Pictures of Designs on Websites

So I'm surfing through some needleworking blogs. Found a posting with a
WIP picture of a design I thought intriguing. Wanted a better look, so
went to designer's website (had it bookmarked). The picture in a word
SUCKED!!! I can't emphasis this enough, it was bad! So I returned to the
orignal blog, and went onto her progress page for that desind and even
though her pictures don't show a completed design, they did have better
pictures. The designer better thank their lucky stars there are better
pictures of their designs out there than they provide. The design is now
on my wish list, but if I had gone on just what the designer had posted
on the website, I doubt I would of gone for it. I don't have a LNS, just
a yarn store that has some needlework stuff that will order in if you
request. So the internet is sometime my only way of seeing a design
before deciding to buy it. Why do designers shoot themselves in the foot
this way?

Rachel

Oh dear .. please tell me it wasn't us!!


Jennifer / Poetta

www.LadybugLane.com

Why do designers shoot themselves in the foot
this way?

Some think that if they provide very clear picture of a design, than someone
will copy the .jpg file and run it thru charting software and gain themselves
an illegal copy of the design. Thus stealing money from the designer.

The charts produced in this way would be pretty nasty tho. They wouldn't have
the proper colors, shading, details.

But, I guess, to some designers it's worth not selling a chart based on how
poorly it looks on their website, vs. allowing someone to steal a "chart" from
them.

Caryn


Blue Wizard Designs
http://hometown.aol.com/crzy4xst/index.html
Updated: 7/7/03 -- now available Dragon of the Stars
View WIPs at: http://community.webshots.com/user/carynlws (Caryn's UFO's)

When it comes to designers websites... I think it's a combination of
things - like Caryn said there are groups of designers who fear their
designs could be copied just from an enlarged .jpg image. And in some cases,
to be honest, it's quite possible. Particularly for more "primitive"
designs like Lizzie Kate's or Bent Creeks - not all, but some of their
designs. And yet they typically have great images *laughs*

For some it's a monetary issue. I know of one Canadian designer whose
designs I never would have looked at twice if I hadn't seen their models
displayed at a CSNF show. Their cover images are terrible compared to the
models. But now, having seen the models in person, I'm a thrilled with them
and own 3 or 4 of their designs.... Money comes into play in a couple of
ways - having a photographer take the image, or having a good enough camera
(and capability) to take their own shots... and then the printing costs for
multicolour prints, or doing it in-house....

A few designers I know also don't have a clue about the power of the
Internet, word of mouth on chat groups and usenet groups. And they have no
concept how important clear pictures are to this environment. I think
they're still back in the day where people went into shops to buy everything
in person. It's too bad. The Internet is one heck of a market place for
designers, in my opinion.


When it comes to shops themselves, some online stores I've noticed are
scanning their own images from the patterns when they come into the shop.
This is smart as it allows you to have a bigger image, to see it more
clearly, etc. But it is also a ton of work to scan or photograph every item
that comes in. Particularly when you're just setting up an on-line system.
I think it's worth the time and effort. But I also recognize that most
on-line shop owners are working 20+ hour days as it is... and can understand
not having the energy to take it that one step further.

The ones that drive me nuts are the designs that have words or small
details - where I can't find an image or even a good description (i.e. some
indication of what the words are !) - anywhere on the Internet, including
the designers website LOL



"Rachel Janzen" wrote in message
news:FVEWb.467173$JQ1.174216@pd7tw1no...
So I'm surfing through some needleworking blogs. Found a posting with a
WIP picture of a design I thought intriguing. Wanted a better look, so
went to designer's website (had it bookmarked). The picture in a word
SUCKED!!! I can't emphasis this enough, it was bad! So I returned to the
orignal blog, and went onto her progress page for that desind and even
though her pictures don't show a completed design, they did have better
pictures. The designer better thank their lucky stars there are better
pictures of their designs out there than they provide. The design is now
on my wish list, but if I had gone on just what the designer had posted
on the website, I doubt I would of gone for it. I don't have a LNS, just
a yarn store that has some needlework stuff that will order in if you
request. So the internet is sometime my only way of seeing a design
before deciding to buy it. Why do designers shoot themselves in the foot
this way?

Rachel

On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 06:19:17 GMT, Rachel Janzen
wrote:

The picture in a word
SUCKED!!! I can't emphasis this enough, it was bad! So I returned to the
orignal blog, and went onto her progress page for that desind and even
though her pictures don't show a completed design, they did have better
pictures. The designer better thank their lucky stars there are better
pictures of their designs out there than they provide. The design is now
on my wish list, but if I had gone on just what the designer had posted
on the website, I doubt I would of gone for it. I don't have a LNS, just
a yarn store that has some needlework stuff that will order in if you
request. So the internet is sometime my only way of seeing a design
before deciding to buy it. Why do designers shoot themselves in the foot
this way?
An acquaintance of mine sent me a chart that, based on the cover
photo, I had no intention of stitching. Then I saw the piece done at
CATS. I'll stitch it. It's a gorgeous piece, but the cover photo
really sucked out loud.
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

It can be hard if you do not have the right tools to produce a good
photo. I do try hard with the photos of my designs etc.

