No shoes, no shirt, no Yerf.
Kat
a small uproar of folks seem to surface in order to voice their dissatisfaction
in the archive and to question and attack the archive about its policies in
rejection or acceptance of applicants. The following is my understanding of the
general guidelines followed by the Yerf admins during the selection process:
-Drawing ability-
-Traditional drawing skills are a must. The general consensus of
Yerf artists' abilities are based in the classical school of drawing.
Not to say that DaVinci drew cute vixens or Joe FurryFan sketched
out the Sistine Chapel, but, like DaVinci, a Yerf Potential should
have the ability to draw anatomy correctly as well as showing
convincing proportions.
-Good anatomy will equate to clearer poses. An off-balance character
is not a pretty sight. Posing the character (rather than a straight
up and down standing pose) will make the piece more interesting, and
at the same time, will add personality to your character.
-Be sure that you've grasped an adequate ability to color, as well a
sense of neat line work. A simple color fill on PSP or Photoshop
won't always cut it. Learn to create form using shadow. Even 2D
flat "cell style" coloring has depth with the use of chunky shading
in the right places.
-If your lines are pixely or super thick and muddy, fix 'em.
Mouse-drawn lines won't do, unless you've got some sort of genius
tactile ability with the mouse. You don't need a drawing tablet to
have clean lines; just make sure that they're clean when you
scan 'em in.
-Better yet, learn to color traditionally. Pick up some colored
pencils or paint and a "how to" book and fire away.
"But", you ask, "if this is the case, then why do I see an occasional
upload on Yerf that doesn't meet that criteria? I can draw better than that
guy!". Well, truth is, you just might draw better than "that guy", but his
art was more than likely held to different standards than the ones imposed
by Yerf today. The bar has been raised since Yerf first opened, which was
then, the Squeaky Clean Furry Archive (SCFA).
I've heard plenty of, "So how am I supposed to improve if all that they
send me is a form letter that says my work isn't good enough for Yerf?", as
well as variations of, "They were really mean and cold in their response.
I don't think I'll ever draw again." If you really want to draw and if it's
your life's goal to become a professional, paid artist in the real world,
you'd better learn to accept criticism in a positive way. An artist focused
in drawing improvement, and not just "five minutes of fame" with the furry
fans on Yerf, would take the rejection note in a positive light and use it as
a catalyst to improve his or her own drawing ability.
Yerf is not an outright art school, so if you want to find out what's
wrong with your work, you need to do a bit of investigating. They're not
going to write over 300 "I'm sorry you were rejected, but it was because
of this, this and this", letters. Self-motivated artists who want to meet
the standards of Yerf can study the methods of other high-achieving furry
artists to see what make them tick. Don't be afraid to e-mail an artist to
ask for help or an honest critique. They did the same thing when they were
learning. But, even better, go right to the source and study the great masters
of art and develop your own individual style based upon the concepts you've
learned. Copycat artists are a dime a dozen, but an individual and innovative
style stands out above the crowd and can stand on its own two legs, rather
than depending on Yerf as a crutch to develop visibility in the fandom.
There are a number of skilled furry artists out there who have their own
websites. They're known for their high quality work, and not by the frequency
that they post on a furry archive.
And then there are the complaints of, "Yerf is too restrictive. I draw
R-rated furry art, and it's not fair that I'm not allowed to post.".
Yerf is an all-ages furry art archive. Plain and simple. Its restrictions
allow it to be accepted across the board, both children and adults alike.
There was a want for a clean furry archive, and Yerf was created to fill that
want, just as there is a want for some to post furry porn, and that want is
met by other archives. If you really want to be a part of Yerf, keep the
R-rated stuff on a personal website or other furry archive. Quite a few
artists on Yerf do just that.
With all of that said, if you're not accepted to Yerf on your first try,
don't become distraught. Angry rants and angsty doodles posted in public
places won't help you get accepted any sooner, and mean-spiritedness pushes
people away. Not to mention that it's downright childish to handle yourself
in that manner! Accept the rejection letter and work harder to improve your
art ability, not only in the field of furry art, but in art all around. You'll
become a stronger artist. Critiques should be taken with a stiff upper lip,
and shouldn't be mistaken as a personal attack. Many of the established Yerf
artists work as artists in the real world. It's that level of professionalism
that the archive is seeking in their artists.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post,
-Kat
Tukaex
news:eb92dc02.01061...@posting.google.com...
(snip in the interests of brevity, no disrespect intended)
If this editorial isn't listed on Yerf's site, it should be. Very
well-organized and spoken, and in an encouraging, positive light. Highest
compliments.
