Discussion Random Chat Megathread Mk II

[Sparkle]

I've thought a couple of times that a comp where all have to draw our designs with pen and paper would be good for a laugh!

 

[caloschwaby]

I've thought a couple of times that a comp where all have to draw our designs with pen and paper would be good for a laugh!

See, I'm far better at photoshop than I am drawing (and I can easily remove mistakes which I make alot), but by drawing designs I can far more easily conceptualise what I want.

Completely left-of-field here and just thinking on the go from what you suggested - what if we draw a design and each drawn concept gets allocated at random to another designer who builds off of that original concept using digital editing software?

 

[Sparkle]

Completely left-of-field here and just thinking on the go - what if we draw a design and each drawn concept gets allocated at random to another designer who builds off of that original concept using digital editing software?

It would probably just end up the same as what we have now, except the lower-ranked designers ideas are on good templates and the higher-ranked designers ideas are on not-so-good templates. It would be interesting to design someone else's concept, but it would still end up with the realistic templates streaking away

In saying that though, I've wondered now how competitive my designs might be if they were on realistic templates. I hate to boast, but I thought my T20A and Can-Am designs weren't too bad but the lousy template let them down, so it would be fascinating to see how they would have competed on a different template

 

[Dylan8]

All said, if you have ideas and the know how to put them onto a template then just do it. Don't be disheartened if you don't win a popularity contest on the only tiny corner of the internet dedicated to this niche. You pick up the technical skills from repetition and messing about.

 

[Sparkle]

All said, if you have ideas and the know how to put them onto a template then just do it. Don't be disheartened if you don't win a popularity contest on the only tiny corner of the internet dedicated to this niche. You pick up the technical skills from repetition and messing about.

Unfortunately it's easier said than done, because after a while it becomes disheartening when work that you put hours of time into is demolished in competitions, because most of the competitions on here are 'designing to win'. I know it's only a small internet forum, but when you struggle to get a single vote it does beg the question 'what's the point' of continuing

At the moment, I look at my NAFLR ideas, then look at what I'll be designing them with, and think 'what's the point'

 

[Sparkle]

For reference, I spent a long time quite a long time coming up with ideas, testing my ideas and then putting together the final design for Can-Am, and I was proud of what I submitted. I knew it wouldn't win the entire competition, but I was hoping to sneak a few wins and maybe challenge for the playoffs.

But when I'm getting results like these, it's just not a great feeling:



*sorry NY Turtles, fantastic design but I'm throwing you under the bus here

 

[Bacon Warrior]

I spent 2 years getting the shit kicked out of me in nearly every comp.

 

[Bwillow11]

What about if everyone in a competition used the same photo template which could be adapted to any program, and for fairness every entry has to be submitted in a low pixel form as not to disadvantage paint users?

Activity has most certainly slowed down, and a key indicator of this is the amount of posts in the 'Jumper Ideas for [{Insert Year}]'. This thread is a place for just about anyone to post their ideas at any time, yet activity on there has completely slowed down, and I think that is a major problem.

 

[Dylan8]

For reference, I spent a long time quite a long time coming up with ideas, testing my ideas and then putting together the final design for Can-Am, and I was proud of what I submitted. I knew it wouldn't win the entire competition, but I was hoping to sneak a few wins and maybe challenge for the playoffs.

But when I'm getting results like these, it's just not a great feeling:

View attachment 713649

*sorry NY Turtles, fantastic design but I'm throwing you under the bus here

If it's the competition aspect that is bothering you than you can always make portfolio threads.

 

[The_torpedo]

Activity has most certainly slowed down, and a key indicator of this is the amount of posts in the 'Jumper Ideas for [{Insert Year}]'. This thread is a place for just about anyone to post their ideas at any time, yet activity on there has completely slowed down, and I think that is a major problem.

Yeah it took approx 4 months for this year's thread to reach 7 pages.

