:: At midnight/learned to scream/Body like Lava/Watching ::
by Poncho Man, unsultus, arlee, and Tree-Rabbit
::| an.exquisite.corpse : discussion : 34 |::
Does anybody else see a Fresh Prince here? Phineas, have you been asleep at the wheel? Arlee, did you read the rules? Your slice is beautiful, but it just doesn't fit. What happened here?
murfinator at June 16, 2006 7:03 AM
Ok, the seam is disappointing. But I disagree that it's a Fresh Prince. FP implies that no thought whatsoever went into the game, and that's just not the case here. Look at the colors that were used. Look at the hands/torso -- I'm thinking it's possible that there was some mixup with resizing or resolution or something because it certainly looks to me that it could have been intended to follow from the slice above. Finally, work was obviously put into Arlee's panel. This is not a non-sequitur or some random photograph that took two seconds to size to 450x200. Arlee, I think your panel is gorgeous, and you'll get the hang of transitions soon enough.
Everyone else: fabulous work, all of you. Granted, it looks like two corpses instead of one, but the artistry is undeniable. Really nice.
velocity girl at June 16, 2006 7:50 AM
The seam makes the baby cry.
dagfooyo at June 16, 2006 8:03 AM
Well, that really sucks, as the top two panels and the bottom two panels work really great together.
Shae at June 16, 2006 8:17 AM
Four very beautiful panels. Two very beautiful half-corpses.
The baby at the top is my favorite part. The blue skin, the veins, the tendrils of toys eating into its head... I can't help but think of Akira. You just KNOW this kid's psychic power is making buildings explode somewhere.
Unsultus, what an outstanding debut! The depth, the colors, the luminosity... the perfect seam... my condolences that your panel wasn't allowed to flow onward.
Arlee, your panel is gorgeous, in and of itself. I know people here have a tendency to be hard on beginners, and so I apologize. It's just... yet another potentially perfect corpse that got its back broken in the middle.
dagfooyo at June 16, 2006 8:17 AM
It's a shame that there's a break in the middle of this one, as all 4 panels are really good.
It looks like arlee was working at the wrong size maybe?
It seems to me that the red/yellow thing with the hands was meant to line up with the yellow in the left-hand side of unsultus slice.
mjhoward at June 16, 2006 9:08 AM
I dunno. I'm just going to go ahead and say it: I think people are overly charitable about attributing these things to innocent mistakes. Which is understandable; I don't want to scare anyone off either, especially if they're going to learn and improve.
But this doesn't look anything like a resizing or resolution problem to me. If you rescale, it still doesn't line up. There are different colors, different sizes, and different textures. While the thing on the left kinda mirrors the shape of the thing before it in spirit, it is not an extenuation of it. This sort of thing happens a lot and it's unfathomable how it could be a technical error.
That said, I do hope that Arlee re-reads the rules and tips and keeps trying. His/her panel is certainly beautiful on its own.
Shae at June 16, 2006 9:43 AM
Well, i apologize for that seam and mismatch---in my defense, i have *NEVER* done anything like this before, am just learning how to and didn't chicken out as a lot would do. My slice is also not a digitized picture, but a scan of an actual stitched piece i created for this: because i am inexperienced, i wasn't sure of the way to "blend"; i literally did math--wrong obviously-- to try to match the yellow stringies to my piece. Thank you for the input and the criticism, positive and negative. I probably will not partiipate again.
arlee at June 16, 2006 10:44 AM
ARleee NOooooooooooooooooooooooooo You have to stay. That was a really great idea. If you need help matching things up were more than happy to help you. It was your first Corpse so you can just call mullagan and try again. Yes it's a shame it dident work out how you wanted it too but thats no reason to drop it like a rock. Just keep at it, the kind of effort you must have put into your piece is truely spectaular, alot of people on this site dont try at all, to much annoyance to others. The kind of effort you put in is the kind we need on this site. You were truly creative in your idea, and had the best intentions in mind. If you dont have the right program's or know how i'm sure we can help you find something. Please stay on your own your piece was top quality.
Speaking of top quality i was wondering since both pieces were done so well that phineas would use his godly ability to split them both in half and create the foundations for 2 half done corpses it would be a shame to see them go to waste. Mabye you can instruct one of the more knowlegabul artists that you want it to start at corpse 3 and end at 2, then corpse 2 to 1. And that this is a one time Emergency messure so the average corpser wolnt get confused. Or you could just flip the bottom upside down and call it a start to another corpse. Just thoughts.
Ps: thanks for the compliments everybody.
