Do you guys agree? If so I can do that. I mean be more strict and moderate more.

Someone mentioned a "showroom" along with the "critique" section. I think that's a great idea. The thing is, I come to the critique section to offer critiques on working designs. REAL designs, not somebody's silly photo hobby, etc.

Or maybe there should be different sections of critique. An advertising section, illustration, photography, etc.

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Visit Creative Guy for graphics and Mac OS tips, tricks, tutorials and commentary

I haven't been here that long but I've been spending a pretty good deal of time looking through the "old" stuff and I don't think Jim is that far off base. Are there guidelines for posting material for review anywhere?

CREATIVE TYPE|ENGAGING PEOPLE

As far as the Critique section goes, it could use a bit more strictness. If a design is really bad, I wouldn't say to kick it back every time necessarily, since they seem to need the most help after all. But certainly the section needs more looking after.

The Showroom seems like it might be too similar to the Critique. Some people who post in the Showroom might be in dire need of constructive criticism. And I'm often interested to see the results of revised designs that have gone through the Critiquing, so it would make sense to be in the same section. Maybe the user can post in the same thread and the Critique thumb area can list "updated" or "revised", so as to keep it all together. Yes/no? Just putting something out there.:)
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I saw this wino, he was eating grapes. I was like, "Dude, you have to wait."
–Mitch Hedberg

i don't know if this si easy or not, but some sort of simple voting system that kicks out bad designs (that is, designs that received bad vote or rating) could work.

Before we all start getting all high, mighty and design-y, why don't we just jettison all the obvious spammy stuff rather than trying to come up with a Roman Empire era thumbs up thumbs down system? The self portrait photos are an obvious first choice. The self promotional banner advertisements are another easy removal choice.

I disagree with allowing 'polls' or 'voting' to determine the value of design since it's such a subjective thing. More importantly, sometimes the designers who need our help the most might not have the best work in the world, but they are earnest. Are we going to start rejecting their work? I'd rather that not happen.

I left my last forum (won't say which one) because all the uppity designers started trashing anyone and everyone who didn't meet that standard and I can't personally abide by that jive.
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Powerpoint is not a design application

In the last few weeks we've seen an onslaught of images in the critique area that obviously are completed work. I don't think people fully understand and are turning this into their personaly dumping ground. [The three 'Save Tree' posts should prove that - DELETE]

And another individual recently posted like 8 images in a 2 minute span and has NEVER provided a single review of other work. How selfish. That seems to have encouraged others to follow suit. In my opinion those images belong in a 'showcase' area and a sharp moderator can easily pick those out by reading the description.

The description is an important aspect of any image submitted for critique and those lacking one should be ditched. We've also seen far too many people creating an account, posting a few designs for immediate review and disappearing never to be heard from again. I thought this was 'a design community'.

I enjoy learning from other viewpoints and it's obvious a number of people spend a great deal of time and thought reviewing work. I for one have seriously cut back on giving feedback because of what I see as abuse in the critique area of the site.

The bottom line is simple... the critique area is about giving a constructive review, suggesting areas for improvement and brainstorming alternative directions to submitted work.

It's time to shovel the shit out of the barn. It's really starting to stink.

I think for the most part the critique section is rather successful. There are those who submit photos of themselves/friends, but if nobody comments they'll drop away pretty quickly. If someone makes it difficult to critique by not providing a description, well then don't offer any comments, it too will drop off quickly. There are those who earnestly want some feedback, but have difficulty due to a language barrier. If they are at least trying, I think we should make an effort to understand and offer help.
As far as having a standard for quality of work, doesn't that defeat the purpose? We've all created designs that could use some brutally honest criticism, especially starting out or as students. That's what makes the critique section so great!

There are also people here who participate in critiques a lot, sometimes with very good criteria but they have never shown any of their own pieces here. I really don't think this is a big deal, but I feel that, similar to a design class, everybody needs to show something. It's easy to talk about other designs but if you are a member for a year and haven't posted anything, just makes me doubt whether you are a designer or not. Some of these people are pretty harsh in certain critiques and it bothers me that they don't participate with work and their websites are just crappy or non-existent.

another idea: how about limiting number of postings to something like one per day?

Agreed. I think that posting 8 critiques in a row *cough* even when the critique section shows 15, is way too much for one person. The critique section needs some help.

I just have no desire to critique when it's full of either all one person's designs, or a bunch of spam.

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Perfectly Lost Designs

Critique isn't about voting, or who's best. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But some sort of oversight is needed (in my opinion) as to what gets in there to begin with - based on legit work vs. spam - but not how good the work is.

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Visit Creative Guy for graphics and Mac OS tips, tricks, tutorials and commentary

...THAT much work, the reason really is that a lot of my work is tied up in confidentiality agreements etc. I have to be very careful that I don't show stuff that COULD endanger my client's brand and work etc. That being said I have stayed pretty much AWAY from the critique section because of Creative Guy's reasons, its just too much pain to keep separating the 'bad' from 'good'. :P

I value everyone's opinions when I have posted, they have been VERY helpful and I thank Ivan for providing such a great space to do this kind of thing, but sometimes I think i'm spitting in the wind when I try to critique work posted by MOST of the posters there (i.e. save tree, I won't even START with what's wrong with THAT post)

"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda