Submission Tips
It’s that time of year again, when FCD will begin it’s search for a new Design Team!! The submissions will open July 15th, and will close Aug.15th. More details will be posted as we get closer to July. So if you are interested, stay tuned! In the mean time, here are a few tips!
These FEW TIPS were put together by members of my DTs. I hope they help for future submissions.
1. Be sure to scan/photograph your art STRAIGHT, and CROP them…a poorly scanned or crooked image will not be viewed with friendly eyes. We want to see your art, not the table, not your pretty wood floor, etc…cropping is important…..
2. If it’s too far away, we won’t be able to SEE the details. If you are taking a photograph, make sure you are close enough that we can see what it is.
3. Watch things like lighting, shadows, glare, and blurry images. FIX these things with your photo software. If you can’t fix it, retake the photo. Blurry images show either you don’t know how to use your software, or you don’t care enough about your work to present it in the BEST way!
4. Focus on STAMPING!! FCD tip: This is a stamping DT, we want to see how you use your stamps, it’s great if you can use patterned papers and put together a card, but this is a stamp team, so you need to showcase the stamps.…not those pretty papers. (you can USE the papers, but be sure to include stamped images, not just die cuts). Good tip here, be sure for what ever team you are trying out for that you pay attention to the products requested.
5. Don’t apply for a team, if you don’t really LOVE their stuff…..if you DO love it, shout it out loud!! Enthusiasm is a key part of any design team!!
6. Design Teams mean COMMITMENT! Pay attention to the length of time the team will run, and what the submission requirements are. If you are spread too thinly, your work will suffer. If you have major events coming up in your life that may prevent you from finishing your DT obligation, .reconsider trying out; or ask to submit for an Artist Spotlite position. (Many vendors, including FCD use Guest Designers for special occasions, spotlite art, etc) We vendors rely on YOU to help us get the word out!!
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tips from Jen:
-create balanced projects, use the “rule of 3″
-make sure all your stamped images are stamped cleanly. if you mis-stamp, try again.
-if you stamp something crooked, start over. don’t try to fix it, don’t leave it, just redo it.
-have a nice sharp blade in your cutter to get crisp cut lines with no cardstock fraying. cut STRAIGHT.
-keep layer borders even and straight (for layers that should be straight!) (I can’t stress this one enough!! If you are submitting for a DT, DO your BEST work!!! and watch for adhesives peaking out behind layers!!-PC)
-SCORE, SCORE, SCORE. especially with SU cardstock, it will crease and crack in the wrong spots if you don’t score it and those flaws are visible.
-make sure your coloring is even and stays inside the lines {unless that’s not what you were going for}
-watch your dirty fingers! adhesive and ink transfer easily onto skin, and back to your card where you don’t want it. {glitter does too, LOL}. pay attention or you may be very upset when you get a big smudge at the end of a 3 hour project.
-sometimes if I’m having trouble making a project end up “just right” I walk away from it - either literally, or I start on something else for awhile. don’t force it. you’ll probably find that you will come back later and know just what you need to make it PERFECT.
-always do your best work. if you wouldn’t be willing to post the card you make for all the world to see, then you probably don’t think you have done your best work and maybe you want to revisit the design process.
-however, don’t feel like every project you make has to be a Picasso, or use a special technique, or whatever. if it is a good project, that will come through no matter how many techniques you use. there are times that less is more. (FCD tip: this is a stamping DT, altho techniques are not required to submit, they do show you are not afraid to get down and dirty…lol-PC)
-also, I got a good tutorial from WAYYYYY back off of Keri Serika’s blog on making your own infinity board for photographing stuff (not like it’s hard, more of the “lightbulb” moment for me). $0.79 and viola, no more background clutter, and no more cardstock-propped-together lines either in your picture backgrounds.
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tips from Brenda:
Only two of the DTs I’m on did I submit work. (The other 2, I was asked, so didn’t have to.) So, take a look at what the company’s images are to see if you think you’ll fit. No one will be happy if you can’t work w/ the style of images. But also, don’t be afraid to stretch yourself. I always thought I was terrible w/ cute images. I don’t think I’m quite as bad as I originally thought, and working w/ cute now and then helps me.
Also, if you have some of the images from the company you’re submitting to, then by all means, use them. For the 2 I submitted, I didn’t have any, so I don’t think it’s a real drawback if you don’t. Just make sure you submit your best work. Pick items that really showcase your talents and play up your strengths. Like I’m pretty good w/ water coloring, so I want to include a card that showcases it. But also, pick some that are a little different from each other. Different techniques or compositions. Different coloring methods. You want to show your versatility and creativeness. Don’t rely totally on designer papers to pull you through, but it’s ok to include them on a card or two. Same goes for embellishments. If you’ll notice, I don’t tend to use a lot of these. I have some, I just forget. Then when I remember, I think, hmmm, that would be overkill. Make sure your work can stand on its own. All the wonderful embellishments in the world will not save a mediocre card. Embellishments should enhance, not overwhelm. And maybe it’s just me, but I suggest picking your colors carefully. You want to attract the viewer. If you’re not sure if colors will go, use a color wheel or get inspiration from cards you really like.
Well, that’s all I can think of right now; that’s my philosophy on cards and I’m sticking to it, lol.
Those are really good tips. I’d rather find somewhere to stamp and color images rather than making a card. Mine are awfully plain. I’ll just keep to playing.
What great tips! May I send some people over here to read them….
I am so sympathetic with most all of what has been said and pretty much made all of those experiences, painfully slow, wasting lots of card stock (think inky fingers here..)
Thanks for all the wonderful information! I have been thinking about trying to submit for a Design Team but I thought you had to have the company’s stamps to even be considered.