Game on!
One of the most popular game machines in the world is Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Gamers enjoy untold hours of entertainment exploring new worlds, fighting bad guys, and playing casual arcade games.

If you’ve ever dreamed about producing your own video game, you have a chance at fame and fortune by entering Microsoft’s Dream.Build.Play video game design contest.

According to Microsoft:

“To earn your spot in the Dream.Build.Play universe, bring your dream-world to life by creating an outstanding, playable game for Xbox 360 using XNA Game Studio 4.0…

“Whatever your style - whatever your dream - it’s time to unleash your creativity and show what you’ve got!”

Contest Parameters
Your game must be developed using Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio 4.0 software. Your game should be fun and exciting. Microsoft is especially looking for games in the action and adventure genres.

According to Microsoft game entries will be judged according to the following criteria:

* Fun factor (40%) - A key indicator will be the desire to keep playing
* Innovation (30%) - Based on how creative and technically unique your game is
* Production quality (30%) - Make your game world as polished as possible

Entries must be developed for English speaking individuals. Certain restrictions apply to whom or who may not enter this contest. You must register on the official contest site before you can enter this competition.

Please see complete guidelines and rules for more information.

Prizes

There are four cash awards:

* Grand prize: $40,000
* 1st prize: $20,000
* 2nd prize: $10,000
* 3rd prize: $5,000

Winners will also be given the chance to sign up for a publishing contract with Xbox LIVE. Winning games will also be featured on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Contest links and additional information
The deadline for registration is May 17, 2011. You cannot enter unless you are officially registered. The deadline for submitting your game candidate is June 11, 2011.

These links provide more contest information:

Official contest site
Full contest rules and guidelines
Registration form
Free download XNA Game Studio 4.0

Graphic Design school and video games
Video game graphics and artwork have never been more realistic and cutting-edge than today. 3D programs such as Maya and LightWave 3D allow artists and illustrators to bring their drawings to life in video games.

Attending graphic design school is one of the first steps you can take in order to learn about layout, computer assisted art programs, design theory and application, and many other related courses.

Speak with a graphic design college representative and find out how graphic design can help you in your career development.

The inside info
If you are contemplating or curious about graphic design colleges, you want more information and answers to the questions you have about these educational institutions.

In this series we’ll explore the 5 top things that people want to know about graphic design school life and whether pursuing a graphic design education is right for you.
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5. Prepare to judge and be judged
No matter how much talent you have, the rude awakening in graphic design school is there are actually people with more talent than you! On the flip-side you have more talent than others.

In any liberal arts college, talent is the coin of the realm and if you have a well-balanced, realistic image about your abilities and skills, you won’t be fixating about comparing yourself to others.

On the other hand, if you believe you have superior skills, Michelangelo said, “I am still learning.” If the great Renaissance master understood this principle about talent, you can also remain open in your education experiences.

4. Lean on me
Bill Withers, composer of the song “Lean on me,” has a lyric that speaks about the need for relying on others:

Lean on me when you’re not strong,
I’ll be your friend,
I’ll help you to carry on…

In graphic design school your classmates can be a tremendous help in providing you with honest feedback, moral support, and in some cases the beginnings of lifelong friendships.

Whether you are outgoing or not, due to the natural camaraderie that exists in liberal arts colleges, you’ll find opportunities to develop good social networks.

Be sure to enrich your college education with student support in addition to your academic life.

Graphic design school and your future
It doesn’t matter if you are a graphic designer or someone who is contemplating an education in graphic design-the need for solid career training is essential for today’s job market.

The fast pace in this industry means keeping up-to-date with the latest trends, software applications, and design hardware in order to remain competitive and qualified for new job opportunities.

Speak to a graphic design school representative to find out what your education options are.

Next time…
How do you select a good graphic design college? Is a graphic design career right for you? We’ll answer these questions in our next installment of ‘5 top things you should know about graphic design schools.’

Calling All Aspiring Art and Graphic Designers
Langara College and Rethink Communications are offering one $18,000 two-year scholarship to Langara’s Communication and Ideation Design program. The CID curriculum at Langara College centers on expanding the creative aspects related to graphic design, art direction, and other visual-media related fields.

The winner of this competition will also receive an internship at Rethink, a cutting edge communications-idea agency located in Canada.

The Rethink competition is open to anyone 19 years or older. You should be able to attend full-time classes starting September 2010 semester. This contest originates in Canada. If an international student wins this award, the scholarship is conditional upon the issue of a valid student visa. Participants in this contest must also have a valid high school diploma or equivalent background.

The Contest Details
This contest is announcing an open call for submissions of sketchbooks from all art and graphic designers.  According to the sponsors:

“The sketchbook can be any size in terms of width and height, but it must have a hard black cover. Also, the number of pages in the book might vary depending on where you get it, though it should not exceed 250.

“Remember not to worry about filling out the whole book, because a few brilliant ideas are always better than a huge pile of mediocre work…

“Your job is to put your most interesting ideas into that sketchbook to demonstrate what you can do. Your book should also tell us something about who you are.”

The official application form must accompany your sketchbook. This PDF document can be downloaded by clicking here. Mail your sketchbook for this contest to:

The Rethink Scholarship
700-470 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC
V6C 1V5
Canada

Judging and Submission Tips
The judges for this contest want to be “amazed” by your work. Entries will be judged upon:

* The clarity of the ideas and how they are executed …within your sketchbook.
* The relevance in association to the scholarship program ….you are applying to.
* How “fresh” and imaginative the thinking is.
* The craft and production value of your work.
* Quality over quantity of your sketches. You don’t have to show ever idea you’ve had.

