[x]

Vexel Week Winners!After a wonderful week, and lots of participation in the events, I can happily announce the winners from Vexel Week!

Trivia Chat
First was the trivia chat event held on Friday 11th, with 20 questions all somehow relating to vexel art around dA

Thanks to everyone who came along, and also a special thanks to ^dekorAdum who kept the chat topic updated for me, for I am not really chat-savvy yet

After all was done, the winner - with a fantastic 9 points - was =Eitvys200, who wins 800

Congratulations! And the two runners-up, with 4 and 3 wins respectively, were *dully101 and =James--Steele, who win 400

each!

Also competing were =DarkJazmin11, `IceXDragon and `Dan-Heffer, who will win 100

each as a thank you for their participation and for helping to make it a fun time

Great event there - thank you for joining us!

The 365 Photography Challenge - How to Stick at itBefore I start with this article, a little disclaimer. I just finished the 365 photography challenge - known as a 'photo a day' but I blogged and took more than one photo on most days, so it was that little bit more challenging. So I'm feeling pretty smug right now, that I achieved it. But I am by no means toting myself as an expert. This is just my humble advice on how to keep going when it does nothing but rain, or when you feel like giving up.
Before 2012, some weeks would pass when I wouldn't even pick up the camera, let alone think about shots, or how to compose one. Photography still excited me, but I was lacking inspiration. So on the 2nd of January last year I decided to throw everything up in the air, and let go. That is to say, I stopped being precious about the camera (because you can't when you have to take a photo a day) and I forced myself to take rubbish shots, as well as half decent ones.

Start as you mean to go. Don't over-set yoursel

Improved deviantART Integration on TwitterWe're excited to announce that we just implemented enhancements to the way deviantART links display on Twitter, giving you and your artwork more prominence and exposure!
We're always looking for ways to give artists better exposure -- both on deviantART and across the web. Not only do these changes give artists a bigger presence across Twitter by allowing them to reach a bigger audience, but they also encourage proper attribution.
(Hylian Shirt by *blo0p)
What's New
Artwork will appear larger on Twitter.Titles and descriptions of artwork are now automatically included!
Links to Profiles, Groups, Favourites, Galleries, Collections, Journals, and Sta.sh items will now display inline! When profiles are shared, it pulls in your deviantID and bio.
Tweets including deviantART links are now eligible to show up in

When to Google, When to ForumOne of the coolest things about dA is it's not just for sharing art, it's for sharing ideas about art. If you're stuck on a piece, or you'd like to learn to how to do something that just hasn't been clicking in tutorials or class, the art-related forums are a great place to look!
But the best part about the forums is also the riskiest part: anyone can answer! Which means you'll get opinions which contradict each other, 'industry facts' from people who heard it elsewhere on the internet, people who don't quite understand your original question...it's a mess!
So how can you back up all that different advice, or alternately open with a question that won't be confusing?
GOOGLE
Ignoring for a moment that I basically worship Google (hey, you try growing up with a 1000-page reference book as your only source of random facts), it's is an awesome, flexible tool.
Just drop your question into Google and see wh

Fanfiction, Fiction, and NonfictionFix That Miscat! is a series of articles aiming to help you distinguish between galleries that are commonly confused or abused in the category system here on deviantART.
Why should I care? 1) If your work isn't in the right gallery, the people most interested in reading it are never gonna find it! 2) Miscatted works cannot be featured as DDs, to put it simply. 3) Some galleries are more full of miscats than others, and this makes it very difficult to find what you're looking for.
Whether you're an art appreciator or trying to get your art appreciated, miscats affect your site experience. Please help us get the word out there!
Fanfiction
Fanfiction has its very own category under the Fan Art gallery:
Fan Art > Fan Fiction
NOTE: Fanfiction is a genre rather than a style, so poems, scripts, character sheets, etc. that are fan works belong in this category as

