Design Challenge #1 - March 2012 (a little early)
 

"Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
–Walt Disney

In this challenge, everyone gets to be a designer; every month you participate, you will receive the resulting design challenge collaboration kit (for that month) free of charge and help MouseScrappers in the process! This challenge is open to every MouseScrapper member regardless of prior design/scrapping experience.

At the beginning of each month a color scheme will be posted and MouseScrapper members will have the entire month to create a collection of papers/elements with that color scheme. At the end of the month participating members will submit their items, which will be compiled and distributed as a collaboration kit to MS members who participated in the design challenge that month. The completed kit will then be added to the MouseScrapper store for anyone to purchase. All proceeds from the sale of the kit will be used to keep MouseScrappers running!

Timeline:
Since we are SUPER excited :yeah:, we are starting March's challenge a little early. Paper/element submissions are due by March 23 (before 11:59 CST). The compiled kit will be distributed at the beginning of April. Starting in April the challenge will follow a slightly different timeline; the full instructions and the official timeline will be posted for the April challenge.

Submission Guidelines:

• You may submit any combination of papers, individual elements (such as ribbons, scatters, frames, etc), word art, alphas, and clusters. You may not submit items for which you do not hold the copyright.
• The minimum number of unique items is 5; the maximum number of unique items is 15. The same paper/element in different colors counts as one. A full alpha fulfills the minimum requirement (counts as 5 items).
• All papers and elements MUST use the provided color swatch—you can use any shade (darker or lighter) of the chosen colors. You may also use these neutral colors: black, white, shades of gray, brown, silver and gold.
• Save your elements/papers at 300ppi and size them appropriately for a 12"x12" layout (don’t make flowers 12"x12", 2"x2" is a more appropriate flower size).
• Make a 12"x12" (300ppi) preview of your submission.
• There is an enforced file size limit of 25 MB for each member’s complete submission to keep download times reasonable. Do not reduce the resolution; increase the compression.
• 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.

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. ***

Free Kit Add-ons:
If you choose to create them, you may use the challenge thread to advertise free kit add-ons but only AFTER the kit has been distributed to the MS contributors. The content you provide for free on your blog is not governed by challenge rules. MouseScrappers will not be held responsible for the content of said kit add-ons that are offered on individual blogs. Free kit add-ons are not required.

Files and Zipped Folder:
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.

Naming your files:

Your MS username_DC#_element name
Example: MMouse_DC50_papergreen.jpg

Naming your folder:

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.

Uploading Submissions:
Upload your completed submission to the file sharing website of your choice and contact frogfish (Christina) by PM with the link. Submissions will be checked for copyright compliance and size before being added to the collaboration kit.

Layouts:
Although not required, contributing members are encouraged to create and post a layout using the completed kit. What better way to show off the work everyone put into the kit than to use it in a layout! Layouts created using the collaboration kit should be posted in the Design Challenge gallery and the appropriate thread in the forum.

Disclaimer:
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.

Color Swatch for Design Challenge #1 - March 2012
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7...lor_Swatch.png
Hex Codes: #f3d11a #d26c1b #ae0a11 #676371 #6e91e5 #1b428d

Here are some suggested uses/themes for this color swatch although you are not limited to them:
Pluto, Donald, Main Street USA, Jammin' Jungle Parade, Stitch (Stitch's Great Escape), Finding Nemo (The Living Seas), Soarin', Downtown Disney, Pin Trading, The Lion King, Liberty Square, Splash Mountain, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, EPCOT, Snow White, Pinocchio, Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, Genie (Aladdin), All-Star Movies Resort, Dumbo, UP!

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! I can't wait to see all of the wonderful things you create!!! :woohoo:

This sounds very cool!

Should we post what we are creating here so that we don't end up with many multiples of the same type of elements?

I am not a designer, but I did just create "puffy" hearts in all 6 colors and hearts with a heart cutout center for all colors (12 heart total). Is that okay? I will rename everything and get the TOU put together and hopefully PM you later tomorrow (already 1:30 AM here and I really need to get to bed-lol).

Ooh, I'd love to participate in these challenges!
Now I have to find the time and energy for it... :rolleyes:

Great idea - I would love to have a go at this. I make a lot of things for my own use but I am no way a designer. Does anyone have a kit preview template I could use?

This Challenge is a dream come True! It is Awesome!
I am in! I got Tons of ideas :idea:
now I got to let the "Designer in me" grow:D

yes, Fiona, please I would love to have your creations:D:scrapbooking:

Lol, Thanks Teresa! :blush:
You should definitely keep track of our blogs!
There's a Disney Blogtrain coming up within a few months!

I LOVE this idea!!!! I'm glad to participate, YAY! Now to get back into the business of blogging...I've been way to lazy lately.

ETA: Okay, updated my blog for the first time since October. Thanks for the motivation!

Win! Win! I'm not sure I'm up for Designing? but I may give it a shot? I do have a PayPal account at the ready-LOL! and I'd be happy to support my favorite online site! Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

I am SO in! :)

What a great idea. Not something I've done before. Time to stretch!:yeah:

What a great idea! I'm sure i can create something with that great color swatch! Count me in!

