Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Dollsters. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Locked Topic
Dolling Mentors
Topic Started: Jan 11 2010, 10:28 PM (644 Views)
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
Okay, I have seen this on a few art sites and think it might be a good idea.

Basically, the older dollers help out the younger ones. They keep in contact, provide feedback on their work, correct issues, and generally help them improve. I think it might encourage people more to have someone who is constantly there to help coach them in their dolling. Mentors could take on multiple people, with the mentoring eventually ending(either in a set time period or if one or the other is not as responsive as desired, there are issues, etc).
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
tinker_bell_96
Associate
hey kitty i would like a mentor that would be great lol
i will be open to anyone you will give me :)
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
prin367cess
Member Avatar
Hitman
I love this idea, and i def want to help out in any way possible.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
antimaie
Member Avatar
Hitman
This is an amazing idea. o:
They'll be so many more awesome hand drawn dollers with this idea! ;D
Posted Image
I will buy you swedish fish all the time
You can be my truckstop valentine
We can wear our PJs out to dinner, I don't mind
Cameron Quiseng stole my heart. <3
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
It excites me to see how many people are interested! I wasn't sure if it was only me who liked the whole mentoring concept.

I'm curious what you guys would prefer more: having mentors select you or selecting your own mentor. I lean towards the latter, that way a mentor can provide info about their style, what they like to doll, what things they feel especially good at, etc, and you can pick a mentor who fits your needs.

Also, how long should a mentorship last? What do you guys think is reasonable? Obviously a mentorship could be "renewed" in a sense, but what should be a time where both members can review if the mentorship is going anywhere and if improvements are being made.

I also was thinking that it'd be a good idea not only for handdrawn dolling, which would be great to encourage more interest in, but specialized dollmaker dolling as well. I think we have really seen how talented both sets of dollers are and want to encourage growth both ways.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
tinker_bell_96
Associate
i dont know about other people but i would prefer for a mentor to pick me since i am new (in a sense) and i dont really know anyone lol
i also think that the mentorshipd should last maybe a month and a half to two months but that is just my opinion
i think it would be great to have specialist dollers as well as handdrawn dollers to help bc some people who are just starting to join contests with dollmaker dolls could improve greatly and immensly with a little bit of mentoring help
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
prin367cess
Member Avatar
Hitman
I'd imagine that the best way would be a list of all the mentors that gives a bit of detail about each - their specialty, what programs they know how to use, the easiest way to contact. Then a newbie can look at the list and pick a mentor based on the information provided. If this newbie is unsure about who to pick, like Tink mentioned, there is a head mentor (Kitty?) who can assist the newbie in picking a mentor that would benefit her most. At the end of the period (2 months? this depends on how often the newbie plans on honing their skills - daily, every other day, only weekends, etc), the mentor will either suggest a new mentor to the newbie or set them free.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
tinker_bell_96
Associate
i like that idea of giving a little description of who the mentor is what skills they have what programs they use but also give a description of the mentee (or whatever u want to call us lol) to show who we are what kind of help we want and what kinds of things that we can do lol and then if the mentee wants to pick a mentor based on this info or the mentor wants to pick a mentee based on this info then they can pick or you could match a mentor up with who would work best with that mentor
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Lovie
Member Avatar
Hitman
I'm going to side with Amy about this. The student should pick their teacher. For one, if someone IS new then the mentors would have no idea what the person is capable of, or if they even want help. Tutors don't pick their students. I also don't like the idea that mentors may only choose those they think are "worthy". If they want to offer help it should be offered to anyone who wants it.

I definately agree that the mentors skills methods and programs should be listed. Maybe some pre-requisites too. For example, I wouldn't be ANY help to someone who doesn't have Photoshop xD

I do have a question though: Can a mentor be a student in another catagory? I'd love some help improving my hand drawing. :)

Also, I think it's a good idea to have a sort of portfolio for each mentor's work. That way if a person is new they can see what kind of dolls that particular mentor makes and their style.
Posted Image
Avi & Siggy By: Me
Proud Member of The_Contestants Club!
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
I agree, allowing mentors to choose could lead to serious issues with there being a "selective" caste of members, who get helped out by upper dollers on here. They would end up getting more help, getting along better with those members, and in general it would lead others flailing in the dark. Granted, mentors should still be able to deny a user, with a good reason(IE: they harassed them about it, caused problems with them, they feel they can't work professionally with someone with whom they have an issue, etc) or to end it if they feel whoever they are working with is not responding at all to their critiques or simply have chosen to disregard what they have to say. In those situations, its simply unfair to keep both mentee and mentor engaged when they can't work together or no work is occurring.

I don't see major issues with being a student in another category. After all, if someone wanted help with say, writing, but excelled at dolling, there is no reason why being a mentor for one should affect the other. They'd just have to undergo the same procedures clearly as the rest.

Good idea with the portfolio. It certainly would be best to include examples of what they consider characteristic of their work.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
prin367cess
Member Avatar
Hitman
I really like the idea of a portfolio of-sorts for each mentor. It would show off our skills in specific areas, and give potential newbies an idea of what they are striving for.

