mean use a template like this for example https://openclipart.org/detail/204660/11x17-isometric-grid
for have all of us the same kind of proportion.

We can showing the boundaries as you mentioned , for example each member can choose a piece of land where can build in his own way based to what he/she likes more and capable of.

[brynn]

Oh ok, that would be great!  Except should it probably be vector instead of PNG?

What's the size of each cube?  Depending on what size they are, we might want to make it bigger -- maybe like triangle shaped?  Like basically duplicate and flip it over. 

Should we draw the streets in?  Draw a few streets, and maybe even a park?

[spaventapasseri]

What's the size of each cube?

I downloaded the one from openclipart 11x17 and used that size as reference. Anyway is just an idea is not my drawing style but I think is challenging and fun 

Should we draw the streets in?  Draw a few streets, and maybe even a park?

Would be great

[brynn]

I'm starting the base grid for spavenatpasseri's idea.  If anyone is interested in participating, start thinking of what kind of building or other feature you might like to contribute.

Since it's based on an isometric grid,  buildings would work best.  But I wouldn't want to stifle anyone's creativity

Since it will be a group effort, it would be hard to make it a contest, so we'll call this one a challenge.  Anyway, as soon as I have the base, I'll start a separate topic and post the SVG file. 

By the way, this is a perfect challenge for newbies to get their feet wet in posting their artwork.  I promise, you'll be amazed how much and how fast you can learn by sharing your drawings publically

[Lazur]

Inktober is on its way -shall we come up with something similar?

Edit:
Idea is also mentioned here.

[Moini]

I think this could be fun! If it works out for the website, that would be cooler (although, the larger the audience, the less probable it would be that I'd publish anything...)

[brynn]

Yeah I was almost finished making the isometric, city block grid for that, when something came up, and I got distracted.

Never heard of Jake Parker.  I would want to be sure that he's not related to the Parker corporation which produces Parker pens and writing implements.  But if not, I don't see any reason not to participate.

I'd say the first step is to decide whether the website is going to handle it, or if we want to do it in forums?  It looks like Martin wants to do it on the website, by that gl Issue. 

For us here, I could make a dedicated domain or sub-domain for it.  Or special webpage for it.  Or if that's too much, we could make a special album for it in the gallery.  Or if that's not wanted, we could just make a topic for it.  But first, we need to figure out if the website it going to handle it.

Maybe we should discuss in the upcoming Vectors meeting on Sat?  Although that would leave only about 8 or 10 hours to organize it, since Sun is Oct 1st.  I'll post a reply to that Issue, to try and get the ball rolling, one way or another.

[brynn]

2nd thoughts.

It sounds like the purpose of the contest challenge is to improve sketching skills.  Does that mean for Inkscape, we should be limited to Pen, Pencil, or Calligraphy tools (along with related LPEs)?  What about Node tool?  A sketch artist needs raw sketching skills, more than editing skills.  Right?