Daily Deviation Awareness 2010 ~ An Annual Event!

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Welcome to DD Awareness 2010! This is the first annual deviantArt wide Daily Deviation Awareness! The goal is to have fun with learning about and suggesting Daily Deviations through events and contests such as scuzzles and more!

DD Awareness 2010 was started by TimberClipse and has been supported by all the staff of the project listed below. In addition, many Gallery Moderators and deviantArt Staff have become part of this event as well!

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So, let's start out with the basics about Daily Deviations…

Vocabulary:
GM - Gallery Moderator: They are the people in charge of choosing Daily Deviations. New GM's and former GM's are all announced at communityrelations. Gallery Moderators also have the ability to decide whether or not something gets featured.

A list of GM's can be found at FAQ #18: Who selects Daily Deviations and how are they chosen?

DD - Daily Deviation: Is a deviation chosen by a GM to be featured to the entire deviantArt community. It is a deviation which the GM finds impressive or interesting. DD's are given out by GM's every day, and are then featured on the Today Page.

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"Please don't hesitate to suggest because you are worried that the GM won't find the piece "DD worthy". Due to the subjectivity of art, the possibility of a piece being featured as a DD varies upon the GM. Other various factors come in to play as well -  they didn't have a chance to feature it, they hadn't read the note yet (some GMs get tens or even hundreds of suggestions per day) or any other various condition.
So, if you see a piece and think, 'Hey! That really should be a DD', go ahead and suggest it"

- Quote from PurpelBlur (Ring master; GM of all sections of dA)

Suggesting Daily Deviations is fun, and can really make someones dAy!

Remember there are no bad suggestions. Anything can be suggested as a DD if you feel that it is awesome!

HOWEVER, just because you suggested it, does not mean that it will be featured. Each Gallery Moderator has their own standards of a DD that they are willing to give.

You are of course welcome to ask the GM's what attracts them most. They usually have collections of the DD's they gave on their pages. So, go and have a look at the DD's in their collections to know what kind of suggestions they do accept.



Suggestion Rules
Anyone can suggest a Daily Deviation. These are the main rules to remember when suggesting a DD:

- THREE months must pass before an artist gets another DD.
_{(Always check that the artist hasn't received a DD in the past 3 months. You can do this by going to DeviantUsername.deviantart.com/dds/}

- You must suggest the DD's to the appropriate GM as only they can feature it.
_{(i.e. If I find an interesting Nature Photograph, I would suggest it to Anoya because she is the "Animals, Plants & Nature" GM).}

Otherwise, go crazy! You can suggest anything as a DD! YES really, anything!

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In many cases, you may follow this as a guide. If you do, you can almost certainly find a good piece to suggest!

Visual - Photograph
- Does the photo have impressive lighting?
- Is the depth of field amazing?
- Is there a part of the photo that seems to draw you in?
- Is it unlike anything  you have seen before? (For example, many sunsets can be almost duplicated, so find one that is unlike something you have ever seen!)



Visual - Other
For non photography, but visual forms (Digital, Wallpapers, Traditional, Stamps etc.) try following these (Some are only applicable for one type or another)

- Is this something that has never been seen before?
- Are the colors amazing?
- Does it look like the artist took years to make this look how it did? (For example, is each hair on an animal drawn one at a time with its own characteristics!?)
- Is there a great use of shadows and lighting?
- Is this something that you would give a 5/5 for originality?
- Does the stamp have a very meaningful/funny statement?



Tutorials (Both in dARelated and Stocks And Resources)
- If this is for dA Related items, then is it up to date with deviantArt?
- Are the instructions easily followed? _{(The following on this list suggested by FantasyStock)}
- Does the tutorial have clear images that are easily followed?
- Does the tutorial really work?
- Is it laid out neatly?



Literature
Lit is harder to decide on what is a good piece as every writer is different. That said:

- Look for something that is beautiful, that makes you feel that you are there
- If it made you smile, cry etc. it is likely that the GM will like it as well (Although this is debatable depending on the GM)
- Does the writer use good formatting as well as language?
- Look at the imagery, and word use does it really impress you?



