Design Challenge #13 - September/October 2013

[Murmer]

Originally Posted by frogfish

One question I have is: how can we encourage more participation in the DCs? That would make the collabs and the blog hops bigger thus providing more goodies to more people.

So I think one of the fears is that is involves designing...for many of us casual scrapbookers the idea of designing is completely foreign and scary. I know very very little about designing and don't even know how to get started. So doing the DC sounds like a BIG deal. I have a IRL designer friend who taught me how to do an alpha but without her help I would not feel like I could participate. Perhaps there could be a beginner option that would allow newbies to participate in a way that feels less scary. For instance maybe each DC 1 sponsor/designer could take on a beginners challenge within the challenge and teach 1 element of designing for instance repeated pattern papers, or creating an alpha, or recoloring CU elements. Then each beginner would create 1 or 2 or 5 items within the mini challenge which would qualify them for the full DC...Then after a time frame 1 year/6 or 12 challenges they would have a good idea of designing basics and be pushed to do the 25 items. I know for me it would help me develop confidence especially if I had a person I could go to during the challenge to ask questions of...just my 2 cents.

[Romajo]

For those who'd like to have tutorials on video (YouTube channel), I can recommend this one: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChellesC...=dd&shelf_id=1
I just discoverred it myself. Not everything is as easy as it seems to be. But she shows and talks you through.

But an easy alpha could be done too. I have an action to cut it for me, but when I started I made every single letter on its own, using the same font and layerstyle.
If you make your own flairs, or have a layerstyle for it, you can make them too. You also can use it on a bold font and you have your own alpha.

An other thing that might attract the 'non-designers' could be this: these people sign up to make wordart, clusters, stackedpapers (quickpages maybe). As soon as the minikits are available (or maybe 1 or 2), those people get them and make some of the things mentioned above. The kits they got to work with will be for them to keep, the other kits won't. Hope this is clear...

[Wahoomrm]

For our next challenge, rather than waiting until January, could we decide now and have it due toward the end of January? This way, if we do have some time during the holidays we can be working, or at least thinking, about what we are going to do.

As far as the challenges and drawing in new people ... I'm one of those who used to purchase the kits. When that was no longer an option is when I started trying to create the mini kits. I know, as one of the newbies, I struggle with things, but I'm forever going on YouTube to get help. Plus, before, I never thought about "commercial use" vs. "personal use". That has changed!

[Chef Minnie Mouse]

Waiting till January to have it due is fine with me however, I would like to have the challenge posted this month to give everyone time to play around.