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card reviews (Read 1951 times)
Gail_137747
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card reviews
Jun 21st, 2010, 8:30am
 
Has anyone else experienced difficulty with the reviewers? I must have made them mad, because I'm having a terrible time getting my cards passed. Sad
 
Gail
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Gillean_137778
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Re: card reviews
Reply #1 - Jun 21st, 2010, 8:42am
 
I had a few problems when I first started with puttings things in the wrong category.  and there was one issue over a place name card, but being from the UK sometimes things get lost in translation.  
 
It usually takes about a week for me to hear back these days but I guess that's because they are busy.
 
What problems are you having?
 
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Lj_135293
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Re: card reviews
Reply #2 - Jun 21st, 2010, 8:47am
 
Hi Gail..  I too at times have thought the same thing.. but..  after giving it all reasonable thought..  I do not think they would do that for it hurts the site as well to do so and I do not think Mindy or site admins would tolerate or promote it..  Plus..  I think they are trying very hard here to make this site a good user exp for the buyer and we need to reasonably do that too..  
 
I am still a bit at a loss as to who-how etc the "R" process happens.. but I am under the impression that they work independently for GCU from their own private computers.   I also am under the impression that they too have stores here..  Not really sure though...  I think when reviewing many thousand per day of cards it must get old for them to keep fixing stuff for us maybe..  I try not to take it personal anymore and even when I think they are .. lets say.. off base some..  It is not my site to question and I just want to keep peace and my store moving forwards.. so..  I usually just try my best to politely oblige.
 
I do hope things clear up for you here and you can always reply to them and ask "What's up" too.  Perhaps an open line of communication will do the trick?  Smiley  
 
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Doreen_137017
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Re: card reviews
Reply #3 - Jun 21st, 2010, 9:09am
 
Hi Gail,
 
We have all felt as you at one time or another.  Perhaps if you looked at them as teachers, it would be easier to understand.  The reason they send cards back over and over again is that they are trying to 'teach' you what works and what doesn't so that you can get to a point where most of your cards fly through the review process.  
 
If they changed categories and such for us, we would continue to make the same mistake over and over again.  So, consider yourself back in school and know that the teachers are hard on you because they know you are capable of greatness  Grin
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Gail_137747
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Re: card reviews
Reply #4 - Jun 21st, 2010, 10:21am
 
Thanks for all of your positive input on the card reviews. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I will try not to take it personally anymore. Thanks again!
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Randall_140313
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Re: card reviews
Reply #5 - Jun 22nd, 2010, 11:28am
 
Gail,
My first reaction was as you when I had a card returned for edits.  But, with only a handful of sales under my belt so far, realize that I'm not the expert here, so whatever advice they can give me, I'll take with open arms!
I've got one card where I flipped the usual for the unusual, on purpose, and the reviewer suggested I change it to the usual, which I argued for my unusual and the reviewer conceded.  Just so you know, it was a party invite with a tree face.  On the front I wrote, "Thinking, I was..." and on the inside, "About time for a party, it is!"  It's supposed to be playful in my way of thinking, but the reviewer thought it should read the normal way, "I was thinking..."  "...It's about time for a party!"  
I just had another card returned yesterday and wrote it the way I felt it flowed, but the reviewer felt differently and after rereading it myself, had to agree with them.  They are usually right.
I like Doreen's analogy, likening them to teachers.  We're artists, yes, but even artists need to learn techniques and have their work honestly critiqued.  Not all art sells, and when you're taking up shelf space, you need a product that moves.  Ego doesn't pay the bills!  LOL
Randy
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Gail_137747
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Re: card reviews
Reply #6 - Jun 22nd, 2010, 12:29pm
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I had very little trouble with the reviewers until I started using public domain images. I don't mind providing the URL of the image, but in some cases that doesn't matter. I don't have professional camera equipment, so these copyright free images are perfect for me for some of the subjects.  
 
I did try to communicate with the reviewers, but have had very limited feedback. I would love to have a dialogue with them so that we don't go around and around. I really think they are fed up with me. They don't seem to think public domain are worth using, but I've found that the government and military ones are very professional.
 
