Designers'Couch

Humble Beginnings

Designers' Couch (DC) first started as a club on deviantART, the largest art community online. After 6 months it became the largest design community on deviantART with over 800 members and hundreds of submissions per week.

Eventually, DC outgrew deviantART and in 2007 Damian Madray embarked on the journey to make the community on deviantART independent. The goal was not only to be independent but to establish our own identity and become a governing organization that will help set standards for designers, connect them with other talents and with clients. As a result, what was one just a club on deviantART evolved into a completely new idea.

It has taken quite a while to do this without any funding and a small team of only 2 to reach where we are. Today, we've started web development of the website which will boast features you see on most social sites like LinkedIn, deviantART or even Virb. However, it's not features that makes DC unique, it's what we stand for.

About

Designers' Couch is a new social organization that will be specially tailored to suit the needs of freelance designers, aspiring designers, and full-time designers, who require networking as a means of displaying their work and landing key design projects. It is not simply a community where anyone can join - its an organization that approves each of its members before they are granted access to the site.

Mission

To bring exposure to members:

Designers' Couch is a place where designers can gain exposure for their work, because we feel that the best part of being a designer is having your work acknowledged by other professionals in the industry, as well the general public, by having it viewed, critiqued and analyzed.

Provide members with professional development and continuing education:

Designers' Couch seeks to create an environment where our members can mature professionally and further edify their knowledge of design. We feel it's important that our members acquire proper business ethics and professionalism with clients, while continuing to grow in their area of design.

Allow members to network with other professionals in the industry:

Networking is crucial in the design industry because design is one of the most competitive careers on the job market. Designers' Couch allows members to network with other creative professionals. For example, a web designer networks with a logo designer and the exchange of projects can occur.

To advise junior designers the ways of design through interaction:

Because each member's work is reviewed to make certain they are educated about design, whether through formal training or self-education, we provide a digital arena where you can have your work critiqued in a very professional and constructive manner. Designers' Couch offers a pool of individuals to review your work constructively.

Provide a forum for the exchange of creative ideas:

Designers' Couch provides a private forum for its members. It's a place where a designer can be him or herself, and comment on any issues of their craft, from browser compatibility to the latest design software on the market.

To give young designers a unified voice:

It is said that as one you're weaker, but as a collection your voice can be heard. Designers' Couch accomplishes this because with our body of members, we can instill change if we desire and we can make an impressionable difference.

What we offer

Design Features:.

Discussion boards, a job board, design collaboration, private submissions,professional articles by industry experts, exposure and contests are just some of the unique features that Designers' Couch will offer its members.

Virtual marketplace:.

Designers' Couch is a social network specifically for graphic designers. Capitalizing on the virtual market, Designers' Couch will launch this platform for designers to establish and maintain business connections, gain exposure among peers and gain valuable insights on their portfolio.

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Comments(10)

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Cam, Sep 11, 2009:

sounds like a good group

Prasad v. Marewar, Aug 28, 2009:

looking forward for being the part of designers couch

Anna livia, Nov 26, 2008:

Hi there !!
Glad to be your new friend !!

VoomStock, Nov 17, 2008:

Hey, thanks for the friend request. I like what you're doing.

LokiGFX, Nov 16, 2008:

Thanks for the add ;) Looking forward to being a part of Designers Couch!

Cesco, Nov 14, 2008:

Thanks for request!
ciao
francesco

Tim, Nov 14, 2008:

Thanks for the request- I'm looking forward to seeing what happens on here. Bring it on...

marco colognola, Nov 13, 2008:

ciao, thanks for the request!

marco

fathima, Nov 13, 2008:

wow, thanks for the add! the fact that it's an "organization that approves each of its members before they are granted access to the site" makes me feel quite honoured :)
Sounds really interesting and productive