Emoticons and Animations

- Does the animation or emoticon move very smoothly?
- Is the emoticon shaded very well?
- Is it really cute as well as being well made?
- Did it make you laugh?
- Is it an animation you haven't seen before (For example, not just a take on )



Stock and Stock Manipulations

- Is the stock image something new you haven't seen before?
- Is the stock image very meaningful to you?
- Does it inspire you? "If they inspire me then chances are they will inspire others" _{(Suggested by ChewedKandi)}
- Is the stock image above 600x600 px? (If not this is likely to small to be featured) _{(The following details in this category are suggested by FantasyStock)}
- Is the image smooth and not grainy?
- Is there good lighting and focus?
- Does the stock image have a background that can easily be removed?

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"While [giving a DD] may give someone the nudge to keep doing more, a DD should not always be seen as the only means or end to continue what someone is doing. It should be done for other reasons, whether because it's a hobby, or for work purposes, etc."

- Quote from phoenixleo (Deviant; received 0 DDs to date)

It is often said that Daily Deviations are overrated and are just a feature. And in some ways this is true... But DD's can give the new artist a kick start, and a way to see that not only they are really good, but that they are being noticed!

Today's world relies on networking, and by getting a Daily Deviation you are given an opportunity to be seen by tens of thousands of other deviants. They may decide to watch you, and even ask to buy your work!

DD's can also help deviants keep making pieces of art. It can give you the incentive to keep going and make more... But as phoenixleo said, it is not by far the only way, it is just ONE way that dA lets deviants become noticed. dA is a great place as it gives deviants so many ways to be noticed as people, as well as artists.

"But I did that without getting a DD".

It is not necessary to get a DD to be a good artist (not by a long shot!), but DD's are a way for the community to see what you have done and to say "Wow he/she is really good!" and potentially help you on dA, and in the real world as well.

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I asked this question to a few of the staff of this project who believe DD's are meaningful... Here's what they said:

"I saw the amount of messages in my inbox and had no idea what was going on, so when I checked and found out I had gotten a DD I was completely mind blown, I couldn't stop smiling. It wasn't on a piece that I was that mad about either, so that definitely put a boost on my initial reaction. It was also a pretty good confidence booster, because for the most part I got nothing but support from the people who responded, and I can't thank them enough for that. (:"

- Steph1254 (Deviant; Received 2 Daily Deviations)


"I know I might kid about it, but the same way I felt about all of the 6 I've gotten... Thankful I got the exposure for my work, excited to see what sort of feedback, if any, I might get and proud... is it bad to say I was proud? It was kind of, wow my works good enough for this sort of feature?!"

ChewedKandi (Deviant; Received 6 Daily Deviations)

DD's can be very meaningful to the owners. To wake up and find that little Heart tag on your deviation may seem simple, but when it happens you get a rush, and it can be the most amazing feeling ever!

This alone is a reason enough to suggest a DD. Make someone's day… and Suggest One!

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"To be honest, the suggesters' reasons [to feature a DD] can often have great impact on whether or not I choose to feature [the deviation]. It can really influence my decision if I know why the suggester thinks it deserves a DD."

- Quote From FantasyStock (Stock And Resources GM)

There are a few ways to suggest a DD. The oldest way is to go to FAQ #18: Who selects Daily Deviations and how are they chosen?, find the correct Gallery Moderator, and send them a note titled "DD Suggestion".

Most GM's are ok with having the name of the piece of art in the title as well.
_{(Although it is always good to check prior to suggesting)}

You also can click on that little handy " Note" button below deviations, and type in the GM's name there.
This image (below) shows where the button is, and what its like when you click it.



There are also Scripts such as Solitude12's SuggestDD Script which the updated version has just been released!

He would like to specially thank everyone who helped beta for SuggestDD V.07! So go get it!



