Call for Artists: Banner Feature

[James Gryphon]

I've been wanting to develop a new feature for the forum for some time now. I wanted it to be a surprise, hence the lack of any public word about it until now, but @Tsukuyomi has convinced me that the smartest thing to do is to make an open call to y'all and see what comes of it. We've figured out that the job seems too big for any individual unpaid artist, but with all of the people we have here in the community it might be possible to make something of it.

I would like to get new banner images up, which will show at the top of the screen, in a place similar to where the text "Redwall Abbey Community Forum" and the logo are now. There would be at least one unique to each board. They would depict scenes relevant to Redwall Abbey and life there (with the obvious exception of "Other Works", which would need something different).

Right now, I've been planning on the banner images being 880 by 50 300 width by 150 height in dimensions. I'm willing to compromise and make the dimensions taller if you feel that 50 pixels limits your creative scope too much, however.

The staff worked on concept scenes for each board, so that we know roughly what we would like to see up there. We're willing to accept pictures of different scenes if they are appropriate to the board, but if you have an idea it might be best to run it by us first so that we can work out the details. Here's a list of scene ideas that we sent to the artists we hoped to talk into working in this project, before it became evident that their schedules would not permit.

Index page: Great Hall. Maybe use scenes in Redwall for inspiration (like the one where Matthias and Warbeak are way, way up)?
Announcements: A shelf with candles flanking the word "Announcements"; bookshelf filled with various colored tomes as well
Suggestions and Concerns: An elder, probably a mouse, sitting in a high-backed chair, surrounded by creatures; Show Abbot and other important-looking creatures (including Foremole) at a table, looking over plans at an Abbey, discussing things
General Discussion: A hallway filled with creatures going about their work. At least one is sweeping and another is carrying some bags or a barrel
Character Discussion: The tapestry, with other characters looking at it/talking?
History, Legends and Myths: Salamandastron at night, from a distance. Inspiration: Mossflower
Other Works: Montage of Jacques stories? The Flying Dutchman centerpiece
Fan Works: Should be about abbeybeasts making something. Perhaps a wide montage of abbeybeasts at work doing general crafts (tapestry weaving, maybe the recorder jotting down some notes on the side, moles doing some engineering, perhaps with some refreshments conveniently placed for the workers on a side table).
Fan Fiction: Gatehouse scene? An Abbey Recorder writing on a scroll or parchment
Fan Artwork: A stained glass window
Recipes: The kitchen! Friar and things should be baking; The Redwall kitchens, filled with creatures preparing food
Roleplaying: Player's troupe scene?
OOC Roleplaying Discussions: Player's troupe leader with script? troupe practicing?
Inactive Roleplays: Another troupe scene in unfinished tapestry format, maybe lying on a table
Completed Roleplays: A finished troupe scene in tapestry format
Roleplay Dueling Board: A hare and an otter preparing to fence
Roleplay Tournament: A mouse and a squirrel sparring while surrounded by other warriors
Cavern Hole: Cavern Hole, filled with creatures feasting and celebrating. Darkish, but lit by the fireplace; should be cozy.
The Hearth: Raging fireplace. Maybe show a couple of beasts sitting next to it. Perhaps an old mouse dozing nearby in a rocking chair
The Cellars: Big Cellars scene. Lots of barrels.
Secret Hideouts: Dark hole in cellars, with barrels and things obvious outside; Dibbuns underneath a table, obviously hiding from their elder; DAB is crudely scrawled on the tablecloth
Front Lawns: The Abbey grounds, possible with the Abbey pond included. Maybe show beasts up on the wall or stairs, dangling their feet over (e.g. Pearls of Lutra)
Happy Birthdays: An outdoor feast on the Lawns
The Orchard: Trees and pond visible; fruit trees with creatures picking fruit
Forum Games: Dibbuns playing hide and seek. Location is unimportant.
Popular Forum Games: Same as Forum Games, but now the seeker finds a hidden player
Redwall Fan Websites: Maybe a picture of a group of creatures leaving the Abbey, perhaps going on a quest.

I would like any art made for the site to be signature-less, and the forum given perpetual rights to usage and alterations of the art (though not in a way revoking the acknowledgement of the artists' creation of the art or in exclusion of their rights to display or alter their work for use in any other setting; if you have any questions about the legal aspects of this, get in touch with us). I am willing to honor our artists in any other way that would be appropriate, however, including recognition in the announcements, a credits section of the forum giving each contributor acknowledgement for their work (there could perhaps be a link to a credits page added to the menu bar at the top to this site, or placed in the footer at the bottom), and possibly special badges custom-made for this event. Let us know what you think is reasonable or expect from this kind of effort and we will do our best to give it.

We will likely accept more than one entry per board, and the site will be coded to randomly choose between the available options for each board. I would personally like illustrative art styles, like the art frequently associated with the official books, but if you specialize in animated or more 'cartoony' art, feel free to send in your work! Everyone has different ideas about what the Redwall world can look like, and a true community site should display the feelings and thoughts of the community, not one stodgy old over-demanding bird-lion.

Thanks in advance for anything you can contribute to this project!

[James Gryphon]

I promised some time ago that I would make a list showing which boards have had a submitted banner. It's been a while for me to get around to it, but here it is; it will be updated as new entries come in.

Announcements - 1 entry
Role Play Dueling Board - 1 entry

[James Gryphon]

Bump for new entry.