Design Challenge #8 - November 2012
 

Color Swatch for Design Challenge #8 - November 2012
TEMPLATE DESIGN CHALLENGE

Deadline - Friday, November 30 (by 11:59pm CST)
Reveal and Blog Hop on Friday, December 7.
(I'm still brainstorming on how a blog hop for this challenge will work. I'll keep you posted)

This month is our first template design challenge! To participate you must create a template. A PhotoShop template with at least 25 layers will fulfill the minimum submission requirement. You should submit both a layered PhotoShop document and untrimmed PNG files named 1,2,3,4,5,etc.

PLEASE BE SURE THAT ALL OF THE ITEMS YOU USE ON YOUR TEMPLATE ARE LABELED FOR COMMERCIAL USE, INCLUDING FONTS!!! I don't want anyone to get into trouble.

We will also need someone to create a charm for the DC PP charm bracelet. The charm should use the colors from or follow the current month's theme. Send me a PM if you are interested.

Charm:

Submission Guidelines:

• You must include a TOU/copyright notice in your submission. A basic fill-in-the-blank TOU can be found here if you don’t have one of your own.
• There is no mb maximum for submissions, but please make sure you are sizing a saving your items according to the following guidelines.
  • Papers should be:
    • 12”x12” 300dpi (which is 3600pixels x 3600pixels),
    • Saved as a JPG file that is about 3mb.
      • In Photoshop, after clicking on the “Save As” button, enter the desired file name and select “JPG” from the dropdown menu; click on “OK”. A popup screen should appear entitled “JPG Options”; change the quality value to “8” and click on “OK”. Saving the file with a value of “8 or 10” for quality will ensure it is the correct size (approx. 3mb).
  • Elements/Alphas should be:
    • Sized appropriately for a 12”x12” 300dpi layout; make your items the same size you would want them to be when creating a layout. For example: 12"x12" is not a reasonable size for flower elements; 2"x2" is more appropriate,
    • Trimmed so there is a minimal amount of blank canvas around the item,
    • Saved as a PNG file—the file size (mb) will vary based on the size (inches) of the element.
  • A preview of your submission is required. It should be:
    • 600pixels x 600pixels 72dpi,
    • It must minimally include your name (the one you used to save the files) and pictures of the items that you created for the challenge,
    • Previews may be as basic or elaborate as you want them to be.
      • A basic preview would tile the papers and/or line up the elements,
      • A more elaborate preview would arrange papers and/or elements in a more creative manner—as designers do to advertise their kits.

Some quality issues to pay attention to are listed below. If you have questions about what these things are or how to prevent/fix them, please ask! Everyone can benefit from adhering to these bullet points.

• Do not pre-shadow elements or elements on papers.
• Make sure paper textures aren’t blurry at 100%.
• Check that elements are not cut off or missing parts.
• When extracting or creating elements, be sure the edges are not jagged. Do NOT use the paint bucket tool to recolor elements--you will get jagged edges every time!
• After creating a paper or element, check to be sure it is in gamut.

You can find more information on QC issues here.

IMPORTANT:
You may NOT include:

• Any items trademarked or copyrighted by Disney. This includes but is not limited to names, words, song lyrics, and phrases (for example, you cannot create word art that says “Cinderella”, “Splash Mountain”, “Pop Century”, etc.).
• Photos, clipart, silhouettes, etc. of Disney characters—no Mickey heads either!
• Park, attraction, resort, restaurant, or movie signage/symbols/logos.
• Photos of buildings/structures on Disney property.
• Elements that are too similar to images copyrighted by Disney (for example: you may create a turtle that has similar coloration as Crush, but you may not create one with the same markings, eyes, expression, etc).