Unsultus at June 16, 2006 12:00 PM
Yes, arlee, your piece is delicious, as is the level of work obviously expended upon it. It appears to have been uploaded at about three times the size it should have been though, is that right? That would have made the size of your image about 1350*600. I cut the pic in half and reduced your portion to 33% and things lined up nicely, I fear though, that we missed out on 2/3 of your hard work.
Barowles at June 16, 2006 12:25 PM
PS. Arlee, I checked out your site and your other work is amazing too, don't leave, please.
Barowles at June 16, 2006 12:38 PM
Agreed Arlee, do stay.
Shae at June 16, 2006 12:46 PM
Arlee, I hope you don't drop out of this just because your first corpse didn't turn out as well as you'd expect it. There are plenty of people who had difficulty with seems in the beginning and eventually they get better. Very few people create pieces by hand, you'd be wonderful addition to the game :)
psychopooch at June 16, 2006 12:50 PM
I have an idea:
All of you perfect corpsers out there should start a new site, call it "a perfect corpse.com" and leave all those who would ruin your otherwise perfect corpses behind.
We'll just continue making the beautiful ones over here.
Barowles at June 16, 2006 1:17 PM
SOB SOB You guys are great! Thank you for the encouragment--i *DO* want "to play". I *can* take criticism, but i got the feeling at first that i wasn't "wanted"; now i know that ain't true!
By the way, *is* it alright if i post the whole thing (photo, not discussion) to my site or should i hot link or what??? I think it could generate an interesting discussion in "my" textile world as well :}
Kisses everybody.
arlee at June 16, 2006 1:51 PM
YAY! woooooo! i was about to ask if you could email me the picture too. Double Woo!
unsultus at June 16, 2006 2:04 PM
"All of you perfect corpsers out there should start a new site, call it "a perfect corpse.com" and leave all those who would ruin your otherwise perfect corpses behind."
While the sarcastic tone to this post will most likely cause most people to discount it, that's actually not a half-bad idea. The extreme dichotomy between the experience levels at ecorpse.com ended up killing the project. I mean, I'm all for giving newcomers a chance, but I think it should be in a supportive environment of other newcomers. (penny penny)
moonroof at June 16, 2006 6:03 PM
And *how* do newbies learn unless "oldtimers" teach? An elitist attitude is so sad. I want help as do others; should i, or others of my inexperience be penalized for our freshness, or be excluded? I much prefer patient teachers and support as opposed to "don't play in my sand box"
*MY* two rubles.
arlee at June 16, 2006 7:39 PM
I'm also assuming not one of you/us sprang fully talented from the software in your computer with no learning curve or mistakes.
arlee at June 16, 2006 7:41 PM
Arlee stay!!! You should see my first ones!!!
Wild........ at June 16, 2006 10:42 PM
Newbies can learn by following the plethora of tutorials offered on the internet. There are tons of tutorials available for all sorts of graphics programs. They don't teach 'how to make a corpse' specifically, but they teach one the techniques required to to blend, etc. I personally do not understand those who jump in here with both feet without knowing anything about their graphics programs and how to use them. I think if a newcomer does not have the skill required to simply follow the rules of the site, then they should sit back and observe for a while, and try out some tutorials. Had I not had any previous experience with photoshop, that's exactly what I would have done when I first found this site.
Note: The above is simply my own opinion on the matter.
Crucibelle at June 16, 2006 11:20 PM
Forgot to add: There are also some very good 'how to' threads in the forum on this site, in regards to blending seams.
Crucibelle at June 16, 2006 11:25 PM
(Crucibelle)...and image size, and resolution, or email a comment poster directly. :)
Barowles at June 17, 2006 4:27 AM
"penalized for our freshness"
Pun, or not? Heh heh...
Shae at June 17, 2006 6:57 AM
This was my first time starting a corpse, and I was excited to see the end result. Everybody did a great job with their piece, even thought the continuity was lost. Granted, I was a little disappointed that it didn't flow as well as others, but that's okay. It's only a game. But hey!...we did get two corpse for the price of one!
Nice transition, unsultus. And very original idea, arlee. I look forward to see your next piece! Great transition and ending too Tree-Rabbit Very interesting how you kept the fabric look to your piece from arlee's. Fine work all!
Poncho Man at June 19, 2006 11:13 AM
Is it a really a "game" or a collective art project? Is it digital art/design or is it a sewing circle?