Where oh where is this Disney Blogtrain you speak about ? I don't want to mods out!!!! Thank you in advance!!!

i am totally in:yeah:love the idea

This seems like a fun challenge!! BUT I don't know how to create, I rely on all you smart designers products to make my layouts nice :) Can't wait to see what everyone does! All you ladies are so talented!

great idea, ill try to make something,
nice colors

I like this idea of posting a preview (only after being checked for copyright compliance). Not only to see what's already been made, but it may inspire others to design something to add to the kit so they won't miss out on receiving such a great collab. That way, the kit will be even bigger!! Just a thought!

DH keeps telling me that I need to try designing... Not sure about it though, lol. I may try and join in, it'll depend on whether or not I go back to work this next week... Sounds like potential fun (and grey hair!).

Sounds like loads of fun! Now find the time!!

Design Challenge #1 - March 2012 - THE KIT
 

Is anyone working on a solid paper pack? I would love to donate something but I have never made something. I figured I could try my hands at making solid paper pack.

Or I could work on it with someone...?

That would be awesome for everyone to post a list of the items they submit or are planning to submit so we don't double up (you can be as descriptive as you want), but at least this time let's save the actual previews for the big kit reveal after the deadline. I'm all about drama :D

You may be able to find a preview template online, but since there are so many combinations of papers, elements, word art, alphas, etc. that can be included in a kit I'm sure you will have to do major editing to any template you find. It doesn't have to be fancy (although it can be), just put your MS username, a strip of each paper, and all of your other elements on there somewhere (you can just line them up if you want). We just want a quick way to see what you've done!

This is the perfect time for anyone who has ever considered designing to give it a shot, even if you just create little stuff to fill out your own layouts; there is absolutely nothing to lose and an awesome challenge kit to gain!

Don't forget that the kit gets bigger and better with every participant! :woohoo:

Lol, it'll all depend on how much free time I have available. Depending on how things go tomorrow I'll know more. Oh, and my patience levels. I'm far too much of a perfectionist! It's either a good, or a bad, thing depending on how you look at it. But I do have a TON of CU templates, actions, etc that I can use. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. :)

Nice Idea
 

I like this ..... I will be watching the posting also.....:yes: I am not a designer ..but it might be fun to try this out! :scrapbooking:

Wow this looks fun ;) I haven't done any challenges in awhile but this is a nice idea. I'm gonna have to give it some thought... glad you are getting an early start! I'll be back! :thumbsup:

This is a great idea!!! I'm no designer either but I'd love to try to make some patterned papers and some word art bits if that's okay. :)

OK i would love to try making some solid papers

I am by NO MEANS a designer but, i'll try it. This is an awesome opportu ity. I love this

I never done that but i would like to try. Is there a site where i can find some kind of tutorials ??? :surrender:

I am planning on doing a mini kit (with just general elements). Then offering a coordinating add-on on my blog. Do you want us to make lists of items that way we make sure we don't end up with like 100 different flowers and not enough other elements?

Thanks!

totally sounds fun!

Sounds awesome. I haven't a clue how to design, but I do know how to spend! LOL

I created a blue alpha last night and have zipped the files. I don't have a blog and haven't used a file sharing program. What would be the best free file sharing site for me use? Thanks.

4shared! :)

My part is completely done and ready, BUT there is absolutely no way it's going to be 10 MB. I'm using winRAR to zip it, but it's still at around 30 MB! Eeesh, and I still haven't even put in a TOU! Does anyone possibly know how I can adjust it to compress it further?

I'm kinda wondering the same thing about the 10M? How do you do that and not sacrifice quality? Hmmmmmm....:idea:

That limit may be something we have to play with a little...

The concern is that this collab could be massive (which is good :yeah:) and we don't want to bog anything down with lots of really big individual contributions.

As far as what you can do to limit size: First make sure the individual elements aren't too big (it's not necessary to have 6x6 inch flowers for example). Think about the size you would want them to be in one of your layouts. Second, when saving the files in your original program, look for a compression option. When I save a jpg in photoshop, right after hitting the OK button in the save menu, it asks me about the compression (on a scale of 1-10). Third, as Kayla said, zip the folder by right clicking on it and selecting the compress option.

If your folder is still huge, send me a pm with the link and I'll look at it. If I can't compress it any further without losing quality they we may have to make an exception or change the limit. I don't want to sacrifice quality just to stay within the 10MB limit.

I just started another thread where you can list the items you are going to make for the challenge. Hopefully that will limit duplicates and encourage variety in the kit.

Thanks to all of you who suggested listing items (it never crossed my mind :oops:).

We are also going to use the new thread to reveal the final kit at the end of March!

Please continue to use this thread for comments, questions, and chit-chat. :hooray:

Here are 2 websites I found that have lots of tutorials for making elements, etc. using several different programs.

http://www.scrapbook-bytes.com/a-tut...sh/index.shtml Select your program on the left to get to the tutorials.

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com...utorials.shtml The element creation stuff is at the very bottom of the page.

I hope they help!