Want to Design for free?
- Started
- Last post
- 70 Responses
- capn_ron0
hahahaha, this shit is a cmyk jpg. No wonder it is showing up so shitty. They can't even figure out how to send a rgb file, or what?
- it still looks like poop when you open it in photoshop. dark type on a dark background.capn_ron
- it didn't look like that when it was posted this morning...weirdmonospaced
- it's looked like that all day for me. that's why i couldn't believe it won.capn_ron
- nah, it had color and more white type before.monospaced
- yeah, as mon said, it didn't look like that earlier. it still looked like shit, mind you, but it didn't look like that.lvl_13
- looks waay different on ff than chrome. ff looks "fine".jaylarson
- safari it looks like this. a browser thing then. But it is still a cmyk jpg.capn_ron
- Stop being stupid and download and open in PSD. It's going to look different in diff browsers, noobs.dMullins
- ukit0
Is it just me, or did all the hype around crowdsourcing die down a little?
If you go back a year, there were people proclaiming it was the future of the industry, which was of course nonsense. Anyone can tell you it's simply not feasible to build an entire project based on spec work, even if top creatives were willing to stoop to that level.
So considering the hype has died off a bit, I'm wondering exactly how an agency like "Victors & Spoils" is doing. They launched the site and indicated 100% of their work would be crowdsourced, so have they been raking it in? More importantly, are they able to execute professional quality campaigns completely via spec work or do they bend the rules a bit??
I know nothing about how they've been doing of course, except to say that it's interesting that a year after they launch, still no work up on the site...
- OSFA0
Like I said, this idiot and his awesome website will fade away in a year or two max.... then, some new 'smart' clown will show up and try to do the same....
- Continuity0
From the writer of the article (I am loathe to call her a journalist):
Dear online community members,
If you are a graphic designer who has strong feelings about Prova's concept, I'd like to hear from you and possibly include your comments in a follow-up story. Please use your real name and e-mail me at . Thanks!
- capn_ron0
^ instead, let's put together a contest of our own to write the best article explaining why this type of practice is bad for all involved. The winner will get the article published in the "all-new UT"
- OSFA0
Fuck, for some reason my comments show as gabriel.... WTF?
Anyway, here's my little input...
After reading your response to Jay Larson's comment, I had to take the time to post and let you know, David Prova, that you can try to mask it as much as you want, but the fact is, that you are just another crowdsourcing site that will be in business for one or two years (around the same lifespan of your so called clients, yes those brilliant CEOs and small company owners who think they are benefiting from a site like this)
David, what is your background in this field? What agencies have you worked for? Do you have a portfolio to back up a statement such as "Prova's unique angle teaches our designers the "science" behind effective advertising" or did you borrow it from a book you read before starting your 'business'? Please share some background information, I would love to learn more about you.
I can't blame this 100% on you though, because sadly, there are many 'designers' who submit work and play these games since they can't find a job n the field or never graduated design school (yes dear business owners, those guys are the 'designers' working on your awesome logo!)
You might make a few bucks and feel important with your self-given CEO title for a year or two, but then you will fade away, like hundreds of other sites that have done, before you, the same thing you are promoting. If you are lucky, you might end up working as an 'in-house consultant' for one of your now clients.
Before I go, I want to thank you, as a designer with dignity and self-respect, because you are cleaning up the pipes for the rest of us. We all know how annoying and pointless is to deal with broke, deadbeat, ignorant and ego-issues business owners who... let's put it this way..... belong to sites like yours.
- Continuity0
Here's my contribution to the comments:
Mr Prova,
It's clear to me the disrespect and contempt with which you hold the creative community at large, and professional creatives (art directors, copywriters and designers) in particular. Your business model is nothing more than the bog-standard spec work exploitation that has been floating round for years, and your attempt to frame it or spin it otherwise is disgraceful.
