DVDVideoSoft, an independent software vendor, announces the bulk update of its free video editing software. This site also provides a free video converter and multimedia software guides and tutorials. Unlike software and shareware catalogs collecting third-party products, DVDVideoSoft carefully designs, develops and releases all free software titles under its own name and makes them available to computer users without any hidden fees, subscriptions or registrations. The new versions features the batch mode, more supported input and output formats, 9 new optimized presets for Apple players: iPod, iPhone and iTouch and numerous interface and internal engine improvements.

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While Chicago is well known for its architecture, theatre, fine art, public landscaping, and music scenes, there is a significant lack of applied visual arts in public spaces. By focusing on making this exhibition an outdoor one, Chicago hopes to accomplish two important objectives. First, they want posters to be realized as the quintessential public art form, because they engage citizens at street level, requiring an emotional and intellectual response. They also stimulate dialogue and articulation of important issues—social, political, and economic. Secondly, they want to help the City of Chicago craft its international reputation as a proponent of international cooperation and communication—and as a strong civic advocate of design.

All entries must be designed and printed between 1 January, 2006 to 1 March 2008. All entries must be received at the committee office of the Biennial address by post on or before 27 May 2008. Participants must submit TWO copies of each poster. Visit the site to learn more.

Design Book Magazine is now accepting entries for their T-shirt design competition. The winning design will be become their official shirt for the 2008 season. Winning designer’s bio and work will be shown in the Summer issue along with a link to his or her website.

Entries will be judged on creativity and originality. There is no entry fee or limit to the number of entries per designer. All designs must be original. Submit your entry by 20 June 2008 deadline. Visit the site to learn more.

The Dragon Artist Project moves forward with a familiar name in artist Mike GIANT on the Calavera model. GIANT’s initial love for drawing sprouted off at a young age, eventually settling in New Mexico as a tattoo artist as he continually developed his art. A limited edition GIANT Calavera will come packaged with a set including box and booklet featuring Dragon Artist Project/GIANT projects. A suggested retail price of $125 has been set and will be released at Karmaloop on Thursday, 15 May.

Brickfish is bringing back their famous art campaign for the third time - they want to showcase your original art. Whether it’s your best drawing, painting, or sculpture, they want to display it and award you $1,000. Not bad if you’re a starving artist! They are looking for pieces in the mixed media category (pastel, chalk, charcoal, paint or any other creative substance you use to make your masterpiece). Photography will not be accepted for this campaign.

No purchase necessary. Open to anyone who is a resident of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia or Canada (excluding Quebec) has access to the Internet, and is 13 or older at the time of entry. Deadline is 23 July 2008 11:30 PM (PST). Visit the site to learn more.

Acclaimed type designer Nick Cooke (Olicana, Chevin, Precious) has completed his long-awaited Houschka Rounded typeface, a softer new companion to the original Houschka family launched in 1999. The new 6 weight family (Thin, Light, Medium, DemiBold, Bold, ExtraBold) retains the same humanist qualities of the original typeface, a design which is elegant, clean, effortlessly legible and yet full of character. Houschka has already branded the likes of Cadbury Schweppes and Tesco; Houschka Rounded’s smooth curves, range of weights, multi-lingual coverage and impressive repertoire of OpenType features will undoubtedly create a whole new buzz.

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Pentawards is the first and only worldwide competition exclusively devoted to packaging design in all its forms. It is open to everybody in all countries who are associated with the creation and marketing of packaging. The winners will receive bronze, silver, gold, platinum or diamond Pentawards according to the creative quality of their work.

Packaging design from the world over created or brought out in 2007 will be judged by a likewise international jury that will select the winners in accordance with the creative quality of the work submitted.

Apart from prize-giving, Pentawards’ mission is the promotion of packaging design with companies, the press, the economic and political authorities and the public in general, throughout the world.

All works presented must have been created or produced (launched) between 1 January and 31 December 2007, in any country whatever. Deadline is 13 June 2008. Visit the Web site to learn more.

Mediabistro Circus is a two-day event that will help you understand what’s happening at the crossroads of digital media and traditional media, why it matters to you, and how it affects the work that you do. You’ll be able to go back to your office and say, “Let’s get started on this project - and here’s how we can do it.” Some of the most impressive people in media and technology will be speaking at Mediabistro Circus (we’re talking Jim Roberts, Chris Anderson, Regine Debatty, Robert Scoble, etc…). It’s a powerful mix of media luminaries, innovators and experts sharing knowledge and ideas over two jam-packed days in New York. The Mediabistro Circus is an experience that could quite possibly change your professional life. No matter what facet of media you’re in, it’s one event you can’t afford to miss.

Plan to attend this two-day summit about the digital platforms and trends that are changing media on May 20-21. Mediabistro Circus will be held at Skylight Studio in the west Soho neighborhood of Manhattan, bordering on Tribeca. Visit the site to learn more.

This class was created for Mac-based designers ready to learn Adobe Photoshop. In this weekend class, students will work on individual Mac computers in a lab setting. Students will learn Photoshop basics, including simple color correction and photo retouching tips and tricks. You’ll learn cover color adjustment, layers, color correction, image retouching, filters, and special effects. Learn the difference between low resolution and high resolution, and which is the ideal resolution for your job.

This class is taught by Mara Sachs (shown above), who began her career in 1984 as a typesetter at Ziff Davis. A few years later she began learning the basics of digital production as manager of the brand-new Macintosh department in a large Philadelphia prepress company. Since 1990 she has been running her own business, providing page layout and retouching services, as well as training, to the graphic arts community. Mara is an avid meditator and brings her joyful energy, clarity and good humor into her classes.

Students should be comfortable working on a Mac. Please submit a letter of interest and work history. Class starts 31 May. Visit the site to learn more.

These workshops are perfect for writers and journalists, but office managers and artists who are weak in Web development can join in as well (not intended for graphic professionals). In one weekend, learn how to use Macromedia Flash to create interactive widgets — slideshows, maps, quizzes, and more — without having to learn too much of the geeky technical stuff. On the first day, you’ll get an introduction to Flash basics. You’ll learn how to use the timeline, the tools bar, and the stage. You’ll create simple animations and slideshows. On the second day, we’ll cover more complex interactives using the drawing tools in Flash, as well as images created in Photoshop. You’ll do yourself very proud.

The workshops are taught by Duy Linh Tu, co-founder and creative director of Resolution Seven, a video and DVD production studio, and shown in the photo above. He is a writer, videographer, motion graphics designer, and photographer. Prior to forming Resolution Seven, Duy founded and was the chief operations officer of Missing Pixel, an award-winning interactive production company.

Students must have basic knowledge of Photoshop (if you can resize an image, you’re golden). Students also should be comfortable with working on a Mac. Class starts May 17. Visit the site to learn more.