Anyway, don't worry about me. I'll get this worked out somehow. I really like GCU and enjoy doing art for them. So I think this will get resolved.
Thanks,
Gail
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Eve_138255
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Re: card reviews
Reply #7 - Jun 22nd, 2010, 5:29pm
 
Are you saying that all the cards you have for sale with photos on, the photos are taken from the internet????
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DENISE_132110
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Re: card reviews
Reply #8 - Jun 22nd, 2010, 8:32pm
 
gail, you can find great public domain images out there and thank you for trying to find legal images to use.  i hope that things work out in the long run.  
 
for those of you who do use images from the web,  i know it is a pain to provide your sources for images, not every one looks for those but just takes what they want without permission sometimes.  my only caution is to make sure they are public domain and copyright free and if the original artist requests that you also give them credit or link back to their site.
 
note ... just because it is on google images, bing images, flickr!, facebook, stock sites, etc, etc.... does not automatically mean it is public domain.  most often it is not.  read the fine print and make sure you can back up your claim of public domain or copyright free.
 
as a photographer who has my images out there for sale and unfortunately available for someone to take and use without permission,( and they have been stolen in the past)   i appreciate the reviewers questioning.  we photographers sometimes have to prove images that we use are ours too so it is only fair that it go both ways.  
 
i know it takes extra time and patience but with the new notes to the reviewers it should be easier to add  that information.  
 
copy this statement and keep it in notepad or Word and just fill in the blank with the proper url.   It should be sufficient and save you time.  
 
I have obtained this image from                      , it is a public domain image and copyright free.
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Gail_137747
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Re: card reviews
Reply #9 - Jun 22nd, 2010, 8:45pm
 
Not all of my public domain images are from the internet. Some are mine, a couple are from a purchased stock photo disk. And I really don't mind putting the URL info with the image. I just have to keep accurate documentation. I wasn't worried about it, because I know that I am liable, not GCU.  
 
How do you prove it when it's your own image? I always thought they would trust the artists, but that isn't the case. Has someone been sued or accused of stealing images?
 
What I'm concerned about is the that I'll get a label as a problem artist with the reviewers. I want to have a good relationship with them and GCU. I would really hate to leave GCU. I enjoy designing cards so much. That's my true passion.
 
Thanks for listening, everybody. I'll maybe just draw my cards for awhile.
Gail
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DENISE_132110
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Re: card reviews
Reply #10 - Jun 22nd, 2010, 9:12pm
 
i have some vintage images here, i had to show were permissible for me to use, i had bought a license to use them.  
 
as far as photos, it has happened on Z  for me , but not here... they make us prove it with the dates we took it as opposed to someone elses' if we are being challenged by someone, having the exif info, similar images from the same shoot, release forms and such as that.  it happens with graphic designs too.  i and a friend have had things pulled we had to prove were ours.  though they did not give us a really hard time over it.
 
  i have had images taken off of flickr! without permission but i do not know of any being used here.    i do know one artist has been confronted by another as to licensing of the images they were using.  i do know that for a fact.  not sure how that ended up though.    
 
sometimes we have to jump through hoops, but , in the end i do think it is for the protection of the artists.  
 
i don't think you will be labeled a problem.  i think it is just having different reviewers they may not all share notes so to speak so you maybe having to clarify to several people what you are doing.  i would say just adding documentation as you have been doing will get you over the bump.  
 
as for the reviewers questioning the "worth of the images for use here"... i am not sure that matters whether or not they are public domain.  good clear shots should be accepted as long as they fit the subject matter, whether you took them or someone else did and you use them with permission.
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Randall_140313
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Re: card reviews
Reply #11 - Jun 23rd, 2010, 8:21am
 
Yep, the images thing is a complicated web with the internet now!  I used an image once that I thought was pefectly alright for an ebay listing.  I'm thinking it's from Sunset or one of those gardening books showing a mature plant and since I'm just using it as an example of what the plant looks like, no problem.  I was selling rooted cuttings and wanted people to know what the plant looked like as the pictures of the cuttings really didn't eximplify the plant in it's maturity.
 
After running the listing for a week or so, I get a nasty email from someone claiming to be the photographer telling me I owe him a bunch of money.  I promptly pulled the picture even though I'm not sure he was telling the truth and apologized, stroked his ego telling him what a wonderful photo it was and that I had looked for copyright info and found none.   I did find out that he did have a mail order nursery and listed cuttings as well at his website although I didn't see that particular photo there.   He backed down and accepted my removing the image.  I don't know if he had any teeth to back up his bark, but it made me aware that you have to be so careful.  
 
It seems you've got it all figured out, and like Denise said, with the note to reviewer and copying her little disclaimer there should have not problems with the reviewers.  They see so many cards and with around 2,000 artists submitting things every week, thy're not going to be holding any grudges or singling you out as a problem.
 
Best of luck to you and keep those wonderful cards coming!
 
Randy
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