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I've had some pretty uninspiring run ins with networks, they are either full of people begging for work, or begging for solutions they can't figure out for themselves. At best they are a diversion, at worst they are a breeding pit of venal self congratulatory wannabes.
But Behance has managed to pitch itself entirely in the right place for its demographic. The work is there to be judged: rather than pontification, creativity is exhibited absolutely at face value. The two key advantages of this methodology are accessibility for creatives looking to source talent and inspiration for the creators/members from their peer group.
There are very few sites that can offer this level of quality due in the most part to the fact that it's an 'invitation' only format, something that should be sustained. This ensures the place doesn't decay into the bland and derivative like so many other networking sites.
There is a sensibility about the place that's hard to define, but it's obviously at heart of the ethos. The tone of the galleries is comfortably erudite, the comments while often succinct to the point of abstraction are mere trinkets, I've had some very intelligent and profitable exchanges with people on this network. I've been introduced to some highly gifted artists with a long pedigree of consistently remarkable work (Jack Radcliffe for just one example) and to some rising stars who demonstrate some astounding skill and potential (Stephen Tamiesie is a perfect illustration).
Behance is a curiosity shop full of delights, a treasure trove of talent, a delight to dip into when inspiration is on the ebb, and a rich seam of extraordinary talent. It's my primary creative home and a fantastic side-car to my web site. If only the servers were a little faster...
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