The sponsors of this contest provide the following tips regarding the submission of sketchbooks:

* Give your book an idea (or ideas) beyond your bio. If we wanted that we’d just steal your diary.
* Your application to a communication arts program should, well, communicate, artistically.
* Don’t use the entire book if there’s no reason to. Remember that a few great ideas will always …beat an entire book filled with mediocre work.
* Pen and paper aren’t your only options. Sculptures, photos, interactive, it’s all fair game.
* It never hurts to show us your thinking, we like seeing how you got to what you’re presenting.

Other Details
Complete details for this contest can be found by going to the Rethink Scholarship interactive website and Rethink Inc. Questions about this competition should be directed to questions [at] rethinkscholarship.com.

The contest deadline is June 1, 2010. There is no entry fee for this competition.

All Digital Artists Welcome
SlowArt Productions is calling for all computer digital artists, digital image compositors, and digital photographers to enter its Digital Art Extravaganza Exhibition.

Who Is Eligible?
According to SlowArt Productions, the exhibition/competition will be open to:

“…all artists working in any aspect of computer digital print media. This exhibition will include all aspects of digital art. Computer generated art, computer altered photography and collage and digital photography will all be considered. All computer printing formats are eligible.”

What the Contest Is For
The Digital Art Extravaganza serves several purposes–to act as a forum for digital artists to display their work at the Limner Art Gallery, located in New York, to provide an avenue for digital artists to sell their creations, and to give exposure to the winners in Digital Art magazine.

What to Submit
Entries may be uploaded or sent via standard mail. If you are sending your entries through regular mail services your prints should be 8.5″ by 11″. If your original print is larger, the 8.5 x 11 print should be an accurate representation of the full-sized artwork. The actual dimensions of the piece should be indicated on the back of your prints.

If you are submitting via email use the official entry form by clicking here. Files should be uploaded in JPG format, have a resolution of 72 dpi, and be no larger than 10″ in height or width.

Awards
Three winners will be featured in Direct Art magazine volume #17. One artist will be selected for a two page spread in the magazine.

The other two winners will be featured in a single page spread.

If you are accepted into the exhibition, your art will be displayed at the Limner Art Gallery with the provision that your artwork will be available for sale to the public.

There is a 30% commission fee on all art sold. The final sale price is determined by the artist.

Other Information and Details
There is an entry fee of $35 for up to four prints. Additional entries will be charged $5 for each additional entry. The deadline for submissions is January 30, 2010. For full details, entry forms, and contest guidelines click here.

Palm Springs Celebrates Earth Day’s 40^th
In honor of Earth Day’s 40^th anniversary Palm Springs, California is sending out an open call to all photographers to enter its Earth Through a Lens Competition.

Rules, Guidelines, and Contest Forms
According to the Palm Springs Sustainability Commission’s event description, the following guidelines, information, and rules apply to this contest:

“Earth Through a Lens” is a juried photographic competition sponsored by the Sustainability Commission of the City of Palm Springs (CA) to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day. We will display the photographs of approximately 30 finalists for the month of April, 2010 on world famous Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs.

“The images chosen will focus on beauty in the natural environment, the degradation of the environment by human activity, and attempts to reclaim or restore spoiled habitats. In sum, the photographs will highlight the importance of developing a sustainable environment.”

Awards and Prizes

“The 30 finalists will be asked to provide a print photograph and matt to allow uniform framing of the work. Their photo and descriptive and contact information will be published in an exhibit catalog. Three winning photographs will be selected with these photographers receiving cash prizes ranging from $500-$1500, plus a travel stipend to attend the award ceremony on April 22, 2010.

“Photographers may submit up to 3 images with an entry fee of $35 for the initial image and $10 for each of 2 additional images.”

Entry Categories and Submission Advice
Thee categories for this photography contest are as follows:

* The Natural Environment - Water, Desert, Mountains
* The Adverse Effect of Human Activity on the Environment
* Restoration of Environmental Damage

The contest sponsors state:

“The purpose of the show is to underscore the need to improve stewardship of the earth in order to create a sustainable environment.

“Entrants should pay close attention to the subcategories listed. Entries will be judged on the relevance to the show’s goal and on artistic accomplishment. A catalog will be printed and will include the photographer’s description of their work, a brief biographical sketch, contact information and price of the work (if desired).”

Click here for a full description of entry guidelines. Click here for information on how to enter. Click here for legal information and FAQs about this contest. The contest deadline is January 15, 2010.

Slam Dunk!
Whether or not you are a fan of basketball, the Arizona Sun Devils are looking for a unique and interesting design for their team. All artists, (professional, student, or amateur) are eligible to enter this graphic design contest.

A listing of contest guidelines and details can be found here. A FAQ document regarding the contest can be found by clicking here.

What to Submit
This graphic design contest is seeking submissions for a T-shirt design. The file formats accepted for your design must be JPG, GIF or PNG. Image size should be 650 x 500 pixels and must be under 25MB in file size. According to the contest sponsors:

* The design must be placed only on the front of the shirt
* Do not use the identity of players or coaches in design
* The design can contain up to 5 colors
* There should be no mention of any other university in the design
* Download the Photoshop design template by clicking here

The Awards and Other Information
The winning design will be used to produce the new Sun Devils T-shirt. A cash prize of $500 will be awarded the winner plus a 2% royalty of the winning t-shirt design sold by The College Store. The entries are judged for originality and creativity. The deadline for this contest is January 25, 2010.