Proposal

[Nelson Marques]

On Thu, 2010-04-22 at 21:26 +0200, wonderer wrote:
> Hy,
> 
> here are my 2 Cents...
> 
> >  Launch a challenge in existing artist communities through a cooperation
> > protocol between Fedora and those communities, for some quick examples:
> >   
> Sounds good. With the right words you can reach very much people.

And those words would be?

> >  * opendesktop.org (gnome-look.org, kde-look.org, etc);
> >  * deviantart.com
> >  * gnome.org and kde.org (?? this people are most likely buried with
> > work already)
> >  * suggestions from current artists
> >
> >  This challenge should be a "call to arms" oriented campaign in which
> > artists are invited to produce artwork for Fedora Project. As things are
> > not going to be much random, this is what I though that is going to be
> > needed:
> >
> >  #1 - Fedora 14 Theme > this has to be decided prior.
> >   
> The "Theme" is a very wide area ...

well, I called "theme" the design orientation for that release. Imagine
this:

Fedora 13 > science, rocketry etc. S

> >  #2 - A document that provides guidelines for participants to comply
> > (this should be accomplished by the Fedora Design Team, as it's their
> > field of action/expertise).
> >   
> See https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Logo/UsageGuidelines2
> Thats the first one I found. I think some Artworkers have some
> pre-prepared Links to send them out ;-)

I understand that, but for instance, if we launch a challenge, lets
imagine for a Meta-Theme (GNOME). It would be nice to have a more
objective document on how what colours should be adviced (eventually
brand colours), in which fields, etc... Stuff like, "there should be no
text in backgrounds... all that information if we make such a thing
should be recompiled into a plain document for easy check, instead of
the full armoured dense information on the wiki.

I don't want to add more work to Design Team, but I would recon this
could be great to have for new people who want to make a "fedora" theme.

I mean it would be nasty to have people submitting opensuse-greenish
artwork for fedora... So we should actually provide them with some
useful information.

I know this sounds restrictive, but the goal is to provide guidelines
for them to work according to the design teams specifications.


> 
> >  #3 - A place where artists can submit their work. (this shouldnt be too
> > complicated and I would suggest to use a wiki page for this).
> >   
> See https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/F13_Artwork (as soon as the Name and
> Slogan is ready artists have enough input to go on). Then they should
> (as always) send a Mail to the artwork mailing list for discussion.
> If you want to work with them in a more collaborate way you can use
> gobby and/or etherpad-clones like http://typewith.me/.
> Then we also have fedoratalk with some conference rooms.
> You see there are many ways of communicating together. You just have to
> use it.

True. We need also to promote those tools in a later stage for the sake
of everyone. Tools like gobby really amazed me.

> >  #4 - Licensing for submitted artwork (this is for sure something I have
> > no knowledge, I believe that eventually there are people here who have
> > done similiar things in the past, so selecting and highlighting such
> > would be great).
> >   
> License (as you already know) will be cc-licenced.
> >  #5 - A committee to analyze the submitted artwork. We can run this as
> > Fedora or eventually also invite people from other communities, such as
> > GNOME, KDE, etc. If this artwork is going to be enabled by Fedora and
> > distributed for KDE/GNOME, makes sense to me to have someone from their
> > project on this also. See such option as strengthening bonds between us
> > and them.
> >   
> Hmm, my personal opinion would be that the Artwork-Team and the
> Mailinglist and IRC around it should be sufficient and maybe there are
> some of them who are happy to join your idea.
> >  #6 - A proper Marketing/Communication campaign for this. We should be
> > able to reach everyone.
> >  #7 - Decide what kind of artwork we want (ex: GNOME Meta Themes, KDE
> > themes, Icon Themes, wallpapers, videos ?).
> >   
> - Wallpapers (several ones around the Theming)
> - Iconsets
> - Countdown Graphic
> - Banners (Alpha banner, Beta Banner, Release banner, Countdown Banner,
> Download Banner, Website Banner, etc.)
> - Splash-screen / Install screen
> - DVD/CD sleeves
> - Release Party Posters

I would probably be more restrictive, on wallpapers and themes...
eventually leave the Fedora Branded stuff to people who are already on
our team. If artists would like to provide art for those, maybe after
they join the actual respective teams? Letting them have something to
look for in the future is not a bad thing.


> 
> For Spins and Window Managers (Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE...) I see some
> timing / ressource / including / coordination problems.
> Tip for the time-planing: do not forget Testing and QA work in the
> timeline.

We establish a time-line and date. Those who comply can see their work
promoted by Fedora, those who don't have always the normal channels.


> 
> >  #8 - Some Ambassadorial support work. I would recon that _current_
> > artists who are ambassadors should have a key role here. As artists they
> > might be enrolled on other existing communities, they for sure talk the
> > same language as other artists and know how to attract people in a more
> > effective way than we can at Marketing. As for standard non-artist
> > Ambassadors, I believe they can help a lot also, as running such project
> > is mainly Public Relations work (something I suck at).
> >   
> I think thats less a Fedora Marketing (global) issue than more a PR
> (localized) issue to reach them. Every artist lives in his or her small
> world and you have to reach them more or less indididually. But you will
> come very soon to that point ;-)

Yeah, that does make all the sense. Like I said before, I don't speak
their language, which eventually would trigger artist ambassadors to
qualify better.


