Will write for art

[gwyn]

As many of you know, I'm severely graphics impaired. Not only do I not have any useful graphics programs (and thus cannot make the icons I'm always dreaming up in my head -- if I had the ability, boy would I have some great icons!), even if I had them, I'm severely art-challenged. For a while I tried my hand at collage art (mixing found objects, rubber stamps, and all kinds of other media), but I think it got to a place where people had this sort of funny look on their faces when I gave them cards, like they had no way of telling me how embarassed they were for me. I've worked around designers my whole career, so I have a great eye, I just cannot put that into practice by my own hand.

And so I'm putting out a plea for art help from anyone who might be willing and web-graphically savvy -- I've wanted to update my fic site for over a year now, and it hasn't happened. I need to revamp the organization a bit, and fiddle with story placement and create some other sections, and so I need a new banner for the top (and maybe some little key graphics based on that I could use in other parts of the site). I have this typeface I love (it's kind of turned into "my" typeface in a way, I've used it on nearly everything I've done, though I think only Mac OS X users and graphics folk may have it), and a color scheme, but beyond that, I don't know quite how to come up with something I want. My artist friend who made my last banner no longer is in my life, alas.

I can't do much in payment except to possibly offer to write something for you. Within reason, I'm fairly familiar with many fandoms not my own, and I have tangential interests in many, many things I don't write or vid in. For instance, I couldn't probably write something in an anime fandom because I'm not familiar enough, but even though I'm not an SG or SV or Pirates or whatever fan, I know enough about the characters that with help from friends I could come up with something basic. There are folks who can vouch for me that I will give it the old college try (though on the other hand, I've written stories for people who've either never bothered to read them, or never said anything to me presumably because they were so bad, so you could be sorely disappointed). And it's unlikely I'll come up with a superbly researched, historically accurate piece on the British Navy of the early 1800s if you like M&C or Hornblower, but PWPs are our friends, no?

I'm not looking for anything especially complicated, but I'd like to have something, just because my site is so bare bones. If you're interested, let me know, and we can tawk.

Comments

[xanphibian.livejournal.com]

I will do anything to get you to write S/X. :)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Mwah ha ha ha! Well, hey, now I know what to dangle in front of you to get you to do *any*thing, don't I? I actually thought of that when I wrote this post -- like, what if someone wants Spander! Could I do it? And I realized, easy peasy. I love them both, it's not hard to write about two men you love.

[minim_calibre]

D'you have my email?

I'd be interested in helping out, and hey! Local!

(Also, I have OSX, so I probably have your typeface.)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oooo!! ::bounces:: Local girl! (I might finally get to meet you?!)

[minim_calibre]

Yepyepyep!

Banners r we

[ac-hum.livejournal.com]

I can give it a shot if you would like. My style is fairly plain and content driven, so I wont be offended if you ignore.

Re: Banners r we

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Thank you -- I feel so luck to have people offering; I had this terrible feeling people would laugh at me, like as if. And instead I actually have a bunch of responses. I'm pretty much on the plain side, too. The fanciest thing is usually the banner, and I guess that's why I wanted something more than just text, because it's been the only designy thing about the site. So it sounds like we have a similar outlook (and you know, what's fun three years ago isn't always as fun later on, so change is good).

[binsoup.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. As a sysadmin, I've worked with web design people and their tools but always from the hardware and operating system side. I can troubleshoot why Photoshop might be crapping out on a certain PC, but I can't make the darn application create arty things for me. :(

But you write such lovely fiction and thought-provoking essays, so I'm one up against you in the being awestruck over some people's creative talents.

Thanks for "friending" me back.

[heather13.livejournal.com]

You don't know me but I lurk, read (& reread) your fic and I'd be happy to help out, as well. :)