New challenge: Front Page Banner!

[kass]

ETA: We're tabling this challenge for now, having realized that we need better guidelines and a longer timeframe. We'll re-post this challenge later once we've generated the better guidelines etc. Thanks for your patience; a new challenge is coming right up!

Hi all! The First Fandoms challenge is now officially closed; you're welcome to keep posting goodies from your first beloved fandom, but we're moving on to something new: the Front Page Banner challenge.

This is an art challenge. We’re closing in on the end of Fanlore’s Open Beta, and we’re looking for a new banner graphic to go on the Fanlore front page to replace the one that’s there now (the one that says “Fanlore: beta.”) We invite you to make us a new graphic, and post it in the comments here!

(By submitting a graphic to this challenge, you're giving us permission to use that graphic on Fanlore. That's probably obvious, but we wanted to mention it anyway, just to be completely clear.)

This challenge will run for roughly two weeks. Calling all fanartists: please spread the word, and we look forward to seeing what you guys come up with!

Comments

[ratcreature]

Is there any particular reason you are dissatisfied with the current logo and want to change it rather than just removing the "beta"? I mean I've seen different opinions on the typography, but personally I think the logo works as recognizable thing. Or don't you want to change the typography but make it more of a picture thing. "Banner" is quite vague in that respect. Also, is this supposed to follow the guidlines of that recent OTW thing wrt not using copyrighted image sources? Or is it intended in the spirit of the typical fannish banner that doesn't care?

[kass]

I think the general feeling was that if we were going to spiff up our logo, moving out of open beta would be the time to do it, and it seemed like it might be a fun challenge for artists.

That's a great question about copyrighted image sources -- I do not know the answer, but let me check on that and get right back to you.

[ratcreature]

So it really is the logo and its typography that is supposed be changed? The challenge says "banner graphic", so I thought it might have been intended to be like for example the LJ banner contests, i.e. the logo and its identity stays the same as branding, but gets a new and changable banner background someone designs. I think I'm just finding the parameters really vague.

[kass]

Hi again! I checked with Legal and they tell me that it's best if fanartists either use their own images, or else if they work from creative commons-licensed bases.

And I'm sorry the challenge is too vague! We were trying to leave possibilities open so that artists could exercise maximum creativity. I will bring this concern to wikicomm and will let you know if there's any further information on what we're looking for...

[frogspace.livejournal.com]

I thought the logo would stay the same and the challenge might be looking for something like the themed versions of the Google logo. For example a Stargate version where the letters are made up of gate symbols, a gate, and Ancient technology, or a SPN version where the letters are arcane symbols and weapons, etc. Then there could be a featured fandom of the month (or whatever) on the front page and maybe once it retires, it could become a skin users could choose in their preference settings...

[kass]

That is an awesome idea (which I never would have thought of, omg!)

Really, the possibilities are wide-open -- whatever y'all think sounds cool, go for it.