The Winter Elite Showcase

[creativelysain]

:The Winter Elite Showcase:

Goal of the Contest:

To showcase the design skills of the community and to display the best talent that is involved here. This will be the most realistic and professional contest that we can set up. We want the entrants to achieve a maximum level of quality, precision and execution with regards to the project outline.

Restrictions:

• To enter the showcase you must submit a portfolio of your best three pieces to the judging panel.
  
• Your portfolio must include one sports related logo-mark. The other two pieces may contain any other work you have completed.
  
• All pieces in your portfolio must be finished work.
  
• Please do not submit uniform designs.
  
• You may present these pieces in any fashion you would like. Presentation is a key element in the field, so be as creative as you see fit.
  
• There is not a set number of entrants. The judging panel will determine whose portfolio is up to the standard that we deem necessary for the showcase. We would like for the number to be between 6-12.
  
• You may watermark your portfolio pieces, but do not display a distracting watermark that takes away from your designs.
  
• All portfolio pieces must be 100% yours.
  
• The judging panel includes creativelysain (Jordan Sain), gordie_delini (Brian Gundell), davidson (Fraser Davidson), and Joe Bosack.
  
• After deliberation, the judging panel will select the participants that will then proceed with submissions to the project.
  
• You may send your portfolio in any of the following formats: PDF, AI, JPEG, PNG
  

I will go ahead and post the project outline and brief below so anyone interested can gather research and ideas while we are selecting the entrants.

Project Outline:

• Create a standalone logo-mark for the following institution.
  
• Lettering and word-marks are not necessary nor allowed.
  
• You will be provided the required colors from the PANTONE® color chart.
  
• You will be provided with the institution's name, mascot name, location, official colors, enrollment, alumni base and endowment funding. All other information and research is up to the entrant to acquire regarding the city, history, etc.
  

Project Brief:

The University of Savannah Phantoms is in search for a new logo identity with some type of mascot. As of now they do not have a mascot to represent the "Phantoms" name. It can be a physical or non-physical creature, being or element. They want something exciting and fresh. They are open to any ideas and welcome creativity. The more interesting the better. They would like a logo that gets it's alumni and fan's attention nationally.

They would like to see a stand alone logo mark with no text or lettering accompanying it. Something that will be recognizable as is with no wordmark or lettermark.

Project Details:

• Name: University of Savannah
  
• Location: Savannah, GA
  
• Nickname: Phantoms
  
• Enrollment: 1,983
  
• Alumni Base: 15,000+
  
• Endowment: $48.8 million
  
• Division II (NCAA)
  
• Official Colors: PANTONE Black, PANTONE 5845C Gold, and PANTONE 249C Purple
  

All portfolio submissions and then later, project submissions shall be sent to:

elitedesignershowcase@yahoo.com

Entrants will be selected no later than Friday Feb. 24th, 2012. The project deadline will then be set after the participants have been selected. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please post in this thread and we will address said issues, since I'm sure I missed some.

Thanks and good luck!

[creativelysain]

Edit to add:

Any feedback, good or bad is more than welcome. Let us know how you feel about this or what kind of interest there is.

[chickenfish13]

This looks fantastic, really well thought out guys! To clarify, you guys will be selecting members to invite, and then these selected members submit a portfolio? I actually really like that, combines my original idea with a bit more chance for others. I also really like the fact that you don't want to see a wordmark, should make things a little more interesting.

This is pretty much exactly what I had envisioned, only better than I could have hoped. Thanks a lot for spending some time to work this out guys.

[-(dp)-]

This looks fantastic, really well thought out guys! To clarify, you guys will be selecting members to invite, and then these selected members submit a portfolio?

I believe the portfolio submission is fully open. So it is essentially an 'audition' that they use to decide who will be invited. I really like it this way. It makes it so only the elite make it in, but everyone is given a chance to make their case.

[leggman01]

what is the purpose of the RFQ for a contest?

[creativelysain]

Yes, it will actually be open for anyone to submit their portfolio. In the end it needed to be open to anyone who wanted to submit, but ultimately it is up to us to decide.

The RFQ is merely to make it seem more realistic as if it were an actual job bid. It doesn't need to be a full on RFQ, as I should have used the wording more carefully. This is a fictional job, but I would like for the participants to submit their quotes on what they think their services would run if they were to actually get the job. It's to try and get the experience of getting that quote out and pricing your services. I know it is one of the more difficult things to do in this industry to newcomers.

Let me know if I just made it more confusing, haha.

Basically, submit a quote on what you would charge for doing the project. If anyone is uncomfortable or feels it is unecessary, we can work to amend it, but I thought it would help with the entire process.

edited to add: I re-worded the project restrictions to clarify this issue.

[chickenfish13]

Yes, it will actually be open for anyone to submit their portfolio. In the end it needed to be open to anyone who wanted to submit, but ultimately it is up to us to decide.

Oh okay, guess I read it wrong. Hopefully we can get a lot of submissions, and hopefully some of the high end design guys will show some interest.

[leggman01]

thanks for the RFQ clarification, but it seems a bit overkill for a fictional proposal, especially in an industry where this type of thing (what to charge a client) is closely guarded

[creativelysain]

Yeah I understand people may not be comfortable disclosing that. If too many people have a problem with it, we can remove that portion from the guidelines. I often times see on here aspiring designers asking what do I charge for this or that, and thought we could raise some valid discussion points regarding it through the contest.

I went back and omitted the RFP and RFQ portions. That may have been too revealing and/or tasking for this particular event. Maybe we can get that discussion started elsewhere better suited than a contest.

[sparkychewbarky]

I went back and omitted the RFP and RFQ portions.

Thanks 'sain.

I'm a cable-tech guy who does this as a hobby. Any little "freelance" jobs have been mostly informal stuff for friends (tattoo designs).

I wanted to throw in a portfolio for consideration, but didn't have a clue what a RFP or a RFQ would look like. (I'm guessing like an invoice?)

Appreciate the change.

[creativelysain]

Not a problem. We want this to be a contest people are excited about because of the high level of quality that will be required to compete in it. We also want it to be open to anyone interested, but understand the qualifications and requirements stated above.

[The Fixer]

I went back and omitted the RFP and RFQ portions. That may have been too revealing and/or tasking for this particular event. Maybe we can get that discussion started elsewhere better suited than a contest.

good call. I'd really like to learn more about those but not for the contest. But in the future maybe we can discuss this.

[creativelysain]

We have already received a few portfolios. Keep them coming so this thing can really take off.

[creativelysain]

Looking good so far, remember the portfolio submission deadline is Friday the 24th, by midnight that night, to give a specific time.

[leggman01]

for clarification - is this a one-project showcase, or will there be multiple projects?

if there are multiple projects, will there be an opportunity for entry/portfolio review at any point along the timeline or does this happen only now?

[creativelysain]

Should be a multiple project competition. If the interest continues to be high and if it goes as planned, then there would potentially be more projects to come as the year goes on. Depending on the criteria for the project, portfolios can be submitted again if the project outline qualifies it. Great question though, as I can let some of the other judges answer how they see fit as well.

[The Fixer]

I know you have to use the school colors but Can colors be ADDED to the scheme? White for example.

[creativelysain]

Yes, white will be the only acceptable color to be added.

[Julius Seizure]

If you are using Inkscape, is there a way to use the official Pantone colors?

Is there a way to duplicate them using the H/S/L scale?

[creativelysain]

Remember to get your portfolio submissions in by 11:59pm Friday the 24th to participate in the showcase.