I'm excited for this! ^_^
Posted Image
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
I sent a message to Elanorea asking her input on the idea since she's been dolling for so long and is our original dolling forums mod.

My one big concern is finding mentors. There are some obvious candidates, but then it gets a bit muddy, and we need enough people available to do it for it to really be successful. Maybe Elanorea will have more light to shed on the issue since I'm puzzled on whether or not our numbers really are great for the idea and if it can start on a basic level, then grow from there.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Elanorea
Hitman
I have nothing against the idea, actually, though I think the numbers might be a problem. I'd say we have around 7 handdrawn dollers who are active and skilled enough to be mentors, and we can't assume that all of them would be interested in the idea.

Hopefully we won't need too many mentors, though. Not all newbies need the same amount of help, so maybe one mentor could take on 1-2 people who need detailed instruction, and a few more who only want some occasional tips.

Still, I think the idea is worth trying, as long as at least some people are interested. That said, I could also try mentoring, although I'm not too sure how good I'd be at it ^^;.
Edited by Elanorea, Jan 20 2010, 02:01 PM.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
I'd actually enjoy mentoring :lol: Since I don't have a ton of time to sit down and just do dolls all day, I like to help others more. It seems productive, you know?

I imagine a sufficient number would be 2-3. Since mentors could take on several people, there would be no real need for many more. At the same time, having mentors around could encourage more people to test out handdrawn dolling since there are people ready to give indepth critiques. As you said too, not everyone is interested in having that relationship or in need of the same increased help as others.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
antimaie
Member Avatar
Hitman
I think it would work out well with 2-3 dollers per mentor, because its not like the dollers are always doing to be dolling at the same time. xD
Posted Image
I will buy you swedish fish all the time
You can be my truckstop valentine
We can wear our PJs out to dinner, I don't mind
Cameron Quiseng stole my heart. <3
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
tinker_bell_96
Associate
i agree but we would have to make sure that the mentors as well as the mentees will be active enough and willing to give or take the critiques they are giving so that people dont waste their time trying to give or get help but i am excited for this to start bc i have made my first doll and i am super excited to make more with the help of everyone critiquing me :D
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Elanorea
Hitman
I've come up with a form for potential mentors to fill out:

Name:
Type: (dollmaker/handdrawn)
Shading style: (pixel/tool)
Program(s) you use:
Preferred bases:
How long have you been dolling?
How often are you online?
Specialities (if any): (note things you are particularly good at, especially difficult/unusual things, and also mention if there's something you definitely can't do)
Examples of work: (at least five)
Examples of critique: (at least three)

This should contain all the relevant information, let me know if you think anything should be added.

EDIT: Added the bit about how often they're online. I think the things they like to doll should be covered under specialities and examples of their work.
Edited by Elanorea, Jan 21 2010, 03:26 PM.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
That's a nice form. Maybe add a small section about how often they are online(an important one, that :lol: ) and possibly a brief description of what they typically doll. It somewhat falls under specialities, but at the same time allows more room for their favored themes(ex: 20s fashions, patterns, etc) while specialities seem more like backgrounds, intricate frames, male dolls, etc.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Miranda
Member Avatar
The Godmother
Just out of interest; what happens if someone signs up for a mentor, then won't take their help? I ask cuz there have been a few people who've posted up doll threads and refused to accept any help or CC given.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Elanorea
Hitman
Well, then we'd have to look into it and see what the issue is. Maybe the student is unwilling to accept that she's making mistakes, or maybe the mentor is trying to force her own style on the student. I think a mentor or student should be able to call the deal off at any time if it's just not working out. If a mentor gets a bad track record, they could have their mentor-ing privileges revoked - obviously only if they really are ineffective at teaching, not if a bunch of n00bs sign up and refuse to learn.
Edited by Elanorea, Jan 21 2010, 03:27 PM.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
Well, if there is a problem with the relationship, either one could probably report it to a mod. Then the staff could take a look at what is going on in their interactions in the thread(as well as any outside ones) that could shed light on the issue and allow us to argue who is at fault and what should be done. If its a pushy mentor, it'd reflect badly on the mentor clearly and not only would users not want to work with them, but they could be removed. If its the user, that's a bit trickier. Probably try switching mentors first, but if they totally will not listen, they may have to be kindly told that mentorship is only for people who want to seriously improve and adopt advanced techniques.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Pixie
Hitman
Ooh, this is a great idea; I'd love to be a mentor! ^^
Where/who do we send the form to after we've filled it out?
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
Ah, yes, lets bring this back up.

Elanorea, since you are dolling mod, you get final say. Is it being implemented, if so then when, and to whom should forms be sent?
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Elanorea
Hitman
Well, I was thinking that either we wait until this forum is officially opened, or we set it up now at TDP. I've got nothing against either option, so if you're good with starting now, I'll make a thread about it on TDP.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
Sounds good to me and then you can just have it copied over here.
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Elanorea
Hitman
Alright, made the thread now.
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
Kitty
Member Avatar
Lady Legs
Since the idea has now been implemented, further questions should now be directed to Elanorea. Mentees, please apply :D Us mentors would love it!
"Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty."-John Lennon
Offline Profile Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Comments & Suggestions · Next Topic »
Locked Topic