Cutting Edge Digital Art
Are you a graphic designer, illustrator or photographer who always strives to produce digital media that is above rest of the pack? Does your artwork and creative ideas push others to be more creative?

If you are this type of designer the PrixArs Electronica Competition for Cyber Arts is for you.

The contest sponsor states:

“Since 1987, the Prix Ars Electronica has served as an interdisciplinary platform for everyone who uses the computer as a universal medium for implementing and designing their creative projects at the interface of art, technology and society.”
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Now Is Your Chance
The PrixArs Electronica contest has seven categories to choose from. Awards and prizes will be given to each category’s respective winner:

There is a total of €117,500 ($152,149.68 USD ) in cash prizes for this competition. The awards ceremony for the Ars Electronica Festival will take place in Linz, Austria.

The prize breakdown for each respective category is as follows:

* Computer Animation / Film / VFX: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Interactive Art: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Digital Music & Sound Art: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Hybrid Art: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* Digital Communities: €20,000 ($26,009 USD)
* u19 - freestyle computing: €9,000 ($26,009 USD)
* “The Next Idea” — Voestalpine Art and Technology Grant: €7,500 ($9,753 USD)

Contest Rules
Please see the complete rules and guidelines for more information. The general rules are:

* This contest is an international contest and anyone from any country may enter.
* Do not submit pieces that are irreplaceable originals. Entries cannot be returned.
* Be sure to see the specific rules for each category.
* An entry may only be submitted to one contest category.
* You may submit more than one work as long as each submission is for a different category.
* You must be registered on the Arts Electronica website to participate in this contest.

Other Contest Information and Links
This contest is open until March 18, 2011. There is no entry fee in order to participate in this contest.

For important details about this contest follow these links:

Official Contest Website
Prize List and Details
Rights of the Contestants
Contest Checklist
Contest Category Listing
Registration Site
Past Winner’s

The workplace zoo
Anyone who has worked as a graphic designer or in a job that requires creativity knows how difficult it can sometimes be when working under tight deadlines.

During these times you’ll notice how certain individuals, and even yourself, react under pressure. It is during these occasions that personality traits, some negative and some positive, rise to the surface for all to see.

In What Type of Graphic Designer Are You? Part I we’ll explore four personality categories. These will act as an informal knowledge base to help you understand yourself and others in the workplace better.
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It’s Greek to me
The Four Temperaments or Four Personality Groups (Phlegmatic, Choleric, Melancholy, and Sanguine) was developed by Hippocrates and Plato in their efforts to understand human nature and personalities.

According to the Four Temperaments scenario people’s personalities are made up of a combination of the four basic traits-with one or two being the most prominent.

Variations of these original concepts have been updated by various psychologists and authors but at the heart of them all lay many of the ideas proposed by the two Greek luminaries of medicine and philosophy.

The Phlegmatic: slow and steady
Is there someone at your workplace that seems to remain cool and calm in spite of the world crashing down all around everyone? Does this individual seem to get along with just about anyone?

Do these people procrastinate on their projects while making witty and humorous remarks about the situation? Are these people sometimes stubborn and obstinate?

Does it seem as if these people are almost like Mr. Spock of Star Trek; they show very little variance of emotion or excitability?

If you answered yes to most of these questions you have just met the phlegmatic personality.

Here is a short list of the strengths and weaknesses of Mr. or Ms. Phlegmatic:

* Low key personality
* Easy going
* Relaxed
* Patient
* Competent and steady
* Quiet and witty
* Sympathetic and kind
* Gets along with everyone
* Finds the easiest way to get the job done
* Likes routine; avoids change
* Indecisive
* Avoids leadership
* Self-doubt
* Avoids conflict
* Resents being pushed
* Procrastinates

Understanding what motivates Mr. or Ms. phlegmatic can help you to get along better with these reliable and sometimes obstinate people. They are the people that will work the best under pressure so be glad that they are there!

