I'll be away for 1-2 weeks starting the 15th with little or no IRC (we'll see if I'm coherent enough for it). Keep sending special requests to [Log in to view e-mail addresses] like normal though, we'll all get it.
Speaking of, opening up the DB-Herald egroup for the public to email worked out beautifully so I will be keeping it open. There's been some spam but google's been pretty good about filtering it. No, that doesn't mean the public can join the group. That's what the SecondSons egroup is for ;)
The next chapter is inbound, will there be a GFX competition? Yes indeed! Better sharpen up those art skillz in case. Thanks to James we've been testing out a GFX beta application called Gravit that is open source and seems really slick. It appears to work on most browsers and tablets including Android. It appeared to work on smartphone too but way too small (I have an N5). Sketchbook Mobile Express (free) is pretty good for small screens.
Some other great alternatives is Gimp for PC. Photoshop CS2 was rumored to be free (and I think still on the adobe site for download), but after some debate it appears to be for download only if you had bought a copy at one point. Inkscape is a free vector program I briefly used on mobile app only that seemed kinda cool.
We are developing one or more Herald courses right now that will at the very least be a how-to at doing GFX competition entries. We will also likely have some tutorials on some free programs, though that is lower priority as there are tuts aplenty all over the interwebs.
GFX tablets aren't necessary, but if you're in the market anyway make sure you do some good research on the product and seller. The seller because you don't want a brick in the mail, and product because not all tablets are made equal. Mobile tablets too. If there's any interest I can write up some small reviews on devices.
You may have seen this in our last report, but here it is again as a reminder: The Dark Crusade ribbons are ready to roll out at the conclusion of the end of the next round of Fading Light. You can request your ribbon cases early, or you can wait until the end of the Great Jedi War to snatch yours up. Either way, we've got a preview ready for all of you now: Mirus has kindly thrown together his own case. Check it out right here.
We have made a couple more Warbanner rules changes. Unit logos can be requested as a crest only by those qualified for the medallion. Clan title holders may request medallion and unit crest. SA background requirement is now SA:IV and ACC tasset requirement is now ACC:Q. We've also made some minor adjustments to a few bits and pieces like tassets and medallions so that some logos display better than they used to.
V'yr has been a stellar Magistrate and Praetor for quite some time now and to celebrate this, we've awarded him an Amethyst Kukri. He's been an amazing designer constantly pushing himself in saber designs and also had a hefty hand in last year's Herald Style Hanukkah. Read his recommendations and join me in congratulating him.
A'lora has done significant work for the Herald office in a very unofficial capacity for some time and recently we made him a full Magistrate. Welcome aboard!
Mirus is my right hand secretary first and foremost but he's become a beast of an artist himself, recently attempting a 1 a day for 7 days lightsaber challenge that saw his skills leap by the end of it. We may see some of his work for this year's HSH.
Rhiann Baenre came in this summer as a Magistrate and has fulfilled nearly all of the warbanners that have come through since. Her first avatar creation can be seen in the avatar links below, I hope to see quite a bit more!
I have unfortunately gotten behind on my baby project, but it has come to light that we need more diverse artists asap for club work, especially someone with hand-drawn skills. Anything that goes through my office will of course be well-rewarded, and also public work that members will get to enjoy. Anyone that signed up for Second Sons or applied for any positions will be automagically added to the new Sons egroup (if I get around to it). I'd like to fill it up with a lot more folks, even anyone that's interested in the arts or just want to lurk and see what we're conspiring on.
To that end I've opened registration to the public so you can jump right in (for now):
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/secondsons
[Log in to view e-mail addresses]
V'yr Vorsa
Mirus Hi'ija
Muz Ashen
Rhiann Baenre
Avatars fall under DB graphics, so if you would like, please do upload yours to DeviantArt and submit it to the DB DA group so everyone can see it! That goes for the GFX forum too. If you get commissions in and outside of DB, we have DeviantArt sections for that as well!
Mirus Hi'ija
Rhiann Baenre
Another awesome Ji commission from Jedi-Art-Trick.
