Some more competitions..

I've found out about a few more competitions which I might enter -

1. Plymouth College of Art summer show poster competition
2. Cheltenham Illustration competition
3. V&A Student Illustration competition
4. Bolgona children's book fair (entry for this would be production of work to be entered into next years competition)

1.) Plymouth College of Art summer show poster competition 

Competition brief -

Design a poster advertising the summer show (exhibition of work by both FE students and FD2 / BA students) to be held at Plymouth College of Art this June (dates : Monday 20th - Wednesday 29th June). Included within the poster must be the following information:

1. Dates of the summer show - Monday 20th - Wednesday 29th June
2. Opening hours 9am - 8.30pm (Saturday 9am - 4pm)
3. FE Summer fashion show dates - Monday 20th - Tuesday 21st June
4. HE Summer fashion show dates - Thursday 23rd - Friday 24th June
5. Free Admission (except HE fashion show which is ticket only)
6. College address 
7. The College logo

(Details are available on the pdf document which has been emailed to all students across college)

Competition deadline 

All poster desings must be submitted by 5pm 12th February

I could easily produce an entry for this competition before the illustrative practises deadline, and this could be a good opportunity to get experience in entering a competition before  entering the another competition I have researched.

Submission details

Printed example of finished A3 poster

Editable Poster File 

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign etc. This file should include separate layers/objects so that the design can be adjusted for other applications

Source Files
Original photographs or high resolution images used in the poster competition

(submissions to be made to the marketing office - either in CD or non digital (include layers of acetate which contain the separated pieces of the poster design) format.

Competition judges

Principal of Plymouth College of Art

As the principal is not a creative practioner by trade, then there is no way of gaining any knowledge as to the style of illustrative work which would be favoured. However, considering the brief, I think that my poster design would need to clearly communicate the summer show as well promoting my talent as an illustrator.  

Competition prize -

Kodak Playsport Zx3 Waterproof HD Pocket Video Camera

Entering this Competition

If I were to enter this competition, I would view entering this as a way to gain experience for one of the competitions I have researched. As the brief is open to the whole of the college, I would be competing against students in all different disciplines for the prize, rather than just other illustrators or designers. As this is a competition which is restricted to the college, it seems more likely that I may have a chance of winning or having a commended design, which does make entering more appealing.

By entering this competition I would not gain any of the exposure (or prestige) which could be created by entering the larger competitions I have researched. Although if I won my work would be displayed within college (and used to advertise the summer show) it would not be seen outside of an college context (I want to promote myself as an illustrator, not an illustration student). My work would be seen by individuals who are not a part of the college environment - as the poster is to be published nationally and regionally, but the number of these would be more limited than if I were to enter one of the other researched competitions.

An entry into this competition would be a good piece to put into my portfolio - and could be included within a self promotional website (particularly if I won / became commended). As this competition is not national, it seems that less work would to be involved - there is no need to supply any preparatory work with the poster. It would be possible to mind map ideas for this poster and produce something quickly so at least I could enter, but would not spend so much time in the design production that it would jepodize my other competition entry.