Graphic design school and design principles
No matter what personality type you fall under, the need for a good education in graphic design is important in qualifying for various career opportunities.

Graphic design schools provide instruction in good design principles.

If you are thinking about branching out into other graphic design fields such as web design, animation, multimedia or other avenues, a qualified graphic design college can help.

Next time…
Our next personality will be Mr. or Ms. Sanguine. You’ll recognize these individuals by their affinity for telling stories and jokes, being the first one to say “Hi!” to everyone and their generally happy mood.

But they are also known for speaking before they think and being unproductive and emotional. Find out more next week about this coworker.

So until next time, keep on designing!

Micromanaging and Efficiency
Joy, a graphic designer, relates this story about her experience with different studio managers:

“We had a boss that was extremely manipulative and controlling. Every aspect of our daily work schedule was managed for efficiency. We could hardly breathe because of the constrained work atmosphere.

Let’s face it, we did it for the money and not for the love of design.

“Our productivity was good, but we were miserable. Then one day, he announced his retirement. Most of us were ecstatic at his decision. A new manager was hired and we held our breaths.

“Our new boss was not a micro-manager and this took some time getting used to. His style was to give us our marching orders—he got out of the way and left the creative aspects, as much as was feasible, to us.

“But then, the productivity reports came down from upper management and we were all shocked about our performance.”

Find out what happened at the end of this article.

How to Get the Best From Your Coworkers
You may be a supervisor, a manager or a lead graphic designer, but the fact remains that you will need to have your co-workers do tasks for you, at some point, in order to complete projects.

But how do you get the best out of your staff? Consider this advice:

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

–George Patton, Decorated WWII General, US Army

His advice seems contradictory and foolhardy. But upon closer inspection what he is saying is to trust people’s abilities and judgment to complete a task; just point them in the right direction.

Graphic Design School and Creativity
Of course, you need a competent staff to fulfill your wishes. But knowing who your go-to people are can save you loads of headaches and anxiety by just letting them create and do what they do best.

The basics and foundation of graphic design often start with an education at a qualified graphic design college.

Those who have had formal training in graphic design can attest to how a graphic design school education can be useful in qualifying for design jobs.

The Rest of the Story
In Joy’s account of her new boss, this is what happened in the performance report. (Names and titles have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty.)

“We felt we were all pulling together to finish the projects instead of being forced to meet deadlines. Our new boss gave us the freedom to be creative. He gave us back our love for design.

“Our boss called us to a meeting to announce the metrics of how we were doing the past several months.

“The report from upper management showed that we had broken every record, in productivity and revenue, set by our previous boss. We did this during the two months our new boss was in charge.

Next Time…
So far we’ve seen how graphic designers do their jobs for the love of the art and creativity of design. But the practical side needs to be presented as well; how much do graphic designers make and what opportunities are there?

Stay tuned next week for the answers.

Until then, keep on designing!

Why Are You a Graphic Designer?
Or the question could also be “Why do you want to be a graphic designer?” Although these questions seem to be somewhat simplistic it is an important step in determining if you have what it takes to become one.

But let’s take this a few steps beyond; you may have what it takes to become a successful graphic designer but will you be a fulfilled and happy graphic designer?

Learning from the Best
In this series we’ll draw from the insights of designers not only in graphic design but other fields outside the scope of the liberal arts.

Hopefully we’ll be able to glean some sage wisdom from their experiences in the real world of design.

Some of their statements will ring unusually true with us because they are based upon situations that we have either experienced or seen.

But in the long run this series will try to provide solace and wisdom to designers who “put it out there” every day for the love of designing and not necessarily the money.

Failure: The Consequences

“The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.”

–Edwin H. Land

Edwin Land was the inventor and designer of the Polaroid Instant Camera. His invention enabled people to take photographs and have a developed print in hand in less than 60 seconds.

Land’s work ethic was legendary as he would often forget to eat, change his clothes or take needed rest breaks because he was so intent on his research and development.

