Art Face Off is …

… striving to build a flourishing world art community that connects artists, curators and art lovers through the vigor of healthy competition. As a community, we vote to choose the next great artists of our times. Our Face Off competitions are designed to promote all artists and encourage everyone to participate. We are different. We are a free unique democratic community driven to advance the arts worldwide. So please come be a part of the movement!

… to boost your business exposure

The A + C = D Review

The International Business Review — brought to you by PRINT magazine and sister publication of HOW — has a new name, a broader reach, and the added component of motion graphics and interactivity.

Now coined A + C = D for the International Art and Commerce Design Review, the new competition brings together design work done for corporate clients across the globe, from print ads and corporate identities to animated short films, websites, interactive games and more.

What makes this competition SPEC!FREE?

1) In the rules PRINT states “Submitted work must have been produced between July 1, 2005 and November 1 …”

Spec contests require newly created work.

2) Unlike spec contests, they are not claiming ownership of all submissions. They only want the right to “publish the winners in PRINT and to show them on the magazine’s Website.”

To read more about the competition go to the A + C = D Review

TexasDesign.com reviews the Fossil design contest – “Great exposure or simply spec work?”

• With the case of the Fossil contest you lose all rights to your designs when you enter the contest.
• Submissions will not be returned. Submissions become the property of Sponsor upon submission.
• Additionally, Fossil may use any of the entries in future promotions.

Quoting Jeff Fisher of Fossil Holds Design Contest- Great Exposure or Simply Spec Work?

To decide for yourself, go to Design Fossil’s Design Your Own Tin Contest

So, what say you?

From Mark W. Lewis of Painter Creativity

1 “Do this one cheap (or free) and we’ll make it up on the next one.”

2 “We never pay a cent until we see the final product.”

3 “Do this for us and you’ll get great exposure! The jobs will just pour in!”

4 On looking at sketches or concepts: “Well, we aren’t sure if we want to use you yet, but leave your material here so I can talk to my partner/investor/wife/clergy.”

5 “Well, the job isn’t CANCELLED, just delayed. Keep the account open and we’ll continue in a month or two.”

6 “Contract? We don’t need no stinking contact! Aren’t we friends?”

7 “Send me a bill after the work goes to press.”

8 “The last guy did it for XXX dollars.”

9 “Our budget is XXX dollars, firm.”

10 “We are having financial problems. Give us the work, we’ll make some money and we’ll pay you. Simple.”

In the end, working commercially, being a terrific artist is about 25% of the task. If that is the only part of the task that you are interested in, do yourself a favor. Don’t turn “pro.”

For the real guts of the article, go to Top 10 Lies told to Naive Artists and Designers

Good one Mark!

bLog-oMotives: Calls for entries: Upcoming design competition deadlines

When it comes to design competitions, it’s pretty difficult to find a spec free resource. The one I depend on has been carefully researched and compiled by Jeff Fisher, Engineer of Creative Identity, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

Add bLog-oMotives to your feed if you want the lastest spec free competitions around.

If you are confused about what a spec free competition entails, check out Jeff’s classic, When a “contest” is not a contest (at Creative Latitude).

Thanks Jeff!

Are We There Yet? – Boxes and Arrows: The design behind the design

Back when we decided B&A needed an overhaul, we held a contest for a new design of Boxes and Arrows. Boy, was that a mistake.

Although the designs were terrific—beautiful, clear, and innovative—not one was what we needed.

… for a design to be successful, the designers need to work hand-in-hand with the client so they understand the client’s vision, and so the client understands the choices made by the designer. Collaborative iteration is the secret to getting to the right design solution.

It’s embarrassing that we tripped up this way … We should have realized a contest was the very opposite of good collaboration.

To read the rest, go to: Are We There Yet? – Boxes and Arrows: The design behind the design

Via: Design View : Andy Rutledge

I swear, when I die I want to come back as a Canadian …

Yesterday, Steven Luscher (Group Organizer for the Vancouver Graphic Design Meetup) contacted NO!SPEC about the VANOC 2010 Mascot RFP.

VANOC is the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee.

Steve’s post on the Vancouver Graphic Design Meetup message board:

Congratulations to everyone responsible for giving VANOC the guidance it needed to do the right thing, and congratulations to VANOC for working with and listening to Canadian Designers.

I could hardly restrain myself from jumping up and down over the news. Way to go Canada!

Shortly after, the VANOC 2010 Mascot RFP was posted at GDC’s blog:

This is a shining example of a large organization working closely with the Canadian design industry to create a respectful and appropriate call for candidates and an excellent example of real advocacy by the GDC on it’s members’ behalf.

Peggy Cady FGDC, GDC National Past President:

We are trying to teach businesses and organizations about our best practices, and how we want them to work with us. It is a great victory for the profession when organizations understand where we are coming from and are willing to adjust their proposals.

I’ve long known that Canadian designers and design orgs are way ahead of the game when it comes to the issue of working on spec, but now they’ve got the strong support of a professional organisation such as VANOC.

Kudos to VANOC. Kudos to GDC. Kudos to Canada!