I agree with Crucibelle.
damselfly at June 21, 2006 2:01 AM
Well, the first word to describe it in the "What" section is "game," and the next paragraph calls this "The Exquisite Corpse game." I'm going to go out on a limb here and say...it's a game. Sure it can produce art, but ultimatly, this is just a fun game to create interesting visuals. And, like any other game, I agree that it's aways best to learn the rules, and to be able to play before entering.
What I think we all hate to see is people wanting to play, without growing or learning how they can play better. That's where the "Fresh Princes" come in.
Poncho Man at June 21, 2006 9:37 AM
I quote from the "HOW" page----"There are no limitations as to how you create your Corpse section. Scan a drawing. Use photography, clip art, whatever. So long as it ends up as a 450px X 200px JPEG, no imagery is proscribed or prescribed."
Fuhgeddabowdit
My "sewing circle" creates just as well and more lucratively anyways, i betcha :}
But don't worry, i *am* signing out of this "game" and will start a "proper" sewing circle exquisite corpse.
arlee at June 21, 2006 4:42 PM
Well arlee, if your reaction to criticism is throwing in the towel, then perhaps 'signing out' is your best option.
Crucibelle at June 21, 2006 7:36 PM
Also, as long as we're quoting from the site, this is taken from the 'Play' page (bolding is my own):
"It is expected that you are an adult or capable of acting in such a way as to not give us cause to wonder if you are otherwise. You will be putting the ultimate fate of your work in the hands of strangers and they'll be putting their work in yours. There is a certain level of trust and respect involved here. Before you decide to participate, please be reasonably certain that you a) understand the procedure, b) are willing to play by the rules (what few there are) and c) won't behave in a manner that will require us to put the smack down on your ass."
Crucibelle at June 21, 2006 7:43 PM
If this is a game then I wanna win something!
damselfly at June 22, 2006 5:25 PM
Actually, a sewing corpse would be pretty cool. I've never heard of one of those before but I can see where it'd work. Anyway, stitched pieces are fine as long as they follow through with given slice.
damselfly at June 22, 2006 5:29 PM
Three gold stars.
Very Strict Headmistress at June 22, 2006 6:22 PM
Looking back on the comments here gives you a good look at some of the frustration that had been building up over time, It was a topic that had been glanced off of earlier but only came to a true debate when someone didn't intentionally create a major displacement thus starting the argument over the concept of skill being used to create a corpse, or gaining skill from creating a corpse.
Because before this when there was a massive discrepancy it had been purposeful and immediately received the anger and attention it deserved. But this is a grey area, I fear that people snapped at arlee because they had previously put allot of time and effort into making corpses only to see in their eyes disappointing results from others ruining their hard work, and i think that alot of people who had people Fresh Prince (aka intentionally break a corpse for the sole sake of breaking it) saw her as one of them through the idea of incompetence which is unfair.
Their anger at others got transferred to her.
I do believe that the discussion was valid but in the end she wasn't what the discussion should have been about, and so she was attacked.
people threw "Procedure and Rules" at her even though she followed them as close as she could. And she was told that this was about learning and Growing yet she should only try it if she knew pretty much everything. I believe her work would have been phenomenal if she had lined it up right. And that was her mistake.
One mistake should not have been a crucifixion, It should have been part of that learning and growing category that she was lulled into thinking about. All it would have taken is access to some tips, tricks, the right software from others and she would have been corpseing with the best of them. And she was offered them but driven off by a relatively hostile attitude from others (though it might not have seemed as such from them) and being told only to participate when she had met an unspecified standard which she will never know because she instead went back to what she had been doing before.
You put your time, effort, ingenuity, imagination, most importantly emotion and memories into a corpse. and that is your greatest accomplishment and mistake. All that person sees of your master piece is a 450x15 pixel strip of what your most proud of and i wonder if people have forgotten it's just a game so they cant forgive the little things in life. Be understanding if it doesn't go how you wanted it, it's part of the game.
This wasn't Continued ignorance, or purposeful negligence, If she were to have done this repeatedly i would have been against her continued work here.
But it was her first try. I am sad that she left.
This is a game. and in all games there is a certain level of trust and respect which is not to be mistaken for professionalism (though it certainly makes for a much more interesting game).
Like in a game of pond hockey you don't kick the kid off your team just because it's his first time in skates, the score doesn't matter even if your counting. It's because that kid gave you his trust so you would respect him enough to have the patience to give him a chance to learn with your guidance and you trust that he will take those teachings to heart and improve himself so that one day he can play just as well as you.
And it's his respect for you that makes him come to you in the first place.
Unsultus at January 7, 2007 4:23 PM
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