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Frequently Asked Questions |
| How expensive would it be to for an art show to set up
a system? Probably about as much as flying in a group of jurors and putting them up for the time it takes to complete the jurying. The bulk of the expense would go into creating the system. Theoretically the costs would decrease after the first year. |
| How would the art shows benefit from this over their
current system? Jurors would be able to focus more on the art, take their time, read the artist statement. The only time constraint would be the completion of the jury process. With a national database of images (see below) the application procedure could take place entirely online (at least for people who have computers). |
| Who would be responsible for digitizing the slides? Initially the shows would have the slides scanned. There are inexpensive ways of getting a high resolution file from slides. Like the Kodak Photo CD which can cost as low as around $1 to $2 per scan. Many of the artists already have the technical skills necessary to submit their own digital files. I've also found a lab that can batch scan slides and output them to the specified pixel dimensions for $1.25 each per 1000 - the equivalent of 200 applicants at 5 slides each. |
| What about the suggestion of a national data base on
the home page? This is a concept I've been thinking about for a few months. The artist can submit their slides and descriptions. Template HTML pages can be ready to insert the appropriate information. The artist would be assigned a specific ID number for each image that takes into account the category. When filling out the show application the specific numbers would be entered on the slide description line. The shows then submit their request and the html and images are sent to them, either by e-mail or on a CD. Once the system is initiated, template web sites could be set up for each show. |
| How would the artists benefit? The artist would only need one set of slides or digital photographs. Ability to get feedback from jurors with little effort on the shows part. The information that is entered into the jury submission form could easily be directed to the artists e-mail. Easily submit an application online at the last minute by filling out a form with a credit card number and the picture ID numbers for the images you choose to submit. The image descriptions will automatically go along with the images. |
| How secure is this system? If run off a web site, it could easily be password protected. Only the web master, show principals and the jurors need access. As I suggested on the home page, it could also easily be run off a CD. The web site would be created conventionally and copied to a CD with an autorun program. The CD could also contain the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape. Running off a CD means that the images would load immediately. |
| Is it possible for the jurors to
communicate with each other during the process? I'm not sure how shows feel about it but there could be a list of phone numbers given to each juror, or each juror could be assigned an ICQ (instant message program) number with an instruction sheet. We've also been experimenting with video conferencing and have found it to work. |
| How would the art shows
react to the differences in this experimental system? It was suggested that this system gives the art show jurors too much information and could be potentially confusing. I've created a single artist page with the thumbnails images and a one click juror submit button, all visible without having to scroll. It also gives the options to read the artist descriptions or see the images in a more detailed window. Click here to see the sample "Quick Jury" page. |
| How about color and size consistency? For the purposes of this demonstration, make sure your monitor resolution is set to 800 x 600 or higher (click here for instructions). Taking into account the toolbars on Internet Explorer and Netscape I have sized the images to specific dimensions to make the best use of the resulting available space. If this were being done in-house, in a controlled situation, I would already have your monitor set up properly. The only requirement is that you complete the jury process using the same monitor so as to give each image equal viewing. Also, all the pages on this web site are set up with a black background and white type, including hyperlinks. I feel that this will allow maximum focus on the images with the least distractions. |