The Guild of Fine Artists

Ace · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:36 am

Shorah, all--

With the announcement that the MORE project will be targeted to allow for the inclusion of User Created Content (UCC), there’s naturally been a great deal of focus on the activites of the Guild of Writers and Guild of Maintainers, because they're the two guilds responsible for the content everyone is clamoring for: new Ages. But as Chogon touched on in his press conference of July 3rd, there are many types of UCC that don’t fall strictly under the auspices of Age creation. And it seems like there's a significant number of creative people who are itching to be able to make a first-hand contribution to the success of Uru, but who feel at a loss because they don't have any kind of 3D skills, or a place in the Big Five structure-- photographers and Photoshop artists, sketch artists, painters, fiction writers, musicians, and 2D animators, just to name a few.

Back before the GT shutdown, here on the MOUL forum, Tweek had proposed the idea of a Guild of Fine Artists: a new organization that would unite all of those non-3D creatives. It was also pointed out in that same thread that a similar organization had been founded during Prologue known as the Guild of Artisans, and that their organization could conceivably be revitalized. Guild of Artisans actually had a hood during the GameTap iteration of MOUL, but not much representation when I contacted them; like many of the long-standing Cavern groups, a significant portion of their Prologue membership didn’t return for the second round. Tweek, in the meantime, got some good feedback on the idea of the GoFA, but wound up putting it on the back burner in favor of devoting his energies to completing other projects-- I spoke to him via PM after the press conference, and he said he was still working on it, but had been very busy.

I think now, in this exciting period of planning, is an excellent time to take the idea off the back burner and return it to the front. I would therefore like to reiterate the call for the founding of a new Guild of Fine Artists/Artisans, in pursuit of the following two goals:

1) To create a go-to group that can be used as a resource for the production of Uru-related art-- not only for inclusion in UCC content authored by the GoW, but in every capacity, for whomever desires it.

2) To provide a specific environment within the Uru community dedicated to allowing artists of every discipline to communicate, trade ideas and share skills.

My only reservation in re-tabling this proposal is that I always got the impression from the materials in Kirel that Cyan envisioned the Guild of Cartographers as being the ones to play the former role, not a new organization. But then, I don’t know whether or not the GoC shares that opinion. I’m hoping to get feedback from them on this, and from Tweek, and from the old Guild of Artisans, and from anyone else who has an opinion and might be interested.

So… anyone interested?

CrisGer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:40 am

I will join. Great idea.

Mozzer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:50 am

Yeah, I'd certainly be interested!

Ian Atrus · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:30 am

I'm interested. And I wouldn't worry about sticking to the original 'big five' any more...

Tweek · **Joined:** Tue May 09, 2006 12:11 am **Posts:** 2633

Well I have been working on a Guild of Fine Artists site : http://artists.grey-skies.net/

For a while now (juggling various projects), the site is set up to be a kind of hub for resources and tutorials etc for those who need them or want to contribute them. Still got some work to do on it as you can see.

atheni33 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:31 pm **Posts:** 102

Sure..I'm interested.

Elynnie · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:35 pm

I would love to join - please count me in

Nek'rahm · **Joined:** Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:10 pm **Posts:** 219

I can't create Ages too well (my Blender skills suck XD) and I love drawing and conceptualizing, so sure, if you can get things off the ground I'll join in and give you some help.

Also, don't worry about the Big 5, we've got a few more Guilds coming into the fray. Fine Artists, Linguists, Analysts just to name a few should be coming around.

It's also a high possibility that some minor Guilds may pop up too. I've heard a group is trying to get the Book Makers going to design covers for new Ages and Linking Books, so they might absorb into the Fine Artists.

Mysthral · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:25 pm

I'm all for a Guild of Artists, but I'm worried that it will copy the existing Guild of Writers' which already incorporates artists and musicians. For a GoA to work, the GoW would have to disband, delete, throw out - sorry can't find the right word

- that section of the GoW.
In my opinion, all the artists - myself included - usually wait or receive (most of the time) "commissions" for work. Rarely, unless you're a fine artist, do we initiate said art.

This is not to be negative, but it's been tried and it just doesn't seem to work too well.

Ian Atrus · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:28 pm

The good thing about our Guilds is that they easily overlap; it ain't written anywhere that one person can only affiliate with one specific guild. The same person can be a texture artist (or a 3d modeller) for the GoW and a creator of stained glasses or poetry for the GoA.

CrisGer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:53 pm

well said Ian....i see no problem with multiple Guild Membership and activity .....and welcome the chance to mingle with other artists in several Guilds.

For the Guild Halls are never full 24/7 and certainly several guilds can use several Halls and even shirts once the game returns! Or clever crafers can make NEW shirts!

Christian Walther · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:36 pm

My (admittedly limited) understanding is that fine artists and artisans are very welcome, not to say required, in the Guild of Writers. It's not only for 3D creators, and not only about writing ages. Would a separate guild really be a better solution?

(Christian, not a fine artist, not closely affiliated with any guild, and happy that the guilds are so open and membership in them is so loosely defined.)

Mysthral · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:07 pm

Ian Atrus wrote:

The good thing about our Guilds is that they easily overlap; it ain't written anywhere that one person can only affiliate with one specific guild. The same person can be a texture artist (or a 3d modeller) for the GoW and a creator of stained glasses or poetry for the GoA.

Don't misunderstand me Ian, I'm wholly supportive of a separate GoA and I've never actually been at ease being part of the GoW (it has nothing to do with the people OR the Guild itself OR they're charter. I'm sure they're good people in every way). My only fear is having two separate Guilds and watering down the membership to only just a few, in both Guilds.

Of course, if there was a Guild of Artists, I would be one of the first knocking on the door. That's the only one that I could be comfortable being in and identify with. I think it would be preferable being a separate entity from the GoW.

Quote:

My (admittedly limited) understanding is that fine artists and artisans are very welcome, not to say required, in the Guild of Writers. It's not only for 3D creators, and not only about writing ages. Would a separate guild really be a better solution?

Exactly my point Christian. I'd rather have only one GoA... it's either with the GoW or separate, not both.

Gorobay · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:18 pm **Posts:** 308

I don't see what the problem is with having two guilds. The only arts that both the Writers and the Artists have in common are background music, concept art, special art created for specific ages, and backstory. Most of Writing is not related to the Fine Artists' art and vice versa.

Lynnutte · **Posted:** Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:40 am

I can't wait to see what you all come up with. If I get inspired to start writting poetry again, and it ends up being halfway decent, I may just join you.

The Guild of Fine Artists

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