Last years took about 3 weeks

 

[TY24]

Yeah it took approx 4 months for this year's thread to reach 7 pages.

Last years took about 3 weeks

I think, again as mentioned earlier, it’s because most clubs have settled on a good set of jumpers that have no sign of changing in the foreseeable future. The only club looking like changing is Gold Coast, which has been done a fair bit on here already.

 

[Red Crow]

Great chatter in here - a lot echoing my thoughts recently. A few points:

The jumper ideas thread has likely slowed down because every year people just end up throwing up the same designs. How many times have we seen a prison bar with a teal yoke or a Fremantle jumper with a red and green chevron. If you keep seeing the same stuff, you won’t bother venturing into the thread, which in turn leads to lower post counts.

With regard to templates and the tenplate thread, thats definitely something that could be updated. The issue is that with realistic templates, either the designers are unwilling to share them to keep their competitive edge (understandable), or they are paid templates for which we can’t post a link and share for free. Absolutely keen to update the tenplate thread though if anybody is willing to have their newer templates available to everybody. Same goes for tutorials - keen to get new ones up if anybody is willing to put one together.

Greater disparity between quality of designs due to templates is a huge issue but one that I can’t really see a straight forward solution too. I totally get that people would be disheartened and wonder what the point of it all is when they’re using a paint template up against a photorealistic template. Its supposed to be a fun pastime but if you’re getting smashed in comps time and again then it does suck the fun out of it. A comp where everyone has to use the same template is an interesting idea thats been floated a few times, but the issue always comes back to adaptability for all programs.

Weekly comps suffered massive drop offs in numbers a few years ago when league-style comps began to dominate. Having said that, there is nothing preventing people from throwing up ideas in the competiton thread if you want to start one. I have a pretty liberal view on them, in that I feel they will simply live or die depending on the level of support they get. In that sense, I’m generally happy for most comps to at least be put out there and see how much interest it gets.

 

[Andonis1997]

I've thought a couple of times that a comp where all have to draw our designs with pen and paper would be good for a laugh!

That has happened before. I'm pretty sure I came in the Top 3, but I can't remember for what competition. craegus was it a designathon event???

 

[Dylan8]

I think, again as mentioned earlier, it’s because most clubs have settled on a good set of jumpers that have no sign of changing in the foreseeable future. The only club looking like changing is Gold Coast, which has been done a fair bit on here already.

Years of people posting a bears coloured Brisbane clashes rendered obsolete

 

[Freight Train]

Also the league competitions were fresh when I joined in 2013. It was basically just NAFL and the reserves were new.

FIRA/IFA, Can-Am, FLO all hadn't started and now they're all established. Most people re-enter every time and usually with the same team. I can see how it would be hard to crack into competitions here. That we have been doing the same thing for years does give the board a bit of a moribund vibe.

for what it’s worth

 

[El_Scorcho]

For reference, I spent a long time quite a long time coming up with ideas, testing my ideas and then putting together the final design for Can-Am, and I was proud of what I submitted. I knew it wouldn't win the entire competition, but I was hoping to sneak a few wins and maybe challenge for the playoffs.

But when I'm getting results like these, it's just not a great feeling:

View attachment 713649

*sorry NY Turtles, fantastic design but I'm throwing you under the bus here

New York Turtles here. Please don't be disheartened, there is a huge gulf in experience.

I'm in my early 30s, I've been on this board and designing footy guernseys and logos for over a decade and I've had an interest in sports design as long as I can remember. I've had plenty of absolute pastings from far superior designers over the years and there are still people who can do stuff on here that I simply don't have the skills to do.

Guys who are challenging for big league comps now (outside of Freight Train who is a professional graphic designer), like Craegus, Spanna, Bacon Warrior, Dylan8, myself, fancyscum etc were once looking up at the glass ceiling on this board with no idea how to compete.