Critmas: results!Critique is something we all desire- its why most people are on dA. We want feedback on our work- some of us just to validate ourselves, others for improvement tips and others who are aiming for move their work on and want genuine suggestions to assist with that.
That is quite a demanding request.
Fortunately, there are people out there who do take their time to look at work, take the time to review, respond and offer this critique. And writing a critique is time consuming, even more so when you’re writing several. Sometimes I think that people forget that, which is why Critmas has a message not just about giving critique out for prizes, but to thank those who do offer that free time to help others with their work.
We can often be quite selfish, expecting critique from others but aren’t willing to give back. Even if you took the time to challenge yourself and write one a week, you will reap the benefits.
Anyhow enough of the lecture; let’s see the results!

Seniority Announcements - January 2013

This article marks the latest additions to the dizzy height of Senior members in our community. With just over 1000 deviants holding the highly saught after ` -- it's clearly a moment that deserves recognition.
:faq29:
So what does it take to become a Senior? That's a question many have asked and have never really been able to get a straight answer on. Some have gained Seniority as a thank you for their time spent as a Volunteer, or to recognise their contribution to a particular project or collaborative action. Some have gained Seniority because of their community spirit, providing help and assistance to many other deviants and taking time out to promote the work of others in the community. 
Some people have received Seniority because of their artistic endevours, having a positive influence on their peers by sharing resources, providing constructive criticism and by being a voice that stands out above the many other

Thursday: Lineart Contest!Welcome to 2013, Premium Members!

Well done on your New Year's Resolutions last week! You came up with inventive and goal-oriented aspirations. We can't wait to see you put them into practice, given that you're the leader of your country, an ant, or a pirate.

Our top six winners are!
Leader
President of Poland New Year Resolutions:
- to learn to speak properly and with charisma, so that my listeners won't fell asleep during my speeches ever again.
- finally come to terms with the government, and above all the opposition party
- to lose weight and quit smoking, so I could proudly represent the country and the nation abroad, on delegations and well ... everywhere, anytime.
by =Dererne
Julia Gillard, resolve to
1) Incroise the proice of oil.
2) Foind a new hairdresser.
3) Stoy in Paaliment at all costs!
by *IreneGypsy
Ant
1. I'll definitely start my swimming classes.
2.

Community Week Wrap UpHello everyone!

The Community Week scheduled for January 14th to January 20th is now over! We would like to help everyone involved for their effort and dedication they put into these sensational articles that are a great addition to our community

Here is the recap of this Community Week:
Close-up photography feature by `dragonfly-oli
The power of context by =jane-beata
How to fix animation "Trailing" in gimp by `IceXDragon
Tips on How to Earn Points by =SongOfLives

Community Week December 17th - 23rdHello everyone
Welcome to Community Week, December 17th - 23rd!
It's `JamminJo's, ^ValaSedai's and `lintu47's pleasure to introduce you the 17th - 23rd December Community Week

December 17th
Morning: Introduction blog by `lintu47
Afternoon: Interview with *Madspeitersen by `lintu47
December 18th
Morning: History of Typefaces by ~MartinSilvertant
Afternoon: Interview with Community Week Superstars by `Arichy
December 19th
Morning: Starting with dA CSS by `ginkgografix
Afternoon: How to Lead a Community Week Collab by `JamminJo & ^ValaSedai
Decem

Surprise Community Week Wrap UpHello everyone!

The Surprise Community Week scheduled for January 21st to January 27th is now over! We would like to help everyone involved for their effort and dedication they put into these sensational articles that are a great addition to our community

Here is the recap of this Surprise Community Week:
Introducing #Arts-and-Health: interview with founder, ^SanguineVamp by `Arichy
5 reasons to believe in yourself by =jane-beata
The 365 Photography Challenge: How to stick at it! by ^Kaz-D

Complaint Challenge Contest!

