Hi everyone,

In this thread you can find out what the Graphics Team is about, the process we go through to customize each message board, and how you can apply if you wish to join the team. We hope that it will answer some of the questions you may have. If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to ask them in this thread or PM one of the Graphics Team Managers.

For a list of all Graphics Team Members, see the Forum Leaders page.

WHAT WE DO

When possible we all work to design graphics for four boards. Each member of the team makes a graphic for at least two of those boards. Sometimes some of us are too busy with work or school or have other things going on so we are not able to make graphics for each round. Hence, some rounds last longer than the three weeks we set for each round.

When each board is to be (re-)customized, we start a thread on that board asking for colour and picture suggestions so that the posters on that board can let the Graphics Team know what they would like to see. These are only suggestions though; so do not expect the Graphics Team to make exactly what you say.

When enough graphics have been made (usually around 5 or more for each board), we put all of them into polls and then vote for a week anonymously for which ones we feel are the best.

After the four graphics for the four boards are chosen, the colours are put together and the graphics are set up on the Graphics Team board by Goldenboy. When it is decided that the design looks good enough, the customization is set up on the actual board. Sometimes the graphic that the team has chosen does not look right for the board, so the runner-up graphic has to be used.

BOARDS UP FOR CUSTOMIZATION

All of the message boards here at Fan Forum will eventually have their own graphic and colours; all of the boards that need a new look will be re-done. Some boards take longer than others because we can get delayed at any stage in the process; we want the best look that we can achieve.

One of the main questions that is asked is "when will *insert board name here* be customized/re-customized?" and the answer to that is "as soon as possible", but we cannot give you an exact date. The boards chosen first are the boards that we feel will most benefit from being customized. When picking the boards to be customized, we consider a number of things including:

- Whether the number of posts on the board is low and therefore customizing it could give it a boost.
- Whether the number of posts is high and therefore it deserves to be customized as many people view it every day.
- How long a board has been without a customization.
- Whether the graphic it already has needs refreshing.

It is a myth that a board will be customized after a year of it being at Fan Forum, we do not even hold that into consideration. So do not expect that just because a board reaches its one year mark it will immediately be customized.

We can assure you all that we have a list of every single board that does not have graphics and of every board that needs re-doing, so do not worry that your favourite boards might not be on the customization radar. They are on the list and will not be forgotten.

JOINING THE GRAPHICS TEAM

The process for joining the graphics team is not hard at all. You do not have to wait for an opening to be posted anywhere, we will accept applicants all the time. Ideally we would like to see two graphics from you; one celebrity and one television show. It would also be preferable if one of the graphics uses pictures from different photoshoots so that we can see how you match skintones. For those unsure if they are ready to apply yet feel free to stop by the Graphics Team Advice and Tips thread on the Fan Art board where you can receive tips and advice from current and former graphics team members. You can also read Jen's tips (Live Journal) and Mel's tips (Part One and Part Two) for some advice on how to make them.

If you feel that you would like to be a part of the Graphics Team please send Mel a PM with your two graphics.

We hope that we have answered your questions, if you have any others or if you think of something that could be added to this post, please let one of the graphics team managers know.

Rae and Mel

Please note that although we aim to do row 1 before row 2 and row 2 before row 3, it doesn't always work out that way, some boards are simply more difficult to do than others. Each row is in a random order so any board in a row could be the first and any board could be the last. Basically this list is just a guideline.

1. Beverly Hills 90210
2. The Walking Dead
3. Television, Smash, The Following
4. Darren Criss, CSI
5. Music, Roswell, Elementary
6. ER, David Boreanaz, Mila Kunis
7. Info Center
8. Gilmore Girls, The 80s, My Mad Fat Diary
9. Fan Art, Summerland, Nathan Fillion
10. Role Playing, Hannibal, Under The Dome