The Drabblecast Art Reclamation Project

[StalinSays]

First mentioned on Episode 207, the Drabblecast Reclamation Project is a new initiative concerning old episodes. We're looking to retrofit episodes 1 - 132 with volunteer crafted covers. I've already reached out to our current crop of artists, but this is an opportunity open to anyone. First-timers are welcome; throw your hat in the ring, we need more hats!

For further info, and specifics on how to join in, visit the site below. Pick an available episode and e-mail me your intent. I'll mark it down as resereved to you - finish illustrating in the next couple months, bingo-bango, you're bonafide!

http://bokaier.com/reclamation/
http://www.drabblecast.org/tag/darp-available/

Thanks everyone, always in weirdness,
-Bo

[Algernon Sydney is Dead]

Please restate, in print, what was said in Episode 207.

It's not clear, here or on bokaier.com/reclamation, why the DARP is needed or what exactly needs to be done (barring creating new artwork).

We can't standardize the current artwork because the original versions were lost? That is, only the low-res version embedded in the m4a file remains?

Extracting the low-res image and maybe slapping DC branding on it is not enough?

What about later episodes, like #193, that busted branding?

Thanks!

[Praxis]

Sent my requests in......

[StalinSays]

Please restate, in print, what was said in Episode 207.

It's not clear, here or on bokaier.com/reclamation, why the DARP is needed or what exactly needs to be done (barring creating new artwork).

We can't standardize the current artwork because the original versions were lost? That is, only the low-res version embedded in the m4a file remains?

Extracting the low-res image and maybe slapping DC branding on it is not enough?

What about later episodes, like #193, that busted branding?

Thanks!

Let me be clear in my intentions, and the intentions of the DARP: in no way is this an effort to pave over our past. We're not scrubbing the m4a's, nothing that presently exists is being taken away. This endeavor is exclusively to add content, not replace it.

There are two prongs to the DARP: one, give our artist core something to work on and keep them active, because right now we have way an unprecedented glut of volunteers, far more of them than approved stories for future episodes. Two, to help beautify the interface of the next iteration of Drabblecast.org that we are working on. We're collapsing Tom's archive in to the new site, improving our records, and making Google like us. We want a consistent visual standard, the same level of detail that exists now stretching right back to our point of origin. And hey, maybe a third prong in that neat covers might make people click on old episodes.

The DARP only pertains to episodes 1 - 132. Adam Doyle's 193 wouldn't qualify. As an aside, Adam is now working on something for episode 126 - Dagon. If this whole initiative reaps nothing more than that, it was worth it. Adam is going to make a rad Dagon.

In most cases the imagery used in our legacy m4a's was lightly photoshopped, google image search what-have-you. I'd love to tell you Norm has a repository of all the source files that have gone in to this 207 part witches brew, and that I'm combing it for PSD's, but that is far, far from the case. We could try and harvest out stuff from the m4a's, put the logo on it, like say that awesome painting we used for Cretaceous Ghosts in episode 121, but it'd look junky blown up to 800x800 (you can always go down in resolution, but it is man hours when you want to go up), and most often it really isn't ours to use to begin with (in the case 121 it for sure isn't).

In specific instances original fan contributed artwork was used, pre 133 - Babel Probe or Charlie the Purple Giraffe for instance. I have reached out to their creators, seeking source files. In the case that anything is falling through the cracks of my memory, there are DARP related e-mails out to everyone who has ever contributed to us artistically (since the current e-mail address, which predates ep 133). All drabble channels have posted something DARP related. If there is a file that was used on the forums or on the episode and the creator has it, and follows us on any level to know we want it, we will use it as a cover. Lots and lots of nets our out there for that legacy material would need to fall through. And as I said before: nothing is being scrubbed anyway. We're talking about 'rightful covers' from the time before we called things covers.

I'm on tap for any other questions that might still exist. Don't be thrown by bokaier being written all over things. We'd be hosting the DARP site via drabblecast.org, but it pukes it back out every time Norm publishes something from his end (iWeb blows). I personally spoke for a lot of the episodes because I have all sorts of Drabble'y stuff sitting in unused sketchbooks (or stuff previously appearing on the Mega-Beast Death-Match, unkown to our, uh, not as intense / troubled fans). Also, one could hardly be accused of 'hogging all the sweet, unpaid volunteer work.' We've gotten 8 more artists on board since the news went out this morning, hopefully that number continues to grow. We have almost 100 episodes still unspoken for.

[Algernon Sydney is Dead]

Thanks.

I can't draw worth spit. But, if you just need some photo-sweatshopping, I'll sign up.

[StalinSays]

Thanks.

I can't draw worth spit. But, if you just need some photo-sweatshopping, I'll sign up.

Hm. I will keep that in mind.

If you have any desire to do original photo collage, or simply original photography, pick an available episode and go for it. There isn't any one media I'm trying to impose as the Drabblecast's 'look;' the digital bent and abundance of cartooning is the complexion of our artist core's general output not a style we're intentionally fostering.

[Unblinking]

This is a really neat idea!

I'm not sure I'll be able to contribute but I'll go take a peek anyway. Simple cartoons (mostly of animal variety) are about all I can manage, but maybe that'll be suitable for some episode or another.

[StalinSays]

This is a really neat idea!

I'm not sure I'll be able to contribute but I'll go take a peek anyway. Simple cartoons (mostly of animal variety) are about all I can manage, but maybe that'll be suitable for some episode or another.

I'm very pleased with the DARP's progress so far - we're filling up nicely, just under a third of episodes are claimed. If anyone is curious, check the site, I'm keeping it updated with artists' names. We even have a few of our 'cover of the year' nominees participating.

Unblinking, you could try #40 - Marbles. Leverage that lack of rendering fidelity and mimic a child's drawing style. Use crayons, make it demented and scary like. Throw that my way, I'll put a couple photoshop filters on it, bingo bango, episode covered.

[tbaker2500]

Wow!
Those artist/episode pairings look perfect.

Also- LOVE the copyright notice!

[StalinSays]

Wow!
Those artist/episode pairings look perfect.

Also- LOVE the copyright notice!

Thanks, I agree. Philippa Jones, who created the foreboding landscape for 206 Creature, asked for Starry Night. I told her the story was written for her art style.

Unblinking, you could try #40 - Marbles.

Ok, ixnay on that, Marbles was snatched up. 68 The Wiggly People and 59 The Interview could work using the same approach.

For anyone feeling similarly left out, we're going to have another hulking, needful effort soon that non-artists will drive. Every episode, 1-208, is needs a descriptive write. We're looking to have a comprehensive, searchable database of content, and quoting the first 3 sentences of episodes won't get that done. Data will need to be produced, most likely plucked from the minds of our spongier fans and volunteers (and episode re-listen'ers). That will most likely be a beta thing announced near future. With a snazzy title and the bells and whistles, DARP style.

[ROU Killing Time]

Everytime I see DARP I imagine some shadowy conspiracy to set off earthquakes and cataclysmic weather patterns around the planet.

[tbaker2500]

Everytime I see DARP I imagine some shadowy conspiracy to set off earthquakes and cataclysmic weather patterns around the planet.

Shhhhh!!!!!

[Unblinking]

So, when submitting these artworks, is the artist the one to put the episode number and story title into the image as well? Or does the artist just submit the raw image and then Bo (or someone else on the DC staff) adds that in?

Unblinking, you could try #40 - Marbles.

Ok, ixnay on that, Marbles was snatched up. 68 The Wiggly People and 59 The Interview could work using the same approach.

Yes it was snatched up. By me! Unblinking and David Steffen are one and the same. Mwahahahaha! Haha! Ha! Ha. Ahem... I did mention this alterego in my "dibs" email too, but you might have missed that.

[ROU Killing Time]

Yes it was snatched up. By me! Unblinking and David Steffen are one and the same. Mwahahahaha! Haha! Ha! Ha. Ahem... I did mention this alterego in my "dibs" email too, but you might have missed that.

Way to let the secret identity slip there, dude. Stalinsays goes out of the way to provide you with plausible deniability so you can go on battling Captain Magma in your long underwear and you just go and spill the beans to the world on the most important forum on the internet.

[Unblinking]

Yes it was snatched up. By me! Unblinking and David Steffen are one and the same. Mwahahahaha! Haha! Ha! Ha. Ahem... I did mention this alterego in my "dibs" email too, but you might have missed that.

Way to let the secret identity slip there, dude. Stalinsays goes out of the way to provide you with plausible deniability so you can go on battling Captain Magma in your long underwear and you just go and spill the beans to the world on the most important forum on the internet.

Aw, crud! I knew I wasn't cut out for this secret identity business. Must, find new name, new costume. I shall call myself Secret Identity Man and shall post on forums only as "Guest" to confuse my foes. And what better way to conceal my identity than to just stay home all the time--no one can recognize me if they don't see me! Ha!

[StalinSays]

Boy, I am slow. Well good, no one has to be disappointed. Unless Clark and Superman don't talk to one another.

There is an episode art template with the labels, if I forgot that, I can send it. And yeh, I will label and size images if asked - I express that option to those making traditional media art and sending us a scan/photo, but it is open to any artist that wants. It has been that way plenty of times.

[moonowl]

Man, this is awesome, I wish my artistic nature manifested in this way to help. If Drabblecast needs any more knitted monsters and silly ninja sheep montages let me know...lol

[StalinSays]

Man, this is awesome, I wish my artistic nature manifested in this way to help. If Drabblecast needs any more knitted monsters and silly ninja sheep montages let me know...lol

I'm willing to contribute to a piece (have already with other DARP'ers). Take a look at the episodes (68 of the 135 available remain free), if you think in a month you could make an appropriate craft, of a character or a featured prop, tell me the number and do so. Take some photos, send them to me, I will do a little photoshop clean up and make a cover of it. If its an original subject I am in no way opposed to photos.

94 - Squidges, or the bot from 77 - Apologies all Around, both good. Heck, don't even have to knit, bake a cheesecake, figure out some simulated fairy wings or barbie legs to stick in to a slice, bam, there's 79 Low-Carb Cheesecake.

I'm going to be posting about the DIRP (Drabblecast Information Reclamation Project) soon. Anyone not of the art'ing persuasion will be welcome to join.

[ROU Killing Time]

I vote you rename it to the Drabblecast Reclaimed Information Project.

[tbaker2500]

I vote you rename it to the Drabblecast Reclaimed Information Project.

Seconded.