We got our complaints out in December 2012. Now, 2013 is about doing something productive with them. I am not going to sit and grumble about my pet peeves. Neither should you!
Anyone who knows me should have been suspicious from the start of Phase 1 because complaining is one of my own complaints. (And you saw this trick last year!) That's right. I complain about people complaining. Silly, yes? Well I decided to do something about it with this challenge.
I hope everyone enjoyed sharing their gripes in Phase 1 because it is time for Phase 2!

And Phase 2 is open to everyone, even if you didn't participate in Phase 1, or decided to change what complaint you'd like to address!
Complaint Challenge – Phase 2
The challenge in a nutshell: Pick one of your dA complaints and do something proactive about it. Work toward a solution or improvement in a positive way.
Now a few of you are probably thinking things like, "I

Photography Troubleshooting: Capturing SnowThe best of the Wintery weather conditions often come later on in the season, especially here in the UK. The next week or so will hopefully provide many photographers with the chance to capture those snowy scenes. So what’s the best way to achieve them?
I’m sure many will agree that snowy landscapes are amongst the trickiest things to photograph. Exposure is the common problem; temperature is usually a close second! If your camera has a snow or winter setting then this will help override the auto white balance and lower the exposure, so you are already set to go. But if your camera doesn’t have these functions, then you might find these tips handy:

1.Before you head out, check your equipment. The white skies that often accompany a snowy scene are the most likely out of any shot you’ll take, to show up the dirt on your lens. Give it a good clean beforehand or you’ll be spending a long time with th

Welcome!
Welcome to this week's dA Related update! This article will keep you up-to-date with the latest happenings in the deviantART Related community as well as deviantART.
This series is back because I find it hard to keep up with the deviantART Related community without it!
Changes to dA Related PE Week
The deviantART Related PE Weeks will no longer be later this month. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it will now be from March 18th until March 31st - that's two weeks!
If you'd like to contribute by writing an article about stamps, CSS, self-portraits/IDs, deviantART Suggestions, etc please let me know.

Winners of the dA Related (RED) Contest
The winners of the deviantART Related (RED) Contest were announced earlier today. Congratulations to =dhikssy, *sophiaazhou, and =SoulFighty!
:thum

Urban Exploration #3Urban Exploration is the exploration of man-made structures. Usually these are abandoned ruins, or components that used to be part of everyday life but are no longer seen on a regular basis by the human eye. This series of articles aims to highlight exactly what Urban Exploration is, how it's achieved and the some of the best Urbex Photographers here on deviantART. Want to see more Urbex photographs within the Daily Deviation section? Then send your suggestions to ^3wyl and I!
Have you heard of Les Ux? They are an underground group that works hard to restore unseen and often forgotten areas of Paris. Their most famous restoration was the Pantheon Clock. The group itself is divided into teams, and it was the restoration team 'UnterGunther' that undertook this mammoth task. Mammoth because the clock was buried deep beneath the Pantheon in France, completely inaccessible. Or not. For a whole year in September 2005, the grou

Browse More Like This

more ▶

Featured in Groups:

#DevNews
News 'til Hell freezes over

Details

Submitted: January 7
Submitted with: Sta.sh Writer

Link

Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 51
Favourites: 58 [who?]
Views: 11,195 (16 today)

[x]

Art Elves

by +spyed, Jan 7, 2013, 4:52:01 PM
Journals / Culture / Art Blogs & Mags

I mentioned I was in Mammoth over the holidays, which, besides an annoying sickness for the first few days, was so much fun I don't even know where to start. But I'll get into that in another Journal.

I wanted to share with you a note I found on my desk at #hq when I returned. Yanira works here at the office once or twice a week and she had her nephews in with her during the break.

We have a ton of these deviantART coasters laying around HQ so they must have found them. We originally made them for #originaldrinkanddraw and I'm so glad they found them! I'm going to have to get more just in case the elves come again!

Look what they left for me!

How cool are these?! Um, please ignore the devious slogan on there... Hopefully the artistic elves knew we were talking about delicious, healthy milk!

Happy New Year! Cheers to the creation and celebration of art in 2013!!

-- A

51 Comments