Guidelines for Requests

Submitted by Eclipse on Wed, 09/26/2007 - 21:47. Request

Couple things to keep in mind when you're making requests.

MOST IMPORTANT: Look through the galleries, and see if there's something acceptable for your needs already, there are search features and classifications included in the site for a reason, to help you find the images you're looking for, so please check the galleries before making request
Remember that artists choose you, so your request has to stand on it's own merits
SWAG tries very hard to be a "PG" site, we want to display requests, so don't request something that doesn't qualify as "PG"
Anything you request is probably open to artistic license, if you're too specific, an artist may not take it, if you're not specific enough, an artist may not take it. Every artists differs so it's really what about what appeals to the individual
Give some idea of who the character really is, what's at the heart of the character, it's great that they use a double-bladed lightsaber... that doesn't exactly set them apart, who are they really?
Location, location, location... sometimes giving a setting in which your character is comfortable will make all the difference as to whether an artist takes it or not
Details are GREAT, but be negotiable, an artist has to have some leeway to make the art "his/hers"
If you're requesting something technical like a starship or something, detail is often a VERY good thing
- how many weapon emplacements?
- crew compliment?
- size? reference other ships of similar size/design

You get the idea... Just remember there's not ONE way to do it. There are a thousand different ways any of this could be done, but these are pretty good rules of thumb.

Eclipse

Good afternoon! I've just now started running a Saga Edition game with a few of my friends from work. For gamers who are interested, we're playing a Force Unleashed Campaign and it's tons of fun.

The newest addition to our little band, who I'm hoping to get represented here is a Togorian Noble/Soldier. R'ashik is a muscular, orange-furred Togorian with black stripes (tiger) who resorts to conversation before combat. His weapon of choice (and the only one he will use in personal combat) is his heirloom sc'rath scimitar, which is full-length and one-handed (roughly of equivalent length to a Jedi's ignited lightsaber), which he typically wields with an inverted grip. He is right-handed (or pawed, as the case may be).

As our group's adventure takes place on Tatooine, R'ashik dresses the part. He wears the following items of clothing:

Loose-fitting (daresay "billowy") dark earth-tone pants.
Leather pouched belt.
Light earth-tone cloth wrappings on his forearms and shin-equivalents.
Sleeveless, light earth-tone shirt (lighter shade than his pants).
Shiek-style head-covering (for lack of a better word) with a tail end that comes to his shoulders.
Light earth-tone "scarf" that would be long and wide enough to cover his snout (nose and mouth).

I guess the look I'm picturing for the "shiek-style head-covering" and "scarf" being worn together can best be described as "Lawrence of Arabia meets Ninja Assasin".

Finally, the last specific wardrobe item of note:
As Togoria was at one time a Mandalorian world, many Togorians were accepted into the Mandalorian clans. Ra'shik's family was one such case, and as such, he does have a partial heirloom suit of mandalorian armor, namely just the chest and shoulder guards.

I hope this open and intriguing enough to make a viable request. Thanks!

Ummm.... don't know if you meant to post this is the guidlines thread, but it really does need to be made it's own thread... Eclipse will more than likely delete this post, since this thread is for the rules, not for requests... and I welcome him to delete my reply as well. May want to make a new thread man...

I am posting this to try and help you get you request drawn. Your asking yourself, who?

You! Getting a request claimed lately is hard work...

Why? No one knows. Maybe there are not enough artists out there signing up? Or is it maybe some are asking for a picture with out thinking to deep into the artists mind?

Let me put it this way, if you were my older brother or sister, how could I get you to take out the garbage without paying you? Should I tap you shoulder and say, "Hey! Something needs to be done around here, I don't remember what it was, ask me later." Of course not, but in a way, some have posted their requests like this. I have seen countless requests lately where someone asks an artist to contact the requester for the details of the request. Or a requester will put one sentence in his request. Or a requester will ask for a character and talk about all the descriptions of this character and when the artist finishes, the requester realizes they forgot to mention their character was twi'lek!

What I'm getting at is, too many requesters are forgetting to try and 'sell' their characters to the artist.

Wait! Why should I sell a picture to an artist?!

Let me show you how the process for selecting a request goes for the artist. First, he checks the titles of the request. He looks for one that grabs him. He skips over "good looking male jedi with blue lightsaber." He skips "Mando Sith Crimelord Privateer with stormtrooper training." He doesn't even click on them. What!?

I'm serious, there are so many requests that artists skip over because they have nothing to offer the artist. Look through the first five requests on the boards right now. go. Look!

Which ones sounded fun, or interesting, or just cool? Which one did you want to click on to find out more? Use that as you guiding light.

So you've got your snazzy title, and you've waited 18 weeks for your request to be done. What?! Yup, artists will still look at your request and hit the back button after reading it for 20 seconds. Why!?

Did you sell it to the artist? no...