Design a stitching good day,
Janet
http://www.jmddesigns.co.nz
http://www.masterstitch.co.uk
Get the JMD Newsletter:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmdnewsletter/

The web pictures I object to are the ones that show a leaflet, on which
the designs occupy half the space, and the leaflet itself is shown
against a nice background.

This pic reduces the size of the part I'm interested in - the design -
by 3 or 4 times - and then the pic itself is only about (at most) 4
inches wide on my screen. So I'm looking at a couple of square
centimeters, if I'm lucky, and am s'pozed to make a buying decision.

Why do they have to show the whole cover? Why not just scan the design part?

For you, Janet, I'd recommend a good scanner, and a photo editing
program. You can get them for cheep these days. My first scanner - black
and white, letter size only - cost twice what my Epson CX5200 did - and
the epson scans and prints in color. The scans are so detailed that I
usually have to reduce the size by about 2/3 to be able to post pics on
e-bay.

Ruthie in Colorado
alowan atty earthlink dotty net

Janet M. Davies wrote:
It can be hard if you do not have the right tools to produce a good
photo. I do try hard with the photos of my designs etc.

Design a stitching good day,
Janet
http://www.jmddesigns.co.nz
http://www.masterstitch.co.uk
Get the JMD Newsletter:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmdnewsletter/

--
ÐÏࡱá

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 19:25:16 GMT, Ruthie wrote:

This pic reduces the size of the part I'm interested in - the design -
by 3 or 4 times - and then the pic itself is only about (at most) 4
inches wide on my screen. So I'm looking at a couple of square
centimeters, if I'm lucky, and am s'pozed to make a buying decision.

Why do they have to show the whole cover? Why not just scan the design part?
And why the artsy-fartsy layouts on leaflet covers? Gimme a photo
(with decent lighting) of the stitched piece, nicely finished/framed,
without the ancillary decor. And make it a nicely sized photo, so I
can compare the stitched model with what I'm stitching.
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

For you, Janet, I'd recommend a good scanner, and a photo editing
program. You can get them for cheep these days. My first scanner - black
and white, letter size only - cost twice what my Epson CX5200 did - and
the epson scans and prints in color. The scans are so detailed that I
usually have to reduce the size by about 2/3 to be able to post pics on
e-bay.

Ruthie in Colorado
alowan atty earthlink dotty net

Thanks Ruth, I have all the hardware and software needed. Just take a
look at the photos in my website and you will see.

Design a stitching good day,
Janet
http://www.jmddesigns.co.nz
http://www.masterstitch.co.uk
Get the JMD Newsletter:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmdnewsletter/

I'm intrigued by your "Butterfly Bold" stumpwork piece. What threads?

Janet is known for her contemporary approach to older embroideries. I
have one of her books (Schwalm, I think).

Speaking of older embroideries: Our U.S. Public Broadcasting System put
together a 2-hour documentary on the Medici family (1400's in Florence,
Italy) and it has been an eye-opener on how the Renaissance got its
start. Florence was THE place to be during this period. It was this
family who patronized the arts, including architecture. The costuming
is wonderful to see - but they aren't touching on embroidery. Some of
us should write and tell them the NEXT time they produce a series on
"art", they should include our art as well. g

Of course, a lot of detail is being left out about the period, but it's
been enlightening nonetheless. How different from the interview on
60-minutes just an hour earlier, which featured a fellow who became a
billionnaire before the stock bubble burst, and how he is focusing his
attention on (thud) sports, and whose attitude is: We try not to pay
our staff too much (this interjected several times in conversation). As
opposed to the Medici family who focused on more enlightening adventures
and supported creative genius. I was amazed to learn that this
patronage brought us perspective drawing, new ways to build never before
heard of, and how members of the Medici family (against the Catholic
church's order to burn it all) stole and preserved documents of the more
ancient history in order to keep "man" moving forward.
Dianne

Janet M. Davies wrote:

For you, Janet, I'd recommend a good scanner, and a photo editing
program. You can get them for cheep these days. My first scanner - black
and white, letter size only - cost twice what my Epson CX5200 did - and
the epson scans and prints in color. The scans are so detailed that I
usually have to reduce the size by about 2/3 to be able to post pics on
e-bay.

Ruthie in Colorado
alowan atty earthlink dotty net


Thanks Ruth, I have all the hardware and software needed. Just take a
look at the photos in my website and you will see.

Design a stitching good day,
Janet
http://www.jmddesigns.co.nz
http://www.masterstitch.co.uk
Get the JMD Newsletter:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmdnewsletter/