PDA

View Full Version : seeking advice on a delicate matter- group portrait



Kol Korran
2011-10-06, 02:43 AM
so, the campaign is nearing it's end. in 3 sessions or so the final battle will be fought, some will die, some will survive (hopefully the BBEG won't :smallwink: ) there shall be rejoicing, some celebration- it has been a fun campaign a long and satisfying one i believe (if we end it right) but then we'll move on...

but as i was planning the final stages, a thought occurred to me- what if we could have something to remember this by? we spent a year and few months on this after all! so i thought that i could commission an art work- a group portrait with the images of PCs, villains, and Main repeating NPCs, make some copies, frame them, and surprise the part a week- two weeks after the campaign ends. "here, something to remember this by".

but as i got enthusiastic about this idea, and started to seek a commission, another thought occured to me- this is not my campaign, this is the entire party's campaign, shouldn't they be involved in the process, mainly since their characters are the main spotlight for the picture? should i make it a surprise, or should i involve them right away?

a few things to consider:

I pretty much know how their character looks. some allready have very established looks (from internet images and such) but also- i "sneakily" asked them how they imagine their characters look, for a "special encounter" i'm planning. so i got a fairly good images.
i've allready asked sublty if they might be interested, and some said thatthey would, some ddin't really care. if i suggest this to the group though, it might become a group thing, and either force all to pay (when some don't want), or ditch the idea alltogether (whic hagain some won't want. i can't split it in the middle, commisioning this just for some. that would live a bad bad taste.
more people however means more money. though i have the money to spare for what i hopewill be a decent job, no doubt the entire group could spare even more. which means a better job (presumably)
i have a fairly good idea on how the picture should look, in my mind. i know the players and characters fairly well, and i think i can do a fairly good job. butthen again, i may be wrong, and as the hydra's saying goes "more heads are better than one". they may have cool ideas as well.
some of the NPCs i currently plan on adding are NPCs who goes throuh soem.. changes in what's to come. i don't want the PCSs to be aware of this yet. but i think i can "shadow" them for the moment.
lastly, there is the value of "Surprise! look at the shiny thing you get!" vs. "players' involvment in our groups' things".


so thoughts? comments? opinions? chocolate?

(search word: Tomer)

Chilingsworth
2011-10-06, 04:54 AM
Seems to me you have three options, really:

1. Ask the group beforehand, and only have enough copies made for those willing to help pay for it.

2. Have enough made for everyone, enjoy the Surprize! factor, but don't solicit contributions (giving someone a gift, then asking them to pay for it is in incredibly bad taste, imo.)

3. Have only one, extremely high quality picture made, hang it wherever your group most commonly plays, and start a tradition of getting portraits made after the end of long-running campaigns. (Kind of like a hall of fame, maybe?)

The_Werebear
2011-10-06, 07:08 AM
One idea - Before they go in for the final battle, have an NPC painter/sketch artist do a quick work of them preparing. Then, over the epilogue, mention that the artist did a finished piece of the scene, which was wildly popular. At that point, break the commissioned art out IRL.

Krazzman
2011-10-06, 07:59 AM
My first thought?

How about doing something special. Like taking the spotlights of the character developement and let this scene get painted.

For example: Googles reunion with his other Half Giants, Ipiks parting, Danves in a heroic charge in the church, Reds sneaky tactic in the Goblin Mansion/horrified expierience in the mournland, Grums (I don't really know if he had one such moment), and of course "Hug of Hope" as I would entitle it.

But as you mentioned Red has some good Photoshopping skills and might be able to help you with this Idea. Confront them if they want something like the spotlights of the campaign combined in one Great collage and I'm sure it will be appreciated. I saw something similar once for "the sinister seven" (a DSA group of a friend) and this looked even for me, just a bystander really really epic.

Let them influence this work with their own ideas of which scenes might be appropiate and which should be left out.

Hope you manage to do that and please post the outcome to this forum.

Kol Korran
2011-10-06, 11:09 AM
By Chilingsworth:
Seems to me you have three options, really:

1. Ask the group beforehand, and only have enough copies made for those willing to help pay for it.

2. Have enough made for everyone, enjoy the Surprize! factor, but don't solicit contributions (giving someone a gift, then asking them to pay for it is in incredibly bad taste, imo.)

3. Have only one, extremely high quality picture made, hang it wherever your group most commonly plays, and start a tradition of getting portraits made after the end of long-running campaigns. (Kind of like a hall of fame, maybe?)
hmmmm... option 1 would cause quite a bit of bad air i think, like splitting the group. i don't want that.

as to option 2- i NEVER meant to ask them to pay for it! if i'm doing this on my own, then the responsibility is mine, all of it.

option 3 would be nice had we played at a regular place, but we change between two people's houses, and i don't think it would fit. i want EVERYONE to have their own pic, to look at when they want to.

thanks anyway.