Your going to want to try and think of a way to grab the artists attention. A good thing to ask yourself is, "why do I like this idea of a request? Why is this important to me." Also your request doesn't have to be a novel (like this post :P) just well written.

Does your request have to be unique to be special? Nope! For example, the "good looking male jedi with blue lightsaber," could be extremely interesting if worded properly. What if I put, "Anakin Skywalker, Chosen One and Savior of the Galaxy," or "Conflicted Jedi with a scars both physical and mental?" Little more catchy, huh?

How would you write a request for Anakin Skywalker? Or Han Solo? Or Princess Leia? How could you convince an artist your character is cool enough to draw? try this exercise, write a request for a famous character from the movies. Seriously, give it a shot...

Did you have a lot to say? Did you know why the character you picked was important to you? Was their iconic gear or catch phrases that popped into your mind? Was there a pose you pictured, or a cool situation you wanted to see the character in? How did you title the request?

Apply all this to your personal request!

Really, Number 5 of Eclipses suggestions is very important. Give some idea of who the character really is, what's at the heart of the character, it's great that they use a double-bladed lightsaber... that doesn't exactly set them apart, who are they really?

Does all this guarantee your request? Sadly no...

Lack of artists is a major factor. there are, on average about 5 to 10 artists actively taking requests at any time. It's hard for us to get to some of 'em let alone all of 'em,
but some of us crazy Swag rouges are tryin' our best!

If you made through all that reading, pat yourself on the back. It's long winded but necessary I think.

remember,

Be patient and keep your fingers crossed!

And always remember,

Keep on Swaggin'!
Drig

I actually got through it all ((May wanna reread through it Drig, some typo's in there :) ))

I like the ideas, they really make making a request something truly special, rather than the same old boring. "Need Blue Twi'lek" posts...

Selling your character is a great idea.. Make someone want to take it up. Glad to see some more guidelines being written :)

Typos are one of Drig's specialties...

Boshuda

I would like to add a few Guidelines here that have been 'unwritten' rules for some time...

9) Please, no more than 3 characters in any one request. Group shots are difficult to do for artists (and to maintain the quality standard in a picture). If you are requesting a scene with multiple people please only describe the main 3 in detail - your 15 man squad, 'class of '62' stormtroopers will probably not get picked up...

10) You are encouraged to have no more than 3 requests posted at any one time. A lot of people want their characters drawn up, and there are only so many artists taking requests. If you have had a bunch of requests up for a while think about why this might be and try modifying your existing ones or deleting the ones you're perhaps not so attached to. It's just being greedy otherwise!

11) No bumping! This is more something that is frowned upon rather than strictly denied but I think it needs mentioning none-the-less;
We all understand that this character is important to you, and we understand that you are impatient to get this request picked up, but so is everyone else! Your responsibility is to write a good and interesting request that entices us artists to want to work on it. Posting 'I still want this done.' or 'was it something I said?' on your own request thread to keep it at the top of the boards is unnecessary and also quite rude. You're saying that your request is more important than the other requests - please remember that we're doing this for free and demanding service will not win you any friends.

12) Play nice!
It's a lovely little community we have going here. Please, try not to disrupt it!
Artists should try not to take criticism of their work too much to heart as generally people do make these comments out of a sense of helpfulness and not of animosity. The same goes for requesters; If someone points out a way you can improve your request, or directs you to one of these guidelines above, please don't take it as a personal affront! Generally speaking, and unless you're acting like a tool, nobody is being nasty - just helpful.

Well, I think that's the lot...
Let me know if I've overstepped and I'll delete where necessary, k?
I just thought they needed to be said somewhere!

~ Mercy

*claps* Thank you, Mercy~!

Heh! No worries!

Oh, and one more thing...

13) For your own safety, please do not include your email details in the request!
The PM system is pretty good, or you can allow people to email you via the website - which is a great idea if you don't check back much, or in case the request isn't taken for a while.

Xan says it best here;
"Eclipse has warned us many times not to put our contact info into posts, because of bots that will take the info and start spamming your account"

So best to be safe!

Thanks for the props Mercy :) ...

Heh, thank YOU for all your hard work!

It's not HARD work... It's a labor of love for this website :) ... And for the artists who give so freely of their time, and talents.

Xan, you say the sweetest things!!

14) Please remember that if you post a request, to check back to it from time to time, to make sure whether or not it has been claimed. Artists who claim the work like to know that the person they are doing it for will end up seeing the finished peice, and get feedback on it... Which leads to Rule 15...

15) ALWAYS ... (I do mean always) Say, "Thank You!" to the wonderful artists who take and complete requests. There are never too many thanks you's in the world. Also remember to tell the artists what it is that you really like about the picture.

16) If you haven't checked on your request in a long time, and come here and see that it is finished. Please don't complain, or ask for anything to be done to it. A finished product, that has been given ample time for the requester to post on it, is DONE. If it's not exactly what you wanted, make a new request, and give better details.