Tamar
this is something the admin should clearly state to avoid future argument on
this rather than being so vague about what the current standards actually
are. and i say this as a member of yerf.
--
Tamar the Ebony Leopard
http://www.extinctioners.com
http://www.geocities.com/xenif/extinctioners.html
http://www.yerf.com/howashaw
"Kat" <Kittyka...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb92dc02.01061...@posting.google.com...
Gabriel Gentile
> -Drawing ability-
> -Traditional drawing skills are a must. The general consensus of
> Yerf artists' abilities are based in the classical school of drawing.
> Not to say that DaVinci drew cute vixens or Joe FurryFan sketched
> out the Sistine Chapel, but, like DaVinci, a Yerf Potential should
> have the ability to draw anatomy correctly as well as showing
> convincing proportions.
Not necessarily. There are artists on YERF, including Sully himself, who's
style is more cartoonish in nature, and allow for exaggeration here and
there.
Nexxus
Sincerely,
Nexxus
Yscaldine
Also of note, those who draw pr0n should zip their yaps about Yerf. Yeah, fine,
it's probably the most well-known furry gallery. It'll get your work exposure like
you've never imagined. But, if you'd move aside the curtain of star-struck egotism,
you'll realize this is a private gallery, set up by a group of everyday Joe Shmoes,
who have their own opinions on things.
You wouldn't like it if a stranger you've just let into your home walk around
and smash all your windows. Rules are there for a reason; you can have your
personal homepage and there are 1716291878906089 /other/ places where you can show
your naughty delights.
And /no/, I'm /not/ an artist on Yerf. I don't even know 3/4s of the people
who're on there, either. ;3
~Yscaldine
ilr
"Kat" <Kittyka...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:eb92dc02.01061...@posting.google.com...
How old is this? Sounds like the same one I read 2 years ago.
Whatever. I got a better idea.
A small/medium gallery linked to the ArtistApp page with pictures that
meet or exceed the "New" standards, like a "You must be atleast this
Mad-furry-Skilled to ride this archive".
Well, that just makes more sense to me, and probably to anyone
else who's more visually oriented, 'specially if they flunked
every English class they were ever in.... Like me.
-Ilr
Tamar
this is something the admin should clearly state to avoid future argument on
this rather than being so vague about what the current standards actually
are. and i say this as a member of yerf.
--
Tamar the Ebony Leopard
http://www.extinctioners.com
http://www.geocities.com/xenif/extinctioners.html
http://www.yerf.com/howashaw
"Kat" <Kittyka...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb92dc02.01061...@posting.google.com...
Tamar
this is something the admin should clearly state to avoid future argument on
this rather than being so vague about what the current standards actually
are. and i say this as a member of yerf.
--
Tamar the Ebony Leopard
http://www.extinctioners.com
http://www.geocities.com/xenif/extinctioners.html
http://www.yerf.com/howashaw
"Kat" <Kittyka...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb92dc02.01061...@posting.google.com...
Tamar
this is something the admin should clearly state to avoid future argument on
this rather than being so vague about what the current standards actually
are. and i say this as a member of yerf.
--
Tamar the Ebony Leopard
http://www.extinctioners.com
http://www.geocities.com/xenif/extinctioners.html
http://www.yerf.com/howashaw
"Kat" <Kittyka...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eb92dc02.01061...@posting.google.com...
Onyx Dreamer
with the issue. Since we are guessing at what Yerf wants in its
archive then let me tell you what I would like to see there if I was
applying to the Yerf admin. (I state this only because I want you to
understand what the Yerf Admins could have done and choose not to.)
Statement of purpose: This is an archive for show casing the best
clean furry art on the web.
1) Professional quality art: How do you know it is professional? If
your art can be sold by a third party for a profit (i.e. no friends or
family involved) then you may meet this standard.
2) Strong sense of anatomy - Not only should the artist understand how
many arms and legs and fingers, but understand how joints work and
should look in a variety of posses. The artist should be able to draw
a hand and fingers that look real. Toes whether three, four or five
should exist in proportion to the foot.
3) Communication - Artist should Communicate with the art work. The
artist should be able to show that they can create pictures that
convey mood/emotion.
4) Shadow and Light - The artist should be able to accurately account
for light sources in the work and be able to deal with shadows of
various degrees. If you can't do a black furred creature with some
detail in medium lighting then you may need to keep working.
5) Color - The artist should be able to use at least three color
mediums with one or less being electronic. The artist must not only
know how to color a the subject but should also know how to build
layers of color for effects.
6) Props/Scenery - Understanding of props and scenery is a must. The
artist must understand how to make these elements work in the artwork.