All of these are ways to suggest a Daily Deviation. But what do you do once you start this note? Well it can actually be done in a matter of seconds (minutes if you have a lot to say )!

1. Take the thumb code (It can be found directly below the Deviation on the right) and post it in the note - If you use SuggestDD or the Button this will already be done for you!

2. Below the thumb code, write 1 or 2 sentences about why you think this deserves a DD. Remember you are -essentially- trying to sell this piece of art to a GM, so explain exactly why you think it should get a DD.

3. Then write below it anything special (For example if you wish to be an anonymous suggester, or if you would like your words used in the final DD description box).

4. Then press send!

That's it! Here's an example of a DD TimberClipse suggested as a reference:

DD Suggestion:
Reason: When I first saw Monster at Work Animation by LillianLai I was blown away! Not only is this short hysterical, it is extremely well made! The characters are brilliant and the animations are put together seamlessly.

Thank you!

TimberClipse

This piece later got a Daily Deviation with that same description.

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It is often thought of to be bad to suggest yourself for a Daily Deviation, but in many cases it is alright.

"Stop wishing and start doing, often you have to work at getting yourself exposure and one of the quickest ways is suggesting yourself for a DD. The majority of GMs accept self recommendations. And whats the worst that can happen? They say no? It's worth a punt "

- Quote by ChewedKandi


We don't suggest taking your whole gallery to a GM, that would not get anything, but try to pick your best piece and see what happens. Who knows, you might get lucky!

If the GM accepts your self-suggestions, they won't mention that you self-suggested it.

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Occasionally, you may come across a day where you find 3 or 4 amazing pieces in a row all of them in (let's say) the Animals, Plants and Nature (APN) category. You now have 2 options. You can:

1. Send 3 or 4 different notes and spam the GM
or
2. Send 1 note with 3 or 4 suggestions in it.

Most GM's are fine with having about 3 suggestions per note, however some would prefer separate notes. You can always take a look at their DD Suggestion Guidelines and see if they would prefer separate notes, or 1 single note for multiple suggestions.

GM's normally have their DD Guidelines on their pages, in a journal, or on their journal page. In case they don't have one, you can always send them a polite note asking which they would prefer.

So in a case like this, (let's say you send them in 1 note) pick the 3 you love and send them each with their own description, and thumb codes. Follow the same way as suggesting a single DD, but you can pile them up!

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Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and can of course disagree with a DD suggestion.

If you come across a piece you do not feel deserves a DD, then do not take it out on the artist . There are hundreds of thousands of deviants on dA, and it is a great honor to get a DD. It's not their fault if you don't like it. They most likely had NO SAY in whether or not they got a DD! Art is in the eye of the artist and the viewer. This means that something you dislike someone else might love!

With Daily Deviations comes the joy of exposure, more chances of constructive feedback, and a huge chance to get yourself out there and show us all what you can do.

What a lot of people don't enjoy discovering, on the other hand, is the potential negativity from members who disagree with the feature of certain deviations. This is understandable given the size of deviantArt. Because deviantART is filled with members of all tastes and preferences, it's impossible to keep every single member satisfied, and this, in turn, causes a lot of drama and fall outs - particularly on Daily Deviations.

If you don't agree on the featuring of a DD, then don't make a harsh comment for the deviant to see. They didn't choose to have their piece featured, and this not only puts a downer on something that should be a time to celebrate, but it also makes you look insanely jealous and is bound to send a lot of negativity in your direction.

If you disagree strongly with a feature, then send a note to the GM responsible for the feature! That way you're keeping the dArama off the deviation, getting a reason as to why said deviation was featured, and preventing yourself from looking like someone who's just out to cause trouble. Everybody wins!

The key thing to remember is that the feature is only for 24 hours! So go outside, make use of your day by catching up with some homework, go to the gym, feed the homeless, whatever! By the time you get back the feature will be forgotten about, and you'll have done something worthwhile in the mean time. Sounds good? I think so!

So remember - causing dArama on DD's is no fun, so think of the Llamas and stop complaining, it's not the end of the world!