***Just thought I'd add some things that just hit me***

Well said, Xan!

I'm not sure about 16. If something was not conveyed quite right or if it really might not suite what you had a mind even stretched a bit, then it's okay to ask the artist if they could make some changes. Asking for a new pic is different though. Always be polite about it however. i.e. no, "I hate that piece of crap." I've had plenty of people ask me to change something simple and have never been offended.

Yeah, but how long after completion would you accept a request for change?
I agree, it's important for artists to be flexible, that's the whole point of the WIP blogging! But I'm thinking of a particular request in which the requester made no comment at all (despite being given ample time in which to do so) until after the piece was completed and posted to gallery at which point, in my opinion, the piece is finished.
If you are given the opportunity to comment or change things in the WIP stage, and neglect to do so, I think you've kinda got to take what you get.
As Batty says in the thread below; "For everything else, there's Mastercard".

I'd have to agree with Mercy on that. Once it's up.. and finished.. it's too late, time to make a new request. If you didn't put any time or effort into looking into the WIP then it's your own fault, not the artists.

One thing I didn't see covered -and I may have simply overlooked it- is what the stance is on officially trademarked characters.

I ask because, of the two groups I game with, one person has asked me about the possibility of requesting a picture of a redeemed Darth Talon alongside the crew, and for the other group, well, my character has a history with Master Fay and an image of the two of them together prior to her death would be a great story element (as his most prized posession now is a small holo containing such images).

I don't see anything in the rules (again, unless I missed it) that forbid such requests, but my friend, Trigger, swears up and down that it's been stated here before that they are unacceptable. Can someone clear that up?

The site tries to stay away from any movie characters. That being said, if they weren't in the movies I'm not sure on the stance. Eclipse would be able to fill you more in on exactly what the boards rules are as far as trademarked characters go. I just know that characters from the movies are VERY rarely done on the site.

That's a great question! Swag has no official stance about 'movie' characters. And we probably won't. The only no no about it would be where money is involved. Everything else falls under the catergory of fan art. The only thing we really would like to be kept to a minimum is, "I want a picture of vader on the death star!" That kind of just takes up bandwidth and there are plenty of places you can get that. Swag really is about images for your games and if it's really important to your game than go for it! The worst that can happen is it doesn't get claimed. If you really want your character fighting vader than ask, your not breaking any rules. Hopefully that helps!

So... traditionally we've avoided any character that would qualify as "canonical". This would be anyone from Luke Skywalker all the way to the most obscure character mentioned in any book ever... anywhere... Now... that's the "official" stance. In practice, there are some canonical characters within our archive here. The more obscure the better, and no one's probably going to pitch a fit over it. Our issue is simply one of staying well outside the notice of any... "imperial attention". :-)

If this falls within the bounds of "alternate realities" I'd say that it's even more so... I mean really, who's going to recognize a sith lord who, canonically was evil till the day he died, as a redeemed character?

So I'd say, request it. Truthfully the issue isn't as much in the request as it is in whether it gets posted afterward, and I've tried to be fair about that particular issue.

Eclipse

Contests... Yay or Nay?
"Search your feelings, you know it to be true..."
-DV

Themed submissions! :D

Boshuda

Okay, question for everyone who's been involved with the rule setting.

Topic's that may cause offense. Such as the recent request that wants a religious icon turned into a Sci-fi person. Personally I think this kind of request is a joke, and not to be taken seriously. But it does offend me slightly.

Should offensive type of requests be allowed to stay on the boards, whether they are picked up or not?

Well, seeing as this is a *Star Wars* site, I think non-SW requests are pretty much missing the concept. I'm not personally concerned with the religious theme (but I do find the idea to be deliberately provocative, and therefore a bit childish, if not stupid... trolling perhaps?), but it is a significant step away from the context of SW. I might personally like a Cylon Battle Driod, or a Klingon Sith, but that's mashing BSG and ST with SW in the same way. Influences/references to other genres are one thing, but straight-up mashups like these seem to be outside the scope of SWAG. I say take down the requests that don't fit.

Here's an example that Hisham pointed out to me. Another nonsense mashup...
http://www.swagonline.net/node/3910

So, think they should just be deleted. considering that more than likely these request will never be picked up anyway? ... Personally I do see it as trolling.

I kinda wanted to pick up that Skrull Luke Skywalker request, but decided against it for reasons now unknown to me. And the Jedi Jesus combination seems like something that could work, conceptually, if it was treated more seriously and fleshed out more. I can imagine a request for a Jesus-inspired Jedi knight - that shouldn't be offensive or beyond the scope of reason. But the requester did ask for it in an obviously unthoughtful and deliberately provocative request. Blah blah blah.

Boshuda

I think this post is becoming so cluttered that it is becoming a novel of a read for newcomers...? Can we keep conversations about guidelines and what not in the main forum hall or bullpin? Especially this last one, definitely should have been in bull pin...