Hey, I just signed up for the forum. Just a suggestion, but you may want to rethink showing a picture of jailbait anime girls to unregistered users. Makes you look kind of weird and creepy.

According to the forum rules nudity isn't forbidden viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1836

but it's a wide topic, it's always hard to draw boundaries around artistic freedom, especially in a multicultural medium. Care to throw in some more detailed arguments to open a discussion?

Geez, if this site seems weird and creepy, you probably don't want to visit deviantART (http://www.deviantart.com/) which is one of the top art hosting websites on the net. Although at dA, you can choose not to view "adult content", if you're a member. If you're not a member, you could see such images.

I'm curious where you've seen content filtered for non-registered members -- what websites?

Note that we do try to indicate that a message contains images that some might consider offensive, by editing the title to contain "not work safe" or "NWS". I think the forum admin may post some comments as well. We do realize that children may be visiting this website -- to learn how to use Inkscape. But if children were interested in looking at "boobies" they certainly would not be looking here. I doubt there are more than 10 such images on the entire forum. When you registered, you may remember having to agree that you are over 13. Although I realize how easily that can be ignored or lied about.

Aside from children, I think when we consider Inkscape to be a tool for the creation of art, we really have to consider the argument that even some "nrop" is often considered art. (read "nrop" backwards -- I'm trying to fool the search engine spiders, because I don't want to have to delete boatloads of that kind of spam)

After all, it's "in the eye of the beholder" isn't it?

I wasn't talking about an image in a particular thread, I was talking about the image and message that is shown to unregistered/logged-out users when they first arrive on the forums:



It's not nudity or obscene, but it's just kind of a weird thing to be showing to people as soon as they hit the site.

Oooooh!! At least I'm glad to know what image you were talking about. I misread your comments, and thought you had somehow thought content should be filtered for unregistered visitors.

But wow! I may be one of the more prudish members here, and even I don't see anything creepy about those cartoon figures. My first impression seeing them was "omg, I'm getting old!" For goodness sakes, they're cute! You can turn on your tv (at least in the US) on a Sat morning and see worse! There's one where the main characters are 4 young girls, they all wear midriff tops and they all have jewels in their navels! And I don't even have cable -- it's on network tv!

But, as I've already said about art -- we all have our own unique opinions

Maybe this image should be a collage or several different Inkscape illustrations, or display a different one each time but that is a bit out of reach I suspect. Maybe we can vote on which illustration to show there, if it doesn't cause microUgly a headache It's probably his drawing up there.

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings ... BUT! This little illustration is 1) Not provocative 2) Not creepy 3) Appropriate, IMO, since it shows people, on the 'USER" forum...
... And ... "Jailbait???" I can't help but think that someone who is (apparently) tempted to pedophilia by this illustration needs some serious counseling, at the very least.

Well, I don't know about that. But there is this saying I've heard -- "You can't judge a book by its cover."

When I first saw that image, I was concerned that the forum might be full of young people. And I did actually steel myself for snarky remarks (which I have received in other graphics forums, by people who I assumed were just young and inexperienced with life). But it didn't turn out that way at all!

If truth be told, I don't care for that pic either (specifically don't care for it being on the entry to the site), this site isn't about youth, anime, or sexy poses, etc, so I don't feel this is the right place for it, and, it is the first impression people get from this site. I'm not a prude, but I am very tired of sexy poses (esp about youth) being thrown in my face (nothing against the artist, the artwork is good, it's just a personal matter of taste). I'm not opposed to seeing it elsewhere in the forum. The pic can be misleading to new users, and I'd prefer that a plain pic of Inkscape's logo or something mild be placed there instead. All ages and all kinds of people come here, if we don't have to have what some consider offensive, then why not put up a different pic and make it a non-topic?
re: sexy poses, etc in general - Just because we're seeing it everywhere, whether it's on cable tv, reg tv, video or whatnot, doesn't mean we have to keep it going, truthfully, I don't want to see it either (and that doesn't mean that I need counseling just because I don't want this thrown at me).

brynn wrote:Well, I don't know about that. But there is this saying I've heard -- "You can't judge a book by its cover."

When I first saw that image, I was concerned that the forum might be full of young people. And I did actually steel myself for snarky remarks (which I have received in other graphics forums, by people who I assumed were just young and inexperienced with life). But it didn't turn out that way at all!

I'm glad you stayed, Brynn!
I know what you mean about snarky remarks and adolescent attitudes on internet forums - but somehow i find it easier to take youthful abrasiveness in stride and harder to accept grown-up intolerance and rudeness. No accounting for taste, I guess! It makes me sad to hear people say, "It's all right as long as I don't have to look at it," having heard that many, many times in other contexts. Not that I'm gay, or black, or a hippie, or a feminist, or anything like that, I'm just normal like everyone else.

only thing I'll say is, it's kinda old, maybe a new picture could be put there or a rotating image from a directory or something like that?

Although I don't see anything wrong with that image, I think a rotation of several images would be nice. It would be an opportunity to showcase more of what Inkscape can do. And if the reason is showcasing Inkscape, then maybe a larger image placeholder would be nice. I would volunteer to do it, to save microUgly the time/work, but I wouldn't know how....

That said, I have no idea if such a thing is even possible with this forum software. I would assume so, but not sure.