Keep challenging yourself and keep finding new ways to bridge that gap, and have a lot of fun on the way. Also if you have questions, ask! This board is great for technical advice.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Separately from that though, outside of NAFL which is this board's most sacred institution, I could certainly live with a major competition shake up to get some fresh ideas happening.

It's part of why I run the occasional short little league comp like the Flag Football comp.

 

[Freight Train]

This was always inevitable though, going back to when lmach was the front runner on the board, and was making strides ahead in terms of templates and presentation.

Can’t imagine now though, if I was a new guy coming onto this board even at the level I came in on that I’d want to stick it out with competitions.

Back when I was doing pixel art as my online design outlet, it was predominantly wrestling fans so the competitions were structured like a wrestling federation with a “heavyweight” title and a “cruiserweight” title. Whilst we have something similar with NAFL and NAFLR, maybe the best solution would be to see some competitions purely run for the guys who are trying to develop their skills.

 

[Fizzler]

This was always inevitable though, going back to when lmach was the front runner on the board, and was making strides ahead in terms of templates and presentation.

Can’t imagine now though, if I was a new guy coming onto this board even at the level I came in on that I’d want to stick it out with competitions.

Back when I was doing pixel art as my online design outlet, it was predominantly wrestling fans so the competitions were structured like a wrestling federation with a “heavyweight” title and a “cruiserweight” title. Whilst we have something similar with NAFL and NAFLR, maybe the best solution would be to see some competitions purely run for the guys who are trying to develop their skills.

We used to have the heavyweight comp, I’d be keen to chuck a team in that again. I was usually towards the bottom but that was when I still hadn’t quite figured out Photoshop. I was in Grade 6/Year 7 when we were doing that and I’m in Year 11 now so it’s safe to say it’s been a while.

 

[HTT]

If there was a paint-only competition I reckon I’d enter it.
I used to do a few competitions but using paint always made it a struggle. Designing is very tedious, and the presentation could never quite be as good as the guys using PS and AI. It wasn’t a complete waste of time as I learnt plenty and it’s certainly not to say PS and AI are an unfair advantage as there is a steep learning curve - I shudder at the thought of using the pen tool - but despite all the effort I put in, I was lucky to get a vote sometimes. I do know everyone at some point was like that, but everyone has improved out of sight in the last few years. I can’t imagine what it would be like for someone completely new to the board entering the competitions. I don’t think current competitions need to change, it promotes that development at a high level.
A paint competition would be some good fun I feel, and if more people start designing there’ll eventually be even more competition at the top and develop that even more.

 

[The_torpedo]

This was always inevitable though, going back to when lmach was the front runner on the board, and was making strides ahead in terms of templates and presentation.

Can’t imagine now though, if I was a new guy coming onto this board even at the level I came in on that I’d want to stick it out with competitions.

Back when I was doing pixel art as my online design outlet, it was predominantly wrestling fans so the competitions were structured like a wrestling federation with a “heavyweight” title and a “cruiserweight” title. Whilst we have something similar with NAFL and NAFLR, maybe the best solution would be to see some competitions purely run for the guys who are trying to develop their skills.

This honestly makes me wonder about whether it would be possible to do a wrestling fed comp here

 

[Storm20]

I'd love to see some other design competitions that aren't just logo or guernsey, but still footy themed.

Something like, create a street poster advertising the X v X final.

 

[Stromageddon]

As others said, updated tutorials and templates would help. Surely more emphasis on (complete) portfolios than competitions would be beneficial.

Rather than some noob getting murdered 69-0 by El_Scorcho, you could post freely and get constructive criticism. In addition, you wouldn't be limited to any sort of competition rules.

 

[Freight Train]

Nothing is stopping anyone from freely developing their skills with portfolios etc, but the reality is that if you use Paint, you’re going to be limited by the software.

 

[Sparkle]

I'd love to see some other design competitions that aren't just logo or guernsey, but still footy themed.

Something like, create a street poster advertising the X v X final.

I actually quite like this idea, it would be fun to design something like this as part of a competition: