50$ For helping with a GUI design

[sorohanro]

Hi there

What I'm looking for:
I'm looking for someone to help me with a VST plugin interface design.
For those who don't know what a VST plugin is, VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology, so, you will help designing a music making gizmo :)

What I can offer:
I can offer 50$ through PayPal. Eventually, you can get credited for the interface on the official page of the plugin.
This I make on my own money to help a friend :)

Technical details:
The layout and the dimensions of the sliders and vu meters should be similar.
The plugin itself is vocSteady and there on the page you can find the image with the actual size of the plugin.

I would like a more photorealistic look, with sliders like THIS (not copied, just as an idea) with vu meters like THIS and with a brushed metal texture of the main panel.

Resources:
Flat Metal Textures
Blue Stone Background
40 Metal Textures for Designers
KnobMan - a freeware animation knob image strip design tool. Mainly aiming for VST plugin GUI development.
Genetica 3.0 Animated Seamless Textures

To get some inspiration of how a "serious" plugin might look, here are some links to some designs I really like:
http://antress.blogspot.com/
http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/vst-
effects/
http://www.stillwellaudio.com/?page_id=6 8
http://www.stillwellaudio.com/?page_id=2 1

If eventually more artists will want to help, we will have to choose the best work, very much like a contest. However if more than one work will be very good, then I do consider to put more "prizes".

Terms:
If your work will get accepted, you will license the work under non exclusive rights to be used as the plugin interface.
The plugin is a commercial product. Your work will be part of that plugin. You give the rights to be sold and redistributed as component part of the plugin.
You may use the partly the work in other projects but not in the current layout of this particular plugin.
You must own the right of elements used in the design (as in "You may not Google for images, throw those together and pretend it's your work")

To receive the money you must have a valid PayPal account. I will not take any responsibility for any fee misplaced if you provide a wrong PayPal address.
I also don't accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, liability, injury or upset caused to or suffered by you as a result of entering this collaboration/ contest, or winning the prize.

I look forward for your feedback.

[J-qb]

What kind of files would you like? A background and separate transparent .pngs for every movable part? You linked to knobman but on your current gui you don't have any knobs, is it up to the artist to decide whether he wants to replace the sliders with knobs? Do you want to keep the current layout or is it up to the artist to move stuff about as he sees fit? (a lot of the other vst's you provided have a flat horizontal gui)

[sorohanro]

At 1/28/12 09:57 AM, J-qb wrote: What kind of files would you like? A background and separate transparent .pngs for every movable part?

Thank you for your interest :)
I think png would be fine. I will get the technical details as soon as I can and pass those to you.

You linked to knobman but on your current gui you don't have any knobs, is it up to the artist to decide whether he wants to replace the sliders with knobs?

Sliders, definitely sliders, but I think Knobman can do also sliders (...?). I don't know. When comes to visual arts I know what I like and what I want but I lack the "how to".

Do you want to keep the current layout or is it up to the artist to move stuff about as he sees fit? (a lot of the other vst's you provided have a flat horizontal gui).

I think is the best to keep the layout like the original. The links to the other VSTs were just to see what kind og background they use, how similar to actual hardware they look, how they achieve the warm "analog" feel on the interface (with all the lights from tubes and light bulbs, with all the scratches where you would put your hands, with all the rust and screws in the corners...).

[sorohanro]

Man, this is a slow forum...

[Aigis]

You are paying an artist only $50 to design an interface for a plugin that itself costs $64 to purchase?

[sorohanro]

At 1/29/12 04:45 AM, Aigis wrote: You are paying an artist only $50 to design an interface for a plugin that itself costs $64 to purchase?

I am paying an artist to design an interface for a plugin that someone else sells.
I am paying from my own pocked because I want to have a better interface and the plugin developer can't provide one but can apply it if I provide it for him.
Also, I'm paying an artist to provide a work under a non-exclusive term. That means the artist can sell it to someone else, put the elements to stock libraries...etc.

Also, I am myself an artist, on a different art (I'm a musician).
Ask me how much the visual artists pays me for my work ? well, they usually take my music for free and even if their products get sponsored (at least 1000~2000$) they don't even bother to ask me (or any of the Audio Portal for that matter) if they can use my work in commercial products.
There were times when someone paid. Was 10% from sponsoring, so, one time in my life I got 100$ from Newgrounds' game/ flash.