'Prova's unique angle teaches our designers the "science" behind effective advertising (call to action, USP, effects of graphic placement, ...), so client's don't get an ad that lacks the necessary research.'
This statement, in particular, shows me that you have no understanding of what it means to be a creative, or what an art director or designer brings to the table. In fact, it's patronising in the extreme, and downright insulting. By virtue of education or experience or both, there isn't a professional designer out there working for an agency who doesn't have an expert grasp of the reasons why they need to do things a certain way. They know they need to focus on results, and their work is a direct reflection of that.
I don't see that any professional designer - freelance or otherwise - has a single thing to learn from your 'agency', except to give it a wide berth, or else risk utter devaluation of their knowledge, experience, talent and experience. The postcard shown in the article is a perfect example why (as if they needed another one): photography that is beyond boring, predictable copywriting, lamentable typography and a layout that makes a mockery of the grid. It looks like an amateur did this in MS Word.
- fancy!!OSFA
- spicy!jaylarson
- well played sir.
*tips hatsofakingbanned
- ukit0
“To be creative, you don’t have to go to college or work for a large design firm. Creativity is often part of a person's personality, regardless of where they work,” he said. “The only limitation is having a computer and a creative mind.”
Ah right...thanks David, you've just indicated my whole professional training, and the tens of thousands I spent on a degree from a reputable design school was all a complete waste of time.
I guess by this logic, the only requirement for being an architect is grid paper, a pile of rocks and a love of tall buildings.
- +1,000,000monospaced
- *cough*
This would be a REALLY bad time to point out I only have a HS diploma, wouldn't it?Continuity - This is actually true. The issue is that some are more creative than others.cannonball1978
- reminds me of that horrible infomercial with the steve martin wannabe asking if we "sketch or doodle? then you may have what it takes...
lvl_13 - whst it takes to become an artist" bullshit hahaha. where is that damn infomercial?!lvl_13
- hahaha!ukit
- ukit0
I mean cmon...they may have a *computer and a *brain, but do they have...
- georgesIII0
"We all know how annoying and pointless is to deal with broke, deadbeat, ignorant and ego-issues business owners who... let's put it this way..... belong to sites like yours. "
nicely put.
- akrok0
hip and cool company! lol. jajaj..and the answer is: NO!
- capn_ron0
hey guys, I'm going to quit my full-time job, stop doing freelance for paying clients, and see if I can make it big doing free work in hopes I get paid.
Better yet, I'm going to offer this type of service at my next auto repair problem. I'll drop off my car, whoever fixes it better, i'll pay them half of what it's worth for their time.
- Miguex0
So I emailed Tanya (a very long email) trying to be as professional as possible, trying to make a point about why the argument below can't not be possible:
“Some designers charge as much as $5,000 to $10,000 for designs,” said David Prova, the company's 30-year-old founder and CEO. “Just $200 on a Prova contest can render hundreds of entries.”
I pointed her to the specific case of the presented logo with stolen clip art elements here:
http://www.specwatch.info/jan.1.…She gave me a call, thanking me for participating and that and excerpt from my long email will be featured at the end of the article tomorrow in the paper.
The excerpt:
"Yeah, but...but... but what if the presented entry is stolen?" (or something like that) which is not what I was trying to say at all, but oh well.
- TheBlueOne0
He has pretty eyes. Like a wolf.
- lolmoldero
- ha ha ha haneandersthal
- are those eyes painted on?lambsy
- dirtydesign0
what a dickbag
- IRS0
Crowdsourcing with a slick wrapper
https://www.victorsandspoils.com…
- oey0
I'll design for free, if I eat for free and if I live in a house for free.
Like, if I don't like the food, I won't pay for it, but first let me eat it and digest it...whatever.
- WeLoveNoise0
I'm sold, where do i signup ?
- bigtrick0
"This postcard was created for a lawn-care business through Prova.fm. More than 70 graphic designers entered the September 2009 contest. The prize for the winning entry (shown) was $250."