If the picture is in the forest is the ground/grass “real”
to the eye. If the subject is wearing a broach on the kilt, it should
looks ornate with a recognizable pattern.
7) "Traditional" Anthromorphic work- Generally this means "humanoid
body" work with the primary subjects of the piece being of this ilk.
Exceptions are made at the editors discression. A common exceptions
being centaurs and that ilk. We do not commonly accept anime/manga
style artwork as a primary art style on this site as this is not our
focus.
8) All artwork must be clean. - This is obvious and non-negotiable.
If you have that so many persons that are not accepted and are
complaining- I have an idea. Give them a place where they can get
better. Set up a resource page with the books and places on the web
where they can get real honest feedback. Alternatively, you could add
this to the rejection letter. (Yerf admin - If you need the basic info
ask a few of the artists members on Yerf. They are generally nice and
good folks.) Either way it deals with the question of "how do I get
better?". If 290 persons are asking you a question, you should at
least point to an answer. It puts the Yerf crew in the position of
supporting the artist, even though it is a form letter. It is not even
close to enough to say, "We want to see you on Yerf one day". If you
mean it, do something about it.
I still want my answer to my question from an identified
admin/staffer. (See the previous thread.)
FYI: I am not an artist so the "He must have been rejected" mantra
does not apply.
Kat
Cartoons have anatomy and correct porportions too. By naming DaVinci,
I wasn't insisting that Yerf guidelines only allow for realistic, true-to-life
drawing. Simply, an artist who has a strong grasp of anatomy and porportion
can draw just about anything he or she chooses, be it cartoon or reality-based.
In fact, the folks who work for Disney, or any other traditional animation
studio out there, must know human anotomy and porportion backward and forward.
Their portfolios are fundamentally based upon drawings of the human figure.
The ability to draw Mickey or Donald comes in second to human life drawing.
Exaggeration is the spice of life! A character drawing without exaggeration
usually makes for a dull image. Heck...even Norman Rockwell exaggerated
folks and their expressions in his paintings, showing that the technique is
not limited to just cartoon-style art.
Jace
> Well, that just makes more sense to me, and probably to anyone
> else who's more visually oriented, 'specially if they flunked
> every English class they were ever in.... Like me.
> -Ilr
Ya know... I wouldn't have guessed that... in all honesty, I wouldn't
have.
---
Jace
ja...@softhome.net
ICQ# 4654209
http://sydewinder.tripod.com/default.html
falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~qandrews
Freeform fantasy RP
ilr
"Jace" <ja...@softhome.net> wrote in message news:ovtmit0b3upn5v307...@4ax.com...
> Ya know... I wouldn't have guessed that... in all honesty, I wouldn't
> have.
> ---
Yeah, It actually hurt me to read, and social withdrawl didn't make communication
any easier. But Just like anything else that's a major struggle early, you
can get past it eventually with enough practice and Head-Walling.
*thump*
-Ilr
Kat
> Kat, I hope that you are a Yerf admin. At least you attempted to deal
> with the issue. Since we are guessing at what Yerf wants in its
> archive then let me tell you what I would like to see there if I was
> applying to the Yerf admin. (I state this only because I want you to
> understand what the Yerf Admins could have done and choose not to.)
>
> Statement of purpose: This is an archive for show casing the best
> clean furry art on the web.
>
<politely snipped>
> I still want my answer to my question from an identified
> admin/staffer. (See the previous thread.)
>
> FYI: I am not an artist so the "He must have been rejected" mantra
> does not apply.
Onyx,
You've got some great points. Further policy explination on the application
page, as well as possibly re-wording the rejection notice would definately be
a step in the right direction. Art is a hard concept to explain, and visual
aids would most certainly be helpful. Unfortunately, though, I'm not an admin.
Just a concerned Yerfer tring to help out. This thread has plenty of good
points that should be brought to the Yerf admins attention (possibly
even at the Yerf.admin newsgroup, if not directly), if they're not following
it already.
-Kat
Tukaex
> Just a concerned Yerfer tring to help out. This thread has plenty of good
> points that should be brought to the Yerf admins attention (possibly
> even at the Yerf.admin newsgroup, if not directly), if they're not
following
> it already.
Kat, thank you for showing such concern and helpfulness. It is regrettable
that the administration of Yerf has not matched your generosity. Hopefully
if they are following this thread, your words will inspire them.
Jace
That's true... and now that you got past it, there doesn't seem to be
much stopping you, huh? :)
Personally, I decided against banging my head against the wall of
Chemistry... too thick.