[Aigis]

At 1/29/12 08:40 AM, sorohanro wrote: Also, I am myself an artist, on a different art (I'm a musician).
Ask me how much the visual artists pays me for my work ? well, they usually take my music for free and even if their products get sponsored (at least 1000~2000$) they don't even bother to ask me (or any of the Audio Portal for that matter) if they can use my work in commercial products.
There were times when someone paid. Was 10% from sponsoring, so, one time in my life I got 100$ from Newgrounds' game/ flash.

This is a bizarre thing to read, for me.

Doesn't that mean that you should be encouraging healthy attitudes towards the value of art, rather than passing on the punch? Or is this supposed to mean 'I'm amazing, compared to these total dicks'?

[sorohanro]

At 1/29/12 09:33 AM, Aigis wrote: This is a bizarre thing to read, for me.

Doesn't that mean that you should be encouraging healthy attitudes towards the value of art, rather than passing on the punch? Or is this supposed to mean 'I'm amazing, compared to these total dicks'?

Sorry, I don't own a money printing machine. For the money I make I have to work from 8:30 to 21:30 and sometimes in weekends too.

As I offer my art for free, without questioning on what project will be used I would expect some similar attitude from other artists.
You can see on the Audio Forum many threads like "In Search for Audio Artist - I make a game and I need music, I can't pay any money but this will give you more exposure"... And there are TONS of people offering their help.

I would like also what you call "healthy attitudes towards the value of art", like an artist to help me, another artist. Passing the punch ? 50$ for non-exclusive work on a already existing design ? So, if 50$ is a punch, what would be a correct price ?

Meanwhile, price check:
http://graphicriver.net/category/graphic s/miscellaneous
oh, but I make so much more with music, right, yes?

Sorry if I seem to aggressive, I'm just back from work and I'm tired. Also I'm a bit disappointed by so many people with promises and empty words.

I got someone agreeing to do it but... I have to do this thread as you can see.

[bigjonny13]

At 1/29/12 02:31 PM, sorohanro wrote: You can see on the Audio Forum many threads like "In Search for Audio Artist - I make a game and I need music, I can't pay any money but this will give you more exposure"... And there are TONS of people offering their help.

Yeah, we've gotten a lot of of those threads around the art forum before.
"I can't pay you, but it's good experience" or what not.
Personally, I appreciate the fact that you're actually offering a cash incentive for this project, and I think others may be too.

[J-qb]

I think the confusion here (at least for me) is about the nature of this whole project; Is the artist designing a gui just for your personal use, or is it for the developer of the vst to apply to his thing and sell to poeple?
In case A 50,- is a very fair price; in case B, where someone is actually making money off the artists work, 50,- is pretty low. Still; should be good enough for someone trying to make an easy buck.

[Nae]

I also appreciate that you've offered money up front and I hope you get someone to help you out... but there's a difference between saying "hey, can I use this?' and "hey, can you make this for me?" If someone were to ask you to make custom music for their game, I'm sure compensation would be discussed rather quickly. So you can hardly compare your past audio portal experiences to what you're asking for here.

weren't you an audio mod at one time?

[sorohanro]

Thanks for the more positive answers.
I'm not the plugin developer. Even when I'm credited on audio plugins I offer just my samples for free.
As you can see HERE, someone took my samples (note by note recordings of a instrument) and coded a plugin. I have no experience and knowledge in coding and design.

Also you can see that the plugin itself is free

If my price is low, I'm open to discuss a better price after I see some results.
Now get prepared for a wall of text, relevant in a way but full of tears and drama.

I find out that when I work with programs with a beautiful interface I tend to do a better work, so, I asked the developer if he plans any update on the plugin. It works fine but is ugly like dog crap.
He answered that he's not planing any update. He was a bit depressed because he made the plugin in 2006, got invited by Waves company to show them what is his plugin and how works. He did a presentation of his plugin and later on they told him that they are not interested in his work.
After a while, they launched THIS PLUGIN which is a total rip off.
Sorry for the long dramatic story... :D

So, I proposed to him that I will find someone to help design a better GUI and he just have to apply it.
He got happy, saying that I gave him hope, that he will try to make the program more CPU efficient and stuff. He didn't get too much feedback on his work, he just don't know how to promote it.
On the other hand, his program is brilliant.

Here, I flipped his GUI and added near the Waves plugin to be more obvious.
his plugin costs 65$, waves plugin costs 400$. Both do same thing.
Waves plugins are endorsed by BIG names, him is helped at this time just by me, a customer who doesn't know him personally.

[sorohanro]

Ok, it seems I found someone to do this :)
Thanks to people who supported me and thanks to people who shown interest in this.

Now I kindly ask a moderator to lock this thread. Thank you.