Your papers/elements should be useful for Disney layouts without infringing on the copyrights that Disney has on its characters, movies, parks, rides, attractions, etc.
The following website has a searchable database where you can look to see if a name/phrase is trademarked: http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp

*** If there are any questions about minimum requirements or copyright infringement, please ask. ***

Files and Zipped Folder(s):

Naming your files:

Your MS username_DC#_element type_description

Paper Example: MMouse_DC50_paper_green.jpg
Element Example: MMouse_DC50_button_red.png
Alpha Example: MMouse_DC50_alpha_uppercase_A.png

Naming your folder(s):

Your MS username_DC#
Example: MMouse_DC50

If your username is longer than 8 characters, please use an abbreviation. Avoid using spaces anywhere in the file/folder name. If you design under a different name, you may use that name instead of your MouseScrappers name.
Please limit the size of each zipped folder to 50mb. If your submission is larger than 50 mb, please split it into separate zipped folders to help control download times. If you have more than one zipped folder, name them in this manner:

Your MS username_DC#_folderletter
Example: MMouse_DC50_A & MMouse_DC50_B

To zip files place all your elements and a TOU inside a folder, then zip that folder. This is automatically creates a folder containing your files in whatever folder the user unzips to.
There are many ways to compress (zip) a folder. You can use a program such as WINZIP/WINRAR or, if you are on a Windows operating system, there is a utility built into Windows that you can use.

• Right click on the folder containing your items and select “Send To”. Click on “Compressed (zipped) folder”. A new folder will be created in the same directory with the same name but it will be compressed (zipped).

Uploading Submissions:
We will be utilizing DropITtoME to collect submissions this month. When you are ready to submit you items, send frogfish (Christina) a PM for the link and password. Don't worry, it's super easy and I will receive your submission immediately (no waiting to download).

Disclaimer:
The completed kit will be added to the MouseScrappers store for anyone to purchase. All proceeds from the sale of the kit will be used to keep MouseScrappers running. Every month you participate in this challenge, you will receive the resulting design challenge collaboration kit (for that month) free of charge, but will receive no compensation (monetary or otherwise) for your submission to the challenge or for the sale of the collaboration kit. Any and all proceeds from the sale of the completed kit go to MouseScrappers. Copyright of your submission remains with you.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. You DON'T have to be a designer; anyone can do this! The more people who participate, the bigger the monthly kit will be!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sound like a lot of fun!
But I'm going to sit this one out. I'm not really into template making.

Oh, templates! I love using templates, but I'm not very good at making them so I think I'll sit this one out as well. Have fun!

Thinking this might just give me the break I need. As much as I'll miss not being a part of the blog hop :( (My favorite part of the month), I think I'll be sitting this one out.

I'm not sure how to make my own templates. I'll do my best to make one using google search and you tube instructions. :D

I have an idea in my head. I just hope I know what I'm doing enough to make it transform into something I'd put my name on.

Thanks!

My November and December are very busy, so I will not be able to participate in either of those 2 design challenges. :(

templates whoopie! i will play!

Have a page made, which one I was thinking of to turn into a template. Now it's time to do so! ;-)

Just wondering, I know there are people who like to have templates as 'page'-files (haven't a clue what they are, but I see it at the challenges). Is someone turning our submitted templates into them? Think that would be great to!

And thanks for hosting again! You are very busy with it every month!
Maybe we can make a Christmas themed/Very Merry Christmas Party minikit for the bloghop? That way people who don't know how to make a template can join in the bloghop and we have some mini's to fill the templates. It's just an idea.

Just one other thing: maybe there's someone who has or knows a tutorial about how to change a page you made into a template? That way people who are skipping now, might join after all.

Scrappinnewbie (Melinda) has graciously been converting all of the DC templates to page files for SBC users. I'm getting something lined up to have all of these templates converted as well!

That would be great and sweet if she's going to do that! ;-)
Thanks in advance.

I'm happy to make a template or two! I'll also make the charm for ya!!
Thanks Christina!

Bummer ... as much as I love using templates, I'm not much into creating them. So I will pass on this one ... I will miss working on a Design Challenge this month :sad2:

Christina- is there a color pallet I can work with?
Thanks,
Michelle

Happy to help. I have some time off during Thanksgiving, so I should be able to get these done.

Just an FYI... I need the individual png files to convert to page files. I also would like a preview of the final template. I add the preview and a little text with each template. The text will be the name of the template and who created it. This is for easy access for credits later. For example:
Magical Template #1 from BookLady Designs.

I always enjoy the Design Challenges and I am glad I am able to help out. I look forward to seeing your awesome templates this month.

My template is finished. Only can't get it uploaded to dropbox for the moment. But it will be there before the end of the week.
Melinda, glad you help us out! ;-) My link will have a psd, tiff, jpg and individual png-files. ;-) So I think everyone has her own files to use! ;-)

Christina I just uploaded mine to your drop box. Melinda converted it for me and her page file is included.

