Eurographics, the largest computer graphics conference in Europe, and the 2nd largest worldwide - with thousands of attendees from all over the world, from academia and the computer graphics and game industry - for the first time this year, is holding the Graphics Meets Games Competition. They want to see a cool new graphics effect, that could be used in a computer game, and the creation of a small, self-contained real-time 3D demo game that showcases that effect. If the player can interact with the effect or it interacts with the environment (i.e it is more than eye candy), maybe in some kind of physically based way (think for instance low-gravity, or magical physics, zero-friction liquids, balls that multiply on collision etc.), then it is even better. Deadline is 28 August. For more details (and there are plenty), visit the site.

Ok, you slugged it through design school where you learned about typefaces like serif, sans serif, ornamental…the works. While you know the difference between Bauhaus and Arial, you still don’t know how to design a typeface. Designing Type can rescue you, especially if you need to design a typeface in a hurry for a client who demands something to go with his product line…

Author Karen Cheng, associate professor at the University of Washington’s Visual Communication Design Program in Seattle, teaches type design and typography. The lessons that she includes in her book are so simple that you can understand the type designer’s process almost overnight. Cheng states, “There is no single, ‘correct’ process for creating a typeface. The methodologies of individual designers are as unique and varied as the designs themselves.” Read the rest of this entry »

I know that some of you out there make extra money with print jobs like business card orders, ad layouts, brochures, etc. If you manage a client’s Website, then the print jobs make sense. You can control branding and print color consistency so that printed matter doesn’t stray far from your Website design. However, print jobs can also be a pain, because they’re not very profitable for the amount of work involved in design development, the printing process, and the print approval.

Web-to-Print systems have simplified the printing process, because you can create a design for the client online and the customer can approve the design online as well. While this process has simplified the design and approval cycle, it still isn’t profitable. You either need to pay exorbitant fees for compatible software or your designs are limited to certain formats, a problem that can restrict orders. Changes are in the air, however… Read the rest of this entry »

The upcoming Independent Games Festival will be held 6-9 March 2007 in San Francisco, California. There are three categories for entries, and each one has its specific deadline.

The Independent Games Festival (IGF) Main Competition, a resounding success in 2006, has received a few minor tweaks (slight category name changes, a demo is mandatory to enter the Audience Award if a finalist), but continues with the $20,000 Seumas McNally Grand Prize, and multiple $2,500 awards for innovative design, audio, technical, art, and best web game. They’re really looking forward to your entries, and the deadline this year is September 8, 2006 at 11:59pm PDT. Read the rest of this entry »

The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television is proud to present the thirteenth edition of the UK’s longest-running and biggest animation festival. The Bradford Animation Festival (BAF) is host to screentalks, workshops and special events led by some of the industry’s top names. The Festival’s high point is the annual BAF Awards, which celebrate the very best in new animation from around the world.

Film submission is open in a variety of categories, including: student; professional; TV series for adult; etc. The judges reserve the right to move your film to a different competition category if necessary, but will inform you if we decide to select your film to screen in a category other than that to which you entered it. If your film contains non-English dialogue (which is essential to the understanding of the film), it must be subtitled in English. We cannot accept unsubtitled films, even if accompanied by a translation on paper. Only films completed after 9th July 2005 will be considered for the competition. DEADLINE: Friday 28th July 2006. See site for details.

The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is looking for a few good artists. This year, for the first time, graphic artists will have the chance to compete to have their artwork featured in the world-famous festival’s promotional campaign by entering the first annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival Poster Design Contest. The contest to select the winning design for the 2007 festival poster is a joint effort of the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee, which runs the Pumpkin Festival, and the Coastal Arts League, a local non-profit that develops and supports local artistic talent. The contest is open to artists nationwide and the winning entry will receive a $1,000 grand prize as well as significant exposure during the 2007 Pumpkin Festival season as the centerpiece on all promotional material. Additionally, $500 will be awarded for second place, $250 for third, and $125 for both fourth and fifth. During the month of October 2006, accepted entries will be on display as part of a special show at the Coastal Arts League Gallery, 300 Main Street in Half Moon Bay. Deadline: 31 August 2006. Contest details, guidelines and entry forms are available online at www.coastalartsleague.com or www.miramarevents.com.

Shift has been trying to offer artists many platforms to showcase their works online. The Shift calendar competition, held from 2003 successively, pushes the boundaries between online and off line using a “calendar” as its medium. Entries are invited from all over the world and selected works will be distributed throughout the world in the format of a physical calendar. Twelve artists will be chosen for the Shift 2007 Calendar, and this year selected works also will be exhibited and sold at PRINT’EM web site for a year with support by PRINT’EM, a graphic print center operated by Mitsubishi Paper MIlls Limited. Also it will be exhibited at the gallery cafe Soso between December 1st and the 28th, 2006. Deadline: 10 September 2006 (Japanese time). See site for details.

Photographers are invited to submit 8-12 images for their “Body of Work” entry. The images should reflect a single style, storyline, or subject that represents the photographer’s personal vision. Positive Focus is looking for emerging photographers to promote to galleries, advertising, stock, and magazine editors in addition to other collectors and photographic buyers. They will combine the “Top 50″ portfolios into a juried digital slideshow exhibition in the fall, in conjunction with a Positive Focus CD to be sent out to approximately 250 gallerists, stock agencies and editors. Explanation about what a “body of work” comprises, entry forms, etc. all available on the site. Deadline: 31 July. See site for details.

SlowArt Productions presents the group thematic exhibition, “A Show of Heads.” The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery from November 2-26, 2006. Open to all artists working in any media, this exhibition will include all interpretations and portrayals of the human head, from the traditional to the abstract and conceptual. All visions of the The Head, including partial and multiple heads, will be reviewed and considered. Slides or digital entries ok. Deadline: 31 August. Minimal entry fee. See site for details.

Art & Science Collaborations is pleased to announce its 8th annual, international digital print competition/exhibition. The exhibition, Bio/Med SciART, will be held at the New York Hall of Science from 30 September 2006 - 15 January 2007. The aim of this exhibition is to explore how the health, medical, biosciences and biotechnologies are influencing the content of contemporary art via digital prints. Deadline for entries: Thursday, 3 August 2006. See site for details and for Competition Guidelines.