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We hope you are still reading because we are long from finished! It is now time for the Scuzzle!

Scuzzle

Remember those Scuzzles made by dA!?

Well, we are doing our own! We have hidden 20 distinct pieces in deviation descriptions, scraps, journals and more, all with a hint to find them. But the question is who can do it first?!

The first 2 people to finish the scuzzle, and submit the COMPLETED SCUZZLE to TimberClipse will win:

12 Month Premium Membership
1 Fella Plushie



What: A scuzzle is a puzzle broken up into many different pieces, and hidden all around dA. In comments, descriptions, journals, blogs, and much more!

Where: Scuzzle pieces may be anywhere from comments, to uploaded deviations and even to chatrooms!

When: See this blog? Then the Scuzzle has begun! Go start figuring it out! The first 2 people to finish will win big! You must find all 20 pieces and put it together to win (Staff of this project may not participate, neither can those who hid more than 1 piece, or know the hiding places of the pieces; Volunteers however may participate )

How: Yes it will be hard, but winning these prizes is so worth it!

Key: Who knows when this will become handy
J- Journal
S-Scrap
C-Comment or Description
O-Other

In addition, here is the scuzzle grid! You may download a copy by clicking the download link!

Hints: Yes you will be getting hints. So here they are!

These are in no particular order. In fact they are randomized!

Your First Piece Has Already been found for you!

1 - In this news article you find this piece   
2- He is well known and has suggested 1800 Daily Deviations. His job is to help give DDs.
3- Cookies are yummy… So is he. Whether his emotes are jumping, or fighting, they are amazing.
4- This deviant suggests lots of DDs… He is one the writers of this news article!
5- A GM that runs comicfemales
6- A FAN of mintyy's ART.
7- Number ! Nowai!
8- Stocks Have been around a long time, this old GM might just have the answer!
9- This deviant is the only GM with this special power
10- This GM loves nature…
11- This GM scares me!
12- This deviant earned a DD for this script that helps you find if users have had a DD lately. (Happened in July!)
13- This deviant helped with this project and haz stolen a scuzzle piece! Now we will count until it is returned… 1, 2, 5, 4…
14- We love her for all of her awe$ome work, even the srs bsns!
15- I see a new GM announcement
16- This deviant helped with this project and suggests DDs
17- This wallpaper concept.
18- A dAring room we enter now.
19- This GM holds the key for pieces with more than 1 photo.
20- Yumm… Kandis for all!

Good luck! Submit it to TimberClipse via note to win! The winners will be announced in TimberClipse's Journal so check back later for the winners!

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The staff would like to personally thank a few deviants who have made this possible…

deviantArt
We would like to specially thank and for all of their help, feedback and suggestions! We couldn't have done it without you two

^Norke
We would like to specially thank Norke for making the scuzzle for us! No, Norke will not give up the answer

Volunteers
We would all like to thank those that helped get the word out! We know there are a lot of you, and if we didn't include your name here, or you helped out after this article has been posted THANK YOU AS WELL!

Here are those that we know of who helped out:

Groups:



Deviants:


GMs
There are so many of you who I hope will feature this as well! Thank you all who are helping, it is great that you have been willing to participate!


Translators:
- French
- Chinese
- Vietnamese
- Norwegian
- German
- Portuguese
- Indonesian
- Welsh
- Greek
- Dutch
- Romanian

Thank you all so much!

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- Manager
- Co Managers
- General Manager (Stamp Creator)
- The Scripter
- Editor

Staff and Writers:

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Please do not leave comments or note the staff requesting to get a DD. We will be suggesting many over the next few days, but we will not suggest ones that you give to us.

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We wanted to end with being able to help you all out, so here are some FAQ's to get you going!

FAQ #61: What is a Daily Deviation?
FAQ #18: Who selects Daily Deviations and how are they chosen?
FAQ #873: What do I do when I disapprove of a Daily Deviation feature?

Did you know….

That the most deviations ever given to a deviant is 19!? Check it out from this Journal.

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