Adobe Illustrator - Re: Logo Design Contest for : PixelSmart ( cash prize )

Author

Re: Logo Design Contest for : PixelSmart ( cash prize )

iehsmith

2004-08-29, 4:14 am

On 8/28/04 4:26 PM, LauraK uttered:

> That's why everyone has to decide for themselves whether it's worth the time
> to enter. Some may welcome the challenge, others aren't interested. I don't
> often enter contests like this. I did enter one for a bookmark (top prize
> $2,000) simply because when I read it I had a couple of good ideas that I
> thought would be interesting to pursue. I knew that fleshing out the ideas
> would require me to learn to do new things in Illustrator. To me, it was worth
> the time spent. I ended up as a finalist and won $250, which was very nice but
> it wasn't why I entered.

That does sound like a different class of contest altogether though. I
understand your reasoning for entering (probably should have won). I may be
wrong, but I imagine the contest was well thought out, with legal
information and everything all laid out up front and run properly. $2,000
sounds very nice for a bookmark design as well:)

I frequently have ideas when I see some contests, or sometimes just posts on
some of the newsgroups when something clicks and I think, 'this is how I'd
do it.' But, I just pursue it or not as I wish, for myself. I wouldn't have
a reason to enter it in a contest unless I were interested in something the
contest had to offer.

> There's nothing good or bad about contests, per se, although this one, with
> the contestants voting, isn't something I'd have any interest in.

I still believe it depends on the type of contest. Some rejoice in and
advance graphic design as a profession; others are just for fun no harm
done, but then others devalue the profession and basically have the designer
sort of competing *against* their own best interest.

I can't even imagine someone wanting to get a logo, a business identity, in
this fashion though. It's not only that he places such a low value on the
work of the designer, but that he has placed such a low value on his own
identity. I find the contestant e-mail voting totally off the wall, and
therefore suspicious. It reminds me of the old..."I'm thinking of a number
between 1 and 100, pick the number and you win..."

inez

The Doormouse

2004-08-29, 12:14 pm

iehsmith <inezhsmithspammenot@earthlink.net> wrote:

> It's not only that he places such a low value on the
> work of the designer, but that he has placed such a low value on his own
> identity. I find the contestant e-mail voting totally off the wall, and
> therefore suspicious

Agreed. Plus, payment would be suspicious as well. There is no contract,
not even a promise a payment except for the "winner".

The Doormouse

--
The Doormouse cannot be reached by e-mail without her permission.

The Doormouse

2004-08-31, 11:14 pm

"Dan DeConinck of PixelSmart" <Dan@pixelsmart.com> wrote:

> www.pixelsmart.com/contest.html

Another company trying to get work for free.

In this case, they are trying to get SEVERAL logos for free - after all,
there can be only one winner. They do not give away their product for
free, why would you?

I think that it is sad.

Here's my own contest:
I need a video frame grabbing card. Submit your products to me, and my
panel of judges (including a stuffed animal) will select the best one. I
will pay $20 to the winner. Submitted samples will become the property of
the judges.

I bet that sounds insulting, doesn't it? Why would it matter if I offered
$20 or $2000? The end result is thousands of dollars of product coming my
way, and paying for only one product. That's truly insulting.

My work has value. So does yours. Designing takes time, and that, my
friends, should be compensated. It is not the logo for which a client
pays, it is your skill and your time. Dan is wasting one and
disrespecting the other.

The Doormouse

--
The Doormouse cannot be reached by e-mail without her permission.

Not Me

2004-09-05, 4:14 am

"deco_time"

| Of course, that's the established designer point of view. Now, put
| yourself in the customer shoes who as to hire and pay somebody for
| something that he cannot even see because it doesn't exist yet.
| I would guess that somebody having a custom fitted monogrammed suit
| would at least sees some drawing of what the finished product would look
| like, as well as material sample, before laying down hard earned cash.
| In any case, I doubt well established graphic designer would respond to
| an offer like this, but new talent without a portfolio yet and without a
| customer base could benefit from the experience of working with a clear
| set of criteria, like in the real world, and getting paid real money if
| their material is used, instead of empty promises of some form of
| recognition, like we see here way too often. Anyway, I'm in no way
| related to the OP, but I just thought that this offer was different and
| fair compared to the usual scam we get around here.

That's what progress payments are for. Works for buildings/houses,
engineering, software, art work etc.

Not Me

2004-09-09, 7:14 pm