I don't know how I missed this comment, way up in the beginning of this thread:

prkos wrote:It's probably his [mircoUgly] drawing up there.

I don't think he drew the original sketch, but I think he did re-draw and color it. Whoever originally drew it is a member here, but I can't remember who, for sure -- maybe Dillerkind?

And btw, Amtiskaw, you don't want to look at Dillerkind's images in Finished Work forum!

Perhaps kind of monthly challenge could be the solution?
A theme could be given and at the end of the month one of the posted works/drawings will be placed at that "critical spot"?

Oh, I love that idea!

oh, I vote for brynn's turkey for one month, maybe November

I'm happy to switch the image to something that better represents the forum--it never occurred to me that anyone would find it "inappropriate".

But I'm not going to go to the effort of having a rolling collection of images, or having a monthly voting contest--I prefer to keep the maintenance low.

So if someone wants to start a thread for people to post original creations they are prepared to have displayed on the site, please do. I'll give it a few weeks for submissions to come in and then choose one based on my own preference and the feedback people post.

Note that credit goes to Dillerkind for the drawing. The colours are mine, but Dillerkind is a great artists and a magician with Inkscape.

Well, I agree that most people probably don't find it inappropriate.

I haven't looked, but if no one has started it already, I'll start a new topic in Competitions forum for new image. I think 100% Inkscape should be a requirement. What do you all think?

I know another topic has already been opened. Anyway, just wanted to throw in my two cents.

Yes, I drew the original. It's a pencil drawing of two apparently young girls. Lots of people like and tend to draw younger characters.. and "sexy poses". Same goes for me. I don't see why this pic would be creepy or where the "jailbait" comes from. Have you ever had to deal with teenagers? Many of them seem to go through a bad-attitude phase, wearing stuff like this and much worse. So what? This drawing is ooold, from some time around 2004-06 or so. I used to draw lots of naked chars back then, just for the fun of it. I still love drawing pretty females, just not as many fully nude ones though.

Also this is not anime/manga. My style is influenced by different comic styles, both eastern and western. But I'm still going my own way, trying to get my own look on paper. Why do people seem to mistake anything in a comic-style as something made for the young ones?

That's that. Sorry if this sounded like I'm offended or pissed off or something. I'm not, just felt like saying something since some of my work was involved. BUT I do agree that this image should be replaced with something different. Not as much for content reasons, rather because of its age. It's been there for quite a while and both, microUgly and I have grown art-wise. There are lots of other people on this board so it shouldn't take too much effort to find some really cool replacement :)

Cheers

brynn wrote:I don't think he drew the original sketch, but I think he did re-draw and color it. Whoever originally drew it is a member here, but I can't remember who, for sure -- maybe Dillerkind?

And btw, Amtiskaw, you don't want to look at Dillerkind's images in Finished Work forum!

Hahaha... Yeah, strange stuff, not suitable for the faint of heart :D

I have written and re-written this posting many times trying to get out just exactly what my objections to this image are, but I can't seem to put them down precisely. And that's disturbing to someone who makes a living out of writing. I think the image must make associations with other manga I have seen that I did find disturbing. Some of ElfenLied for example. But then the style and content are so different...

The problem is that when I write down what I dislike about it, I look at the image again and I say "there's nothing wrong with it stupid ...".

I think it is a cool image, very well executed and coloured. It sparks with attitude. The characters jump off the page and I can almost hear them speak. And yet. And yet I do find it slightly creepy. I admit that probably does say more about me than it does about the image...

However, thinking about a new image for that space I'd be hard pressed to find something that shows off even one aspect of inkscape better than Dillerkind's image (or something very like it) in the space you have. It shows that you can produce professional quality images with Inkscape, because well coloured linework still works at a very small size - I think you're going to find anything with lots of funky gradients and patterns just looks awful in only 200 pix.

I predict you're going to end up with something very similar!

Clive

I predict you're going to end up with something very similar!

I suspect that your prediction will come to pass. I've been trying to think of something to draw, and looking through my finished works, but the 200 px is very limiting! Not much of my work looks good at that size.

I think I understand your ambivalence about the current image. Basically, I just don't want to see children in that almost provactive clothing and style, even as cartoons. But then on the other hand there's such a cuteness....and it IS a cartoon. Plus, it does reflect the social status of today's youth. Like their clothing/poses/language or not, I still think as a society, we're teaching out children the most important lessons in life. History is one long continuum of children wanting to wear clothing that their parents don't approve, then growing up, having their own children, and not approving of the clothing that their children want to wear. From this perspective, I think the image does celebrate life.

I think Dillerkind can take a lot of pride in his artwork here, because I've heard/read about art, that the true measure of success is the emotion that the artwork elicits. And even though some of the emotion is negativity towards the image, it can't be argued that it's not great work! (imo)

brynn wrote:Plus, it does reflect the social status of today's youth.

Xactly

(snip)..., I think the image does celebrate life.

100% agree. My only beef is the placement on front page.

I think Dillerkind can take a lot of pride in his artwork here, because I've heard/read about art, that the true measure of success is the emotion that the artwork elicits. And even though some of the emotion is negativity towards the image, it can't be argued that it's not great work! (imo)

again, 100% agree. It's great work.

Clive