Zenkaikon 2013 T-Shirt Contest

Zenkaikon is happy to announce its third annual T-shirt contest. Now is your chance to get your unique design immortalized on the official Zenkaikon 2013 T-shirt that will be sold to attendees! Think you are up to the challenge? Read the rules and specifications below. We look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Specifications

  • Artwork should be designed for a black T-shirt
  • Artwork should fit into Zenkaikon 2013's theme "Mystery & Mayhem!"(Think Sherlock Holmes, Carmen Sandiego, Hercule Poirot, Clue, etc.)
  • Artwork should preferably use either (or both) of our male and female mascots. We will, however, consider original designs without our mascots.
  • Artwork should contain the name of the convention ("Zenkaikon 2013") and dates ("March 22-24"). Location ("Lancaster, PA") is optional but recommended.
  • The official font for the "Zenkaikon" name is Agency FB. At the bottom of this section you will find a download that contains .eps versions of our name, dates, and location rendered in this font. While you may choose a different font for the dates and location, the word "Zenkaikon" must be rendered in the official font. Colors are up to your discretion.
  • Artwork should be created in CMYK color mode with a maximum of six colors, including white, used in your design. Black does not count toward this color limit. Artwork will be printed using screen printing with spot color.
  • Vector artwork is strongly preferred. File format should be either .ai (saved for Illustrator CS5 or earlier), .eps (saved for Illustrator CS5 or earlier), or .pdf.
  • If you cannot submit vector artwork, you may submit raster files (.tiff, .png, .pdf) with an approximate size of 12" x 14" (or 12" x 12" for square designs), 300 dpi or higher.

    • Helper Files

    We recommend you download the following file to assist you in your design. The ZIP file contains:

    • EPS versions of our convention name, dates, and location, rendered in the official font
    • Sample mascot artwork (from previous years/themes) to inspire you in your design

    Download the file here: http://www.zenkaikon.com/docs/TShirtContestFiles2013.zip

    Judging Criteria

    Artwork will be judged on a variety of criteria including creativity, overall design, adherence to the convention theme, broadness of appeal, and meeting of all the specifications listed above. Submissions will be judged by a panel of Zenkaikon staff, with one design being chosen as the winner.

    Submission Method and Deadline

    Submissions must be received by January 7, 2013. Designs should be sent as an e-mail attachment to communications@zenkaikon.com with "Zenkaikon 2013 T-shirt Contest Entry" in the subject line. The e-mail body should include the following:

    • Full Name
    • E-mail Address
    • Phone Number (optional)
    • Studio Name (if applicable)
    • Website or portfolio URL (if applicable)
    • Whether you are currently pre-registered for Zenkaikon 2013 (for reimbursement purposes if your design is chosen)
    • Whether you are currently in the Zenkaikon 2013 Artist Alley (for reimbursement purposes if your design is chosen)
    • If you are currently affiliated with a school, you can optionally include that information for listing and/or notifying your school if your design is chosen as the winner

    You are permitted to submit multiple designs, but each submission e-mail must include the body contents listed above.

    You should receive an e-mail confirmation within 48 hours of sending your submission, letting you know that it has been received. If you don't receive a confirmation within this time period, please send an e-mail to communications@zenkaikon.com to find out if we have received it.

    If your file is too large to send via e-mail, please contact communications@zenkaikon.com to let us know, and we'll try to arrange an alternate submission method.

    Winner Announcement and Prize

    The winner will be announced on or before January 30, 2013. The winner of the Zenkaikon 2013 T-shirt contest will receive the following:

    • Their design featured on the official Zenkaikon 2013 T-shirt that will be sold to attendees
    • One (1) complimentary membership to Zenkaikon 2013 (or registration reimbursement if already registered)
    • One (1) complimentary table in the Zenkaikon 2013 Artist Alley (or reimbursement of table fee if already in the Alley)
    • One (1) complimentary Zenkaikon 2013 T-shirt featuring their design
    • Winning design displayed on the Zenkaikon website (along with artist name, studio name, and link if applicable)
    • Artist mentioned in the Zenkaikon 2013 program guide

    Depending on the number of entries, Zenkaikon may also decide to choose a "Runner Up" winner to have their artwork printed on buttons. The Runner Up Winner will receive:

    • Their design featured on official Zenkaikon 2013 buttons that will be sold to attendees
    • One (1) complimentary membership to Zenkaikon 2013 (or registration reimbursement if already registered)
    • Four (4) complimentary Zenkaikon 2013 buttons featuring their design, for themselves and their friends
    • Runner Up design displayed on the Zenkaikon website (along with artist name, studio name, and link if applicable)
    • Artist mentioned in the Zenkaikon 2013 program guide

    Disclaimer

    All artwork submitted to the contest becomes the property of Zenkaikon Entertainment. Zenkaikon reserves the right to make modifications to the winning design to meet printing requirements.

    Questions

    Feel free to send any questions regarding the contest or artwork specifications to communications@zenkaikon.com. We'll be happy to help you ensure your artwork meets the requirements.

    Good luck everyone!