Ok, folks, here’s the scoop on the new logo contest. I’m soliciting submissions as of now, as follows:
What are you looking for?
A new logo / header graphic which will be part of an overall site redesign for TTLB.
What’s the prize?
The winner will receive two months of free advertising on TTLB.
How will the winner be chosen?
Purely by my own subjective choice, although I will consider feedback from the TTLB community as well.
Is the contest-winning logo guaranteed to be used on TTLB?
No. I will definitely select a winner of the contest to receive the two-months advertising prize, but if even that submission doesn’t quite measure up to what I’m looking for, I may not elect to actually use it on the site. If I do want to use it, I’ll be prepared to discuss reasonable compensation (beyond the 2-month prize) of either actual cash or additional advertising time for full rights to use the logo.
I’m an artist with an extremely fragile ego and will be really offended if you don’t like my work. Should I submit an entry?
Probably not. I’m damned picky, and this is an extremely subjective and personal choice. I’m sure there will be submissions that are quite skillfully done which just won’t match my vision or style that I will have to turn down. If this prospect upsets you, it might be best not to play.
Will the entries be publicly posted?
Yes. I will be setting up a gallery of submissions that will be updated as they come in, and will include a link to your home blog / web site with your submission. The gallery will also be linked from the top of the Ecosystem page. In this way, simply by participating in the contest, you can be assured that you will receive some visibility and publicity for your work.
When are entries due by?
The deadline is tentatively set for Friday, May 13th (oooooh). But the sooner you submit an entry, the longer it will be up in the gallery and the more visibility you will get.
Enough with the contest rules already. What exactly are you looking for in the logo itself?
Ah, now the fun stuff. I am looking for a header-style graphic that would span the top of the new TTLB pages (as opposed to the current, square logo). It should include the text “The Truth Laid Bear” somewhere: I am open to suggestions on an appropriate font (don’t feel tied to the current Timesy look, because it is going away with the redesign). And let me be clear that I like (love) the current bear logo. The idea of the new logo is not to ditch the bear, but to re-present him in a different setting / pose.
The new TTLB site design is meant to show TTLB as a guide to the blogosphere, and I want the new logo to reflect that. I’m very partial, therefore, to the idea of showing our bear poring over maps, or a globe, or other such images to reflect the idea of “navigation”. My favorite concept thus far is to show the bear at his desk, facing 3/4 away from us, staring at a big world map with little pinpoints somehow representing blogs being tracked around the world. I am open, however, to other suggestions.
But wait: there’s more. For the bear, I do not want any major changes in the character design or look. I like the bear; don’t mess with the bear. But there is a new character that needs designing: my bride, Lady M.
That’s right, it is time to give a true blogospheric incarnation to my beloved, who has labored behind-the-scenes in support of TTLB (and in particular, me) for so long. So if I manifest as a polar bear online, what does Lady M look like?
A cute, female squirrel, as it turns out. We like this squirrel, to give you an idea on the kind of look we are looking for. Cute, feminine — a little sexy is OK too. A lady of sophistication, elegance, and beauty: but a little on the silly side, too.
Lady M should be integrated into the overall logo, working with Mr. Bear on the serious task of tracking blogs across the world. One idea is, if you go with the wall-map concept, to have Lady M perched on a ladder in front of the map, adding push-pins or somesuch to the map to represent new blogs.
I have questions; how do I get answers?
Please post all questions as comments here, and I’ll reply publicly, so that information can be shared with all.
And with that, let the games begin! I look forward to your submissions…
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technology meets creativity in a disaster-prone world. confident enough to try; humble enough to learn.