So what is the fate of ConceptArt.org (and art forums in general)?

[JFierce]

Subscribers get access to uploading their own images? (Though I'd hope they wouldn't delete existing images.
I can imagine one of the larger costs is the ridiculous amount of images uploaded to CA itself for several years now. Many people are dicks and post shit like funny pictures or pointless crap in places like the cheer me up thread directly to the CA servers instead of going to imageshack, or photobucket, etc.


and I like the idea of relevant sponsors. Wouldn't mind advertisements from actual art product companies.

[Januz]

Solid points on the vid store. I goggled Cryptcrawler and found out a bit about what happened. Still would be nice to have a CA store (for extra income).

About the Donate button: it doesn't really have to say "donate". It could be "Buy us more bandwidth" or "feed the CA monster".

@Appylon, Crowdfunding for specific features is a great idea. Pixelovely is currently doing it for the hands and feet tools. I can see it working if there's enough info and the process is transparent (deadlines and everything).

Besides looking for ways to finance the site. There are still a few things that could be done to reduce cost (https://developers.google.com/speed/...OptimizeImages). Amazon S3 could be cheaper to serve large images also.

[Black Spot]

I gotta respond to you the same way I did to Izi when she suggested it.

GROAN BUTTON! GROAN BUTTON! You are missing the point of this site. That idea is for suckers.

No, she suggests crits like the critque forum. Portfolios could be done once a month or every two months. That link is still live and is great to watch. Can't lay it all on Jason, so we'd need other artists to do it as well

[Raoul Duke]

jfeirce-The uploader makes it convenient for paintovers in the crit center. My old computer was littered with WIPs paintovers and redlines. I'm guessing that's where all the images come from. That and studies. There would be 60% less bridgeman studies floating around.

[Nemome]

Your claim is based on....?

When I was member of this huge forum with subscriptions, I felt compelled to subscribe to support the board, and not to be part of a club. Note that even deviantart, which has massive advantages of subscribers, doesn't really have that "split". Sure there are always people moaning and groaning about anything- hardly a reason to doubt the system.

People could put a "I donated!" into their signature, thereby pushing other donators to do the same because they feel that they should be recognized too;
they could start all complaints with "I just want to say that I have donated lots of money and am willing to support you, BUT..."

Okay, you made me thinkin about it again and I'll have to agree to your points.
Drawing the conclusion that they would get split apart was a bit too fast.
Sorry for that.

But I still don't think that the benefits for sub shall be too big.
As someone already said: There are also a lot of really young artists on this site and not everyone would be able to pay for it. Even if it would be a small amount, then we still would have the problem that we would need a lot of different payment options.
Young people don't own a credit card, so yeah.

[CLANLESS]

How about competitions where you got to pay to enter
And the prizes are cash, for the incentive

[Raoul Duke]

This joint is a goldmine of art. The content is the value not the service. Ultimately I think pre order based printed goods could pay for the site. Limited edition posters, art books, magazines and or ashcans could pull the weight. Jason just needs to straighten out his shit and learn to send checks on time. Or better yet find somebody that can.

BLACKSPOT- I still don't like your idea. Still a repackage of Izi's idea whether you realize it or not. We all do portfolio crits around here.

[Zenith_]

This joint is a goldmine of art. The content is the value not the service. Ultimately I think pre order based printed goods could pay for the site. Limited edition posters, art books, magazines and or ashcans could pull the weight. Jason just needs to straighten out his shit and learn to send checks on time. Or better yet find somebody that can.

BLACKSPOT- I still don't like your idea. Still a repackage of Izi's idea whether you realize it or not. We all do portfolio crits around here.

I like that idea. Using art to sustain an art-based website is logical and might help to raise CA's reputation again.

And yeah the pay-for-portfolio-crit seems a bit redundant given that people can have individual pieces (and portfolios) reviewed in the critique center by many experienced artists. That being said maybe people would like a review with and industry professional, hmm, prob need a bit more research into that to be honest. I'm not sure how many would go for it.

[Ian Barker]

I would pay for an in depth portfolio review from a major professional. I've already done this with Jason Manley and Wes Burt and it was well worth it.

Offering a print service is a neat idea too. I believe devianatArt already has this though, and most people here also post their work there so it might be too redundant.

[Raoul Duke]

I'm talking limited edition premium work. Maybe cheap little ashcans from popular sketchbooks too. All printed on a pre order basis with some sort of discount for retailers.

I don't know what the quality is from DA's print on demand, I'm sure it's low quality. I do print on demand and it sucks. It's hard to pitch cool when you are buried under the garbage.

[Main Loop]

Save all the good threads to your own hard drive and go anywhere else

[JFierce]

Yes yes, Main Loop we get it. CA.org + Manley = bad.

[Venger]

I use to visit a forum that had a contribution system (you buy a month, 6 month or a year) you got a little button under your name.
It gave you access to a contributors lounge, a private area of the forum - though it was basically "the lounge".
Dump the lounge as is and make it a contributors lounge.
The art part of the forum stays exactly the same - if you want to 'socialise' then support the site.
I see more people in the lounge than elsewhere on this site, so it would be a good source of income.

[Raoul Duke]

Just so I understand. Are we trying to keep this site going or clearing out the members. This paid membership idea would be a real stink bomb. It really destroys the all inclusive nature this joint has grown from. And those that pay would either have a unfulfilled since of entitlement or they'd have to put up with members that do. You'd be paying for a service that provides NOTHING.

Just start charging your friends to hang out with you and you'll understand the logic.

[JFierce]

True, I'd wait to see how things end up with this debacle for any sort of paid membership regardless.
Personally only main thing I like is the sponsorship. Seems pretty sensible. Rather than having more muck with TAD paying for the servers sometimes and Jason the other mixing business.

[Havok Reed]

Well ever since DA started doing what they are doing with their paid services, I have grown to like the site much more than I ever did. Being able to sell your work, adjust your own prices, even what the stuff is printed on is really cool! So I really like the idea of being able to have art work help pay for the site. It's an automated system, no special contracts really. Site gets (just throwing out numbers here), 20% of your sales, you get the rest.

[Main Loop]

Yes yes, Main Loop we get it. CA.org + Manley = bad.

ca.org - Manley = a little better, but a fresh start is best

[Velocity Kendall]

Go make one then.

[Jason Manley]

New profiles are going in as part of the temp transition. The new badges/awards are done and going in too.

We have a contest coming up which will do a lot of good for certain endangered species causes (which is something close to a lot of peoples hearts here in this creature loving community).

More to do...

[s.ketch]

"Don't give up when things are going badly - failure may be an invitation to try something new." - Douglas Osheroff

[LordLouis]

As someone already said: There are also a lot of really young artists on this site and not everyone would be able to pay for it. Even if it would be a small amount, then we still would have the problem that we would need a lot of different payment options.
Young people don't own a credit card, so yeah.

Yeah I agree- I didn't think about all the youngsters tbh! A lot of them linger in the sketchbook forums and CC on occasion. Yeah I agree that it would be paramount to ensure that none of the core features of the board wander off to some subscription benefit. Maybe it would be possible to present the community with a choice of benefits and let them vote on it.

I am not so sure about the lounge thing. I mean I get the idea with a contributors forum (used it myself) but the point of this forum is partly to socialize, which shouldn't be limited to a few. THEN I'd say donations instead. I think the lounge is so full because its purpose is probably the loosest defined compared to all other forums, and people are drawn to chit-chat areas like moths to the flame. My most hatred forum threads are "what is your favourite x", " what are you currently doing/listening to/etc pp".

[Jason Manley]

We tried installing the new profiles and such and our current server system could not handle the load. We are currently migrating to a new server system I just paid for the other day and may need an additional server to run the upgraded profiles. Til then we will work on getting some important but smaller things done and then is time to get moving on the production of the full new site.

There are a lot of great ideas in here. Some of them are closer to what we are doing than anyone would know. I have missed working on this site and making things better and it feels good to see the improvements getting done.

I am also putting up a different skin. I do not like this one much. Will see how the new skin looks and if it's ready I will go ahead and turn her on.


j

[rem92]

Well, im looking forward see the new changes, and the job site up again. Im glad the drama is slowly falling behind already so everybody can move on to better things.

[Raoul Duke]

true dat. I was having trouble drawing over all this. My conscience was fucking with me.