By The_Werebear:
One idea - Before they go in for the final battle, have an NPC painter/sketch artist do a quick work of them preparing. Then, over the epilogue, mention that the artist did a finished piece of the scene, which was wildly popular. At that point, break the commissioned art out IRL.

that could be quite an awesome idea! however, three problems:
- i'm not sure it will be ready then. though i do hope so. some artists say they can make it quick, some... not so quick.

- i need to give the artist the basic description in advance, quite way ahead. and what if someone makes shenanigans at the sketch making? such as not wanting to participate due to superstition (most of us have been in the army, and one of the strongest superstitions is that you NEVER have your picture taken before going on operational duty or an operation). or other stuff. what happens if i give the artist the sketch and a character dies and not raised before the sketch is done.

- the way i'm seeing it, due to the situation, they won't be stopping for any sketches anywhere near the end.

i was wondering if you could help my decision whether to take the players in on the project, or rather surprise them.

thanks although, it's an awesome idea, and i'll be sure to use it in one of my next campaigns! thanks!


By Krazzman:
My first thought?

How about doing something special. Like taking the spotlights of the character developement and let this scene get painted.

For example: Googles reunion with his other Half Giants, Ipiks parting, Danves in a heroic charge in the church, Reds sneaky tactic in the Goblin Mansion/horrified expierience in the mournland, Grums (I don't really know if he had one such moment), and of course "Hug of Hope" as I would entitle it.

wow! it always brings a tear to my eye seeing someone talking such fondly of the campaign. thanks! :smallbiggrin:

this too sounds like a cool idea, but again, there may be some problems (i swear i'm not trying to shoot down ideas! just listing thoughts):

- this will make for a very complex painting, and i was already told by some artists that the amount of characters i want to put in (which may be comparable to your idea) will make it high priced. various backgrounds for each character? not sure i can make it.

- one more thing, we still have two chapters and a half. lets say we can start the drawing after the half is done. still whole two chapters (albeit short ones). the players might dim moments in them more fitting, more climactic. i don't want them feeling they got stuck with "second best"


... Also By Krazzman:But as you mentioned Red has some good Photoshopping skills and might be able to help you with this Idea. Confront them if they want something like the spotlights of the campaign combined in one Great collage and I'm sure it will be appreciated. I saw something similar once for "the sinister seven" (a DSA group of a friend) and this looked even for me, just a bystander really really epic.

Let them influence this work with their own ideas of which scenes might be appropriate and which should be left out.

Hope you manage to do that and please post the outcome to this forum.

hhmmmm... so you're thinking i should tell them. maybe this is better as a collaborative effort.

thanks for answering, i always appreciate the help!

LansXero
2011-10-08, 04:18 AM
I think both options (collaboration vs surprise gift) are equally valid. I plan on doing something... different yet similar for my own campaign which is also ending, by making small statuettes of the characters involved, maaaybe put them on a diorama... but the thing is, I know they will be ugly and misshapen, I suck at sculpting (not for lack of trying...), but they will be done from the heart. And thats the important thing, the final piece of art doesnt need to be an artistic masterpiece, it needs to be meaningful. While following the stablished looks and traits of the characters closely is important, the real special thing youve given them are the hours spent together and all the memories of the fun had with one another. So I really think you shouldnt spend too much and do it on your own. People may say they dont care but it doesnt matter, what matter is that there will be something to remind you of the love and labor you put into the campaign, of the laughter and boredom and excitement and the bad and good things and the friendship. And if you did things right, even those that dont seem to care will care. Trust me.

So spring it on them when its all over. Just decide first if you want a "happily ever after" kind of picture or a "highlight reel" kind of picture. You say you have your mind made up about it though so good luck. Oh, and dont forget to take a picture of it and post it here ¬¬

joshter72
2011-10-11, 08:44 PM
THIS is a fantastic idea!

Kol Korran
2011-10-12, 01:31 AM
(sigh) i told thegourp about it, and though they liked the idea, we cannot afford a quality work with out funds (checked quite a few artists) perhaps i'll go with LansXero recommendations. :smallfrown:

Analytica
2011-10-12, 04:38 PM
What about asking for a commission work on the forum? Some of those artists are remarkably talented, but may do it more cheaply.

Another_Poet
2011-10-12, 05:10 PM
Based on the circumstances as you've described them, I would do it as a surprise and foot the bill myself.