Wikipedia:Graphics Lab/Illustration workshop/2011 Gooey Sprint

There is some interest from Wikigraphists coming together on a weekend to make art and pull Bezier curves while keeping in touch over IRC/skype to exchange sketches and share tips. At the end of the weekend we would have whittled away at the list and make a tangible accomplishment as a group, and engaged some new graphists. Even though it's called a "weekend sprint", with timezones and real-life, there's no obligations for you to be spending 16h drawing!

Basic Info
Date: June 4-5th?

Time: all weekend!

IRC: Freenode, #Wikigraphists

Who? Everyone who want to contribute, even if you're new to editing wikipedia! Especially if you're knowledgeable in biology...

Sprint Task Selection
A broad range of tasks to engage graphists (or aspiring graphists) of different skill-sets/commitment: e.g.,
 * graphs/infographics,
 * timelines,
 * maps,
 * SVG'ing,
 * vector drawing of different difficulties,
 * pixel-pushing digital painting,
 * 3D/pseudo-3D illustrations (sketchup/blender etc.), and possibly
 * programmatic stuff (processing/nodebox-type);

A thematic topic that
 * has high impact,
 * is of enduring relevance,
 * currently has much missing images (to satisfy the range of task requirement), and
 * accessible sources (an active wiki-community that can help explain the concepts for us before and during the sprint, or existing quality images / open textbooks that is easily accessible).
 * Since we're doing it for fun, it would be good to find a theme that caters to our curiosities and captures our imaginations as well. A brief look-around makes me think that many natural sciences fall in the scope (e.g., geology, physics, medicine).

Being bold, Jon C proposes a broad theme of biology (hence "gooey sprint").

Pre-sprint tasks

 * Write accessible tutorials to help illustrators who have never uploaded to commons get a start
 * Compile a list of tasks ranging in complexity from, Wikiproject Biology, greenspun, and diagramsneeded
 * Invite and inform graphists to this page individually
 * inform wikiproject:biology and invite experts to be present to give advice about subject content
 * arrange local meetups?
 * secret: make barnstars for biology advisors and graphists