Brian W. Antoine
>Well, that just makes more sense to me, and probably to anyone
>else who's more visually oriented, 'specially if they flunked
>every English class they were ever in.... Like me.
Bombing out of English Class isn't a Bad Thing(tm). The Gods
got a good laugh at my attempts and look what I ended up doing
to relax. *grin*
--
(UniKyrn on IM, ICQ#27068798)
Brian W. Antoine briana @ ipeg|dogear|circuit .com
http://www.nas-kan.org/
Pokemonica
must say that this time around everybody, but one, was so much better than
me. In the six months before, there were two whom I was definitely better
than. It's like being socked in the stomach and kicked to the ground. "This
is better than what you can do!" and everyone knows that it isn't. I saw
someone in the yerf newsgroup who wasn't accepted and her art was better
than both mine and the "one" who _was_ accepted.
It's just bothersome for some, that's all.
Tlalocelotl Tlatoani
>
> For some people, though, it's who gets in over you that's the problem. I
> must say that this time around everybody, but one, was so much better than
> me. In the six months before, there were two whom I was definitely better
> than. It's like being socked in the stomach and kicked to the ground. "This
> is better than what you can do!" and everyone knows that it isn't. I saw
> someone in the yerf newsgroup who wasn't accepted and her art was better
> than both mine and the "one" who _was_ accepted.
>
> It's just bothersome for some, that's all.
I look at it like this... it's a private server, they make the rules. I
have no problem with that. YES, it would help if they made things
clearer, but they don't appear to be moving in that direction... so the
best thing you can do is second guess it. Yerf is just one of many art
servers. I like the clean deal... that's a good thing. But if you don't
get accepted, try again or make other plans.
If someone is in favor of having a family orientated archive with a
lessened level of skill required to get in the door, that someone should
open one. I'll be happy to join.
Personal homepage
http://thunder.prohosting.com/~ocelot/
Emorphica Account
http://www.solfire.com/~kai/showmember.php?ID=19
Hangdog
<snip>
Bingo. Well done, whoever you are.
--Hangdog
Charles Melville
Kat wrote:
> > Not necessarily. There are artists on YERF, including Sully himself, who's
> > style is more cartoonish in nature, and allow for exaggeration here and
> > there.
>
> Cartoons have anatomy and correct porportions too.
I'll contest that assertion.
The essence of cartoon is exaggeration. Therefore, it is quite acceptable for
a cartoon animal to have wildly exaggerated features. Krazy Kat was drawn in a
minimalist, almost cubist style. Samurai Pizza Cats had heads that were almost
half as big as the rest of their bodies. I would say that a more accurate
assessment would be that cartoons have anatomy and porportions that are correct
within their own context, even if they appear rather bizarre by normal standards.
> By naming DaVinci,
> I wasn't insisting that Yerf guidelines only allow for realistic, true-to-life
> drawing. Simply, an artist who has a strong grasp of anatomy and porportion
> can draw just about anything he or she chooses, be it cartoon or reality-based.
> In fact, the folks who work for Disney, or any other traditional animation
> studio out there, must know human anotomy and porportion backward and forward.
> Their portfolios are fundamentally based upon drawings of the human figure.
> The ability to draw Mickey or Donald comes in second to human life drawing.
> Exaggeration is the spice of life! A character drawing without exaggeration
> usually makes for a dull image. Heck...even Norman Rockwell exaggerated
> folks and their expressions in his paintings, showing that the technique is
> not limited to just cartoon-style art.
...but otherwise I can't find any fault with the rest of the above statement.
I'm in agreement.
--
-Chuck Melville-
http://www.zipcon.net/~cpam/index.htm
Kat
> Kat wrote:
>
> > > Not necessarily. There are artists on YERF, including Sully himself, who's
> > > style is more cartoonish in nature, and allow for exaggeration here and
> > > there.
> >
> > Cartoons have anatomy and correct porportions too.
>
> I'll contest that assertion.
>
> The essence of cartoon is exaggeration. Therefore, it is quite acceptable for
> a cartoon animal to have wildly exaggerated features. Krazy Kat was drawn in a
> minimalist, almost cubist style. Samurai Pizza Cats had heads that were almost
> half as big as the rest of their bodies. I would say that a more accurate
> assessment would be that cartoons have anatomy and porportions that are correct
> within their own context, even if they appear rather bizarre by normal standards.
Oh yes, I agree completely. I had no intention of arguing that cartoon
characters should have correct -human- porportions, but yes, correct
porportions within the realm of their character design. The words were in my
head, but I forgot to stick 'em in the post ;)
-Kat