He would literally wear out his assistants with his incredible focus and energy. To keep up with his marathon work schedule he assigned different teams to assist him. When one team was exhausted, the next team would come in and so on.

Dr. Land understood that failure can either stop you dead in your tracts or afford valuable information and experience on how to improve and find a solution to a problem.

He opted for the later and the result of his efforts was the Instant Camera.

Creativity and Rejection
If you are in the creative arts you can probably identify with how failure or rejection can sometimes sting.

But as Edwin Land discovered, failure is sometimes the prerequisite for continued creativity and growth.

Coping with rejection and failure is easier said than done but if we can catch a glimpse of what Edward Land saw in being unafraid of failure; we can keep our creativity alive and well.

First Things First: Graphic Design School
The saying goes that you can’t run before you learn to walk. Design is similar; you can’t design before you have the tools. Graphic design colleges can help you to understand design principles and techniques.

Graphic design schools can polish up your raw talent and point you in the right direction for a design career so check with your local graphic design college for its course curriculum and classes.

Next Time…
If you are a graphic designer or manager and need your staff or coworkers to help you accomplish a task, have you ever wondered what the best way to motivate them is?

Find out next week in part two of Graphic Design for Love or Money. You may be surprised.

Until then, keep on designing!

It’s No Laughing Matter
Although Comic-Con sounds like a competition for comedians telling jokes, in reality it is the be-all and end-all of all comic book conventions.

But the love of comic books is only the beginning of this annual event. It has also expanded its scope to  include science fiction fans, movie fans, and virtually anything that has to do with the supernatural or weird science.

If you are an aficionado of the above and have always imagined yourself as the next Spielberg the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival may be just the ticket to fame, fortune, and free tickets to the convention.
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What the Festival is About
Comic-Con has traditionally been an event where previews of science fiction movies or television shows are shown. But it also serves as a venue for aspiring film makers. writers, and artists.

This year’s Comic-Con film festival is seeking independently produced films that fall into the following categories:

* Action/Adventure
* Animation
* Comics-oriented
* Pop Culture-Related Documentary
* Horror/Suspense
* Humor
* Science Fiction/Fantasy

Entries must be fully edited. No in-progress projects or rough-cuts will be eligible. Do not submit trailers, test footage or scenes from upcoming film projects.

There will also be a Judge’s Choice Selection as well.

Film Festival Guidelines
In order to be eligible for this contest, the official rules state:

* All films must be appropriate for an all-ages audience. No nudity, excessive ….violence or swearing.
* All films must be no longer than 95 minutes in length.
* One submission per filmmaker.
* Films previously submitted to the CCI: IFF, whether accepted or denied, ….cannot be entered again.
* Films submitted must have a completion date within the last two (2) years ….(2009-2010).
* Four (4) copies of the submitted film must be sent.
* At least one member of the film-making crew should be in attendance at ….the CCI: IFF to introduce and discuss the film.
* Films submitted cannot have distribution deals or distribution deals pending.

How to Enter
All submissions must include the following items:

* A completed entry form.
* A written brief synopsis of your film (50 words or less).
* A brief bio of the director or film makers.
* One production still photograph for possible PR use.
* Four (4) DVD copies of your film in Region 1 format (No PAL).

Mail your finished entries to:

Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival
P.O. Box 128458
San Diego, CA
92112-8458

Prizes
Awards will be issued to the winners, plus film screenings of the winning entries during the 4-day Comic-Con event. Winners will also receive a free 4-day professional membership to the event.

Other Information and Contest Links
Please direct all question about this contest to: programs [at] comic-con.org.

The deadline for entries is February 15, 2011. Winners will be announced at the Comic-Con event on July 24, 2011 in San Diego, California.

There are no entry fees for this contest.

Follow these links for additional information:

Official Contest Site
Contest Rules and Entry Form (PDF file)