> >  Some doubts:
> >
> >  - If we run such campaign, who decides if we can include or not
> > community based artwork? Can we freely include on F14 some extra stuff
> > that we get from such a campaign ?
> >   
> Shure. Why not?! Our artwork is fully Community based...
> >  - The tools... we are promoting open source, but if we scroll through
> > Deviant Art for instance, there is work which is distributed with a
> > friendly license, but is generated in maybe non-friendly software, such
> > as OS X platforms and eventually not GIMP/Inkscape stuff. Should we
> > apply restrictions and check for headers and traces of non-oss in the
> > submitted artwork? 
> >   
> There are no restrictions. There never was. You only have to provide
> your work under cc-license and the sourcecode so that modifications can
> be done from everyone.

That is good. Wider audience.


> >  - I would like submitters to place their artwork in place where FAS
> > registration is demanded. In the rush of submitting their work, they
> > will go through that step with some "pleasure". If such is done, with a
> > single group apply (ex: design-team) and joining a mailling list, their
> > approach as a potential Fedora contributor is basically done. This could
> > be explored.
> >   
> This is how it works.

Even better. More time to locate in other stuff and less people to
hassle.

> >  - Ice breaking... People who might want to submit artwork will be for
> > sure in contact with some of our people. For example we can probably
> > forward them for a "help list" for this event or existing list such as
> > design-team to clear some doubts. Doing such will place them directly in
> > contact with Fedora Teams and will work as a Ice Breaker. This should
> > probably make their possible integration in the future much easier, as
> > they will start having friendly voices around.
> >   
> The Mailinglist helped always new contributors. Mostly it goes the open
> way like this:
> 
> $New_One: Hey, I'm new here. I have $cool_wallpaper and $cool_Iconset.
> Do you like it?!
> $Experienced_Fedora_Artworker: This looks pretty nice. Please take also
> a look at $Fedora_Design_rules for proper dimensions/colors, etc. It
> would be nice if you can put it into the $wiki or on to your
> $fedora_people Account that we all can participate and improve it.
> $New_One: Well, I'm not so experienced and I have done this with
> $commercial_software. Is that ok?!
> $Experienced_Fedora_Artworker: Not so much, because we do it the
> OpenSource way (here: include $4-Foundations explanation, Opensource,
> cc-licence, etc.) Please take a look at $Design_spin or
> $Opensource_artwork_tools_links and try to adjust and edit your idea so
> that it fits into that.
> $New_One: Cool. I will do so. You guys and girls rock!
> >  - Motivation - Fedora is supposed to be installed in 24 million
> > computers worldwide (or so some say). This is a kick-ass distribution
> > channel for artists. It should provide enough motivation for them to
> > participate (if we are friendly with rules).
> >   
> Jep. Thats a good start for e.g. an article about Fedora Artwork or some
> interview how it is made, etc.

Do we have something done in this field? If not, how can I help with
it ?

> >  - Marketing Involvement > I'm not sure how many people face this, but
> > this is a typical marketing promotion campaign. It does require some
> > work and free time. I'm making myself available for this and I can nag
> > my employer to give me 5 hours weekly to work on this, plus my free
> > time.
> >   
> Yeah, but I think 5-10h can be to a bit to little. In my experience if
> such a campaign comes up its more like 3-4h a day / 7 days.
> >  - Ambassadorial Work > I'm not sure on how this can be done, so some
> > feedback from Ambassadors is welcome, and eventually we can see how we
> > can help each other. Even between the involved departments/teams of
> > Fedora in such, their work as moderators and promoters should be a must.
> >   
> I think we have proper channels for distribution there (FWN, planet,
> Mailinglists, wiki).

We can reach many people, but are we reaching the potential
contributors ? If so... good, cause there are other fields in which we
allocate more time.

> 
> As I said in my first sentence: you can reach very much people.
> 
> But you must IMHO also face the fact that it will be hard work and you
> have to be very flexible all day and all night to communicate with
> artists, the different Fedora Teams involved, organize Mailings on the
> Mailinglist, meetings on IRC, structured timeplaning (I think here of
> the good and nice Mails from John Poelestra which reminds us always on
> the deadlines), be patient with soft souls and kick-ass to the lazy Ones

I'm not much of a cop to be running after people with the beatstick :(
But we can arrange something, a structured roadmap will help.

> - Designers and artists are often (if they are not working in a
> $design_agency VERY lazy :-) ), promote infos to all kind of people in
> all kinds of shades, etc.



> Because if you are not that way it can be bad not only for that small
> project inside Fedora it could be very harmfull in the whole community!
> If you are up to it I would say build a wikipage, make a timeplan (e.g.
> beginning short before the Release Partys begin, because you can profit
> from those events) and rock it...

Makes sense. 

> 
> mit freundlichen Grüßen / best regards
> Henrik Heigl - wonderer at fedoraproject.org
> 
> PGP/GnuPG: 8237 D432 0616 D567 DBC6  3FE3 0D52 B374 F468 A5F0
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Nelson Marques
Evil Clown (http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/evilclown.htm)