Hi Everyone..

Last week.. This group turned two years old!


I simply MUST thank everyone who is making this group happen.

I want to thank all of our members who are sending awesome deviations our way.

But even more.. I want to thank all the artists who have clicked YES on our requests

So.. Have you figured out what this group is all about?

We do something most unusual here.. We are always removing from our galleries deviations which fall below our required stat numbers. This has brought to me, the founder and admin of this group, lots of questions. As for why we act so goofy footed.. Well.. Please remember this is only a "game". Our game! A game designed to increase the view stat numbers on our deviations. A GAME! That's all it is.

As for why I starting this group.. I wanted to applaud and place a spotlight on male art that has reached over 100,000 views. Personally.. I believe that is a GREAT achievement.


Disney Heroes - Aladdin by ~davidkawena

So.. In the beginning.. Two years ago.. I wanted to set the minimum number of views on deviations for this group at 2,000.

Furthermore..

I wanted to focus on deviations which were brilliantly artistic. But these are difficult concepts! What is art? What is brilliant? Some people like something, others like something else. And.. To answer these questions.. We.. You.. Me.. All of us working together.. Have built this group.

If you all will allow me to say this.. I think we have built an awesome group showcasing phenomenal art!


coffee and fish by *einlee

However.. In starting this group.. I wanted to do more than just showcase the awesome gems here on dA.. i ALSO wanted this group to be the first to discover new artists and showcase their deviations.

So.. During the first year of this group.. I asked questions to you, the members of this group, using these journals. I hoped my questions did not give away my purpose. I asked over used stuff hoping these appeared totally unrelated to the actual issues at hand. (I was hunting for very particular answers) And using your answers, we designed the "mission of this group" and we "developed our game". A game designed to get the stat numbers on the deviations from new artists, and for that matter ANY artist, up to 2,000 views as quickly as possible. (we use the "parameters" of this group to demonstrate how artists can do this)

And what are our basic parameters? We will use the dynamics of groups here on dA, and we will allow any and all viewers to have a "say".

The admin of this group will accept deviations for this group, which we find artistically impressive, that have less than 100 views IF.. That deviation is in less than 4 groups. But we will require that piece to reach 100 views in one week from the date placed in our group. If that deviation does not reach 100 views, I then remove it from our galleries.

When a deviation is in 5 or more groups.. We require 500 views.

When in 10 or more groups.. We require 1,000 views.

15 or more groups.. 1,500 views.

And when we get to 20 groups.. We have made it to our magic number.. 2,000 views!!!

btw.. May I show you something magical? People tend to dislike deviations placed in a lot of groups in a short amount of time. Such as.. When a deviation is placed in more than 5 groups in less than 12 hours, we usually see that deviation gain a few hundred views within 36 hours. Then, the view number change little for months afterwards.

Here in this group, we the admin, often watch and wait for awesome deviations to reach our appropriate numbers, so we may send to the artist a request for our selected piece to be displayed in this group. And.. we wait months and months and months because the artist placed the piece in 17 groups in less than 24 hours. Although the deviation is awesome in many ways, the piece does not even pass 1,000 views in 3 months. And then, such deviations, usually take even longer to get to our required 1,500 views for deviations in 17 groups.

The point.. (try this for yourself and watch what happens).. Submit a new deviations to no more than 3 groups.. When that deviation reaches 400 views, THEN submit it to 3 more groups. Continue this process for as long as like, and watch your stats (and popularity) increase always!

Simply said.. This is an online community.. We have to bow to Internet requirements such as paying the bills.. And if we do it right (just like catching a sweet wave on a surf board).. Maybe we will see more beautiful men showing us how beautiful they really are.. (hehe)


STRIP II by ~Torsal

Do you think we could push the boundaries of our imagination beyond our known limits?


Electric Guitar by ~alltelleringet

I wonder if we could show that FUN is really more valuable than gold?


Pan's Labyrinth by ~ewiku

Maybe we can even pass affection as easily as passing a Frisbee.


A Glow in the Dark by *JacquelineBarkla

Tim.. the little silly mischievous beach elf