If you'd like to show off your own DB works, make sure you submit it to the DA Group! We can upload it for you as well with proper credit of course.
Wait, wait, wait. That's not Star Wars news! Yes, but being an art-centered office and with a growing number of females in the DB, (and I once tried my hand at comics) I thought this made an interesting article. As confirmed by Marvel, a new comic written by Jason Aaron, with art by Russell Dauterman will launch this Fall, after the original God of Thunder loses the ability to wield his signature hammer. "Thor doesn’t just look like a lady with those long and luscious Norse locks of his — Thor IS a lady now and there’s no turning back." source
Right...as if anything is permanent in comics.
I think it's an interesting change, coming up on the heels of Wonder Woman being announced, finally seeing the big screen in 2016 in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice after so much fail. Femme-Thor however doesn't seem to have much trouble with a femme outfit like WW has. This pleases me to no end. Also, possibly Spider-Woman on the big screen too? Whoa.
Apparently lightsabers are such a thing that even the TSA has had to make an entry:
Yeah, that's right! Announced at Comic-Con. Firefly: Nathan Fillion & Entire Cast To Reunite For Online Game! Browncoats give a shoutout in the comments, let's hear your take!
Wait wait wait.. WHAT?! First Teaser Art from Fight Club Comic Book Sequel (thanks Wally)
My kids are already practicing: Parkour group brings 'Assassin's Creed' to life in Paris
(`M): AskTheHRLD: When you first joined, did you see yourself being Herald?
No, I really didn't.
(Wallynap): And has the HRLD office been able to handle user-requests as efficiently as you like them to be?
Yes and no, although everything can always be more efficient. A year later we're still learning a lot about how to do the particular things this office takes care of.
If you've done something Herald related for the DB, or even unrelated to DB, give us a shout as we would love to see it, and also reward any club work done. Don't forget to post it on DA and the forum, or just email us a link so we can showcase it!
Massive thanks to Mirus for formatting nearly everything. <3
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Thor as a woman makes no sense... Thor is the guy's name, not some title so how can Thor be female? :P
It makes perfect sense, considering Norse deities could change gender at will. See: Loki. :P
Loki was a shape changer, not all of them were, and the only instance I can recall of him being female was when he changed into a mare and gave birth to Sleipnir.
lol Loki was also the god of mischief so yeah that also explains the shape shifting. Plus the dude is a damn good sorcerer :P
But as for that Fight Club thing....He has a name now?!?!
Also, Thor wasn't the only change. They've gone and fiddled with most of the Avengers and other Marvel characters
http://marvel.com/news/comics/22904/avengers_now_begins_this_fall
Loki is just a dude, pretending to be a girl, pretending to be a guy #HOUHYPE
<3 Socks and staff and Vyr and Mirus. I love all my things, and you're all beautiful rainbow snowflakes.
Well, Batman isn't really a bat.
SHENANIGANS!
Batman is all he needs to be!
Yay, I'm a rainbow snowflake!
What kind of hand-drawn stuff are you guys after? I used to be decent back in high school and while I'm a tad rusty, I'll give something a go.
Tried using Gravit but for some reason I can't open a .jpeg or anything in it. hmm.
I love debating the realities of fictitious beings!
^ Agreed!
Those Ribbons look mighty fine btw.
And in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, I beat the crap out of Loki as Thor stood back and laugh
"Puny God" - Hulk in avengers
Adobe CS2 is still online if you log in to your Adobe account. They ask that only past CS2 owners use the downloads.
Aye. At this point it's not 'officially' available for most people, so we're looking into support for other programs instead.
Fortunately for me, the girlfriend has CS5 and all related programs on her much more powerful computer from when she was going to college for graphic design. For me, any DB-supported program would need to be Linux-friendly.
Yeah, I'm one of those. :p
Pen and paper, yo! GFX pew-pew
Awesome report
CS6 here. Also, Abode now uses a monthly subscription cloud service for their programs that is extremely affordable, instead of selling the software. For those seriously considering looking into graphics programs without paying top dollar, I highly recommend it.