Thanks Melinda:thanks:

Will there be a blog hop for this? If so what is the theme? :D

This looks like fun! I would love to play along, however, I am going to have to sit this one out. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with :hooray:

Sent in mine Christina, hope you got it. :)

I finished mine tonight. Will send link to Melinda tomorrow for .page files.

I sent mine in a couple days ago- was I supposed to send a link to Melinda?
Thanks,
Michelle

I was planning on doing that for everyone, so I'll take care of it for you (and anyone else who submits to me without the SBC files). If you want to contact Melinda personally, that's fine with me too! Thanks!

hopefully we get lots of Happy place inspired templates:scrapbooking:

Mine has been submitted to Melinda.

Mine has also been sent to Melinda

Anything planned for a bloghop already?

I don't have anything specific planned for the blog hop. I'll let you guys decide how you want to do it. We can either do a theme (Christmas/holidays perhaps) or you can each just offer whatever you want (no theme). Does anyone have strong feelings one way or the other?

I vote for allowing whetever...no theme :yes:

I'd like to join the blog hop ... I vote for allowing whatever too, like Lisa, though I'm working on a Christmas mini kit!

I'd like to be included in the blog hop too.
Christina- do need more templates for this? I know you had a bunch of people drop out, didn't know if you could use another template, I'd be happy to make another. Thanks!

Does the blog hop need to be another template or can we do anything?

The blog hop freebie can be anything you want it to be.

I'm torn on whether the blog hop should include people who don't participate in the design challenge. On one hand, I don't want to leave any of you out, but on the other I don't want to open a can of worms by allowing non-participants in the blog hop (where do I draw the line if anyone can join?). I think I like that only participants get to be on the official blog hop list. What do you think?

I completely see both sides of this. Many of us have taken part in every challenge and this is the first we won't because we don't really create templates-or at least to the level of being included in a collab that will be available for purchase. So we're really disappointed about being left out of the monthly blog hop.

On the other hand, I completely agree with you that we shouldn't start something that doesn't apply to every challenge. The blog hop is a privilege that goes along with taking part in the design challenge. So ultimately, as much as I don't want to, I have to agree with not allowing those of us that are not creating templates to take part (So much so that I'm thinking of running off and creating a template right now just so I can take part. Do I still have time?)

Here is an option that might work. How about making the templates available to the those of us that want to take part in the blog hop. As long as we create a Disney themed layout with one of the templates (that we can showcase on our blogs the day of the hop), then we can make a freebie to go along with the blog hop? Just an idea.

Something to keep in mind, you're having a lot less "entries" this month, which means a lot less blog hop freebies. A blog hop with only a few stops might deter some people from coming back next month.

I'd say if you don't participate in the DC you can't be in the train. Easy peasy. There were a couple times I couldn't do a mini for DC and thought of being in the train, but it didn't seem fair to me, when the train is for providers of the DC.

Anyone can post freebies on their blog at anytime and match the MS theme. They can even post in the announcement section they have a freebie, so they can be kind of a part of it, but unofficially.

Sounds good (about the announcement part). Where is the "announcement" thread? I had no idea about it.

I think Fran is referring to the DC reveal thead where I put the collab previews and the blog hop list on the day of the reveal.

We'll keep the blog hop closed to everyone but DC participants; although, I do like Fran's idea of letting people know about blog freebies you have if you are not on the DC blog hop. I create the reveal thread at about 9 am central time on the day of the reveal. Feel free to post in that thread after the previews are up.

Mine should be converted to .page files tomorrow and I will get it uploaded and dropepd to you. I will not be doing the blog hop this time. sorry, just too busy.

Count me in this group. :sad2: I'm disappointed I can't take part in the blog hop, since I don't expect to get the DC templates for free in return. I'm just giving away my freebie, that's all.

Christina, so we can post our freebie announcement in the reveal thread? Is this right?

I sent a message to Frogfish, but I wanted to post here in case you ladies have a suggestion for me....

I have my template ready. I have 4 files (TIFF, PSD, PNGs and Page files) In each file I ONLY have the preview, TOU and the actual file, but 3 of the 4 are above the 75MB limit. What should I do?? Is there a way to save them so they are smaller???