Which are the keys to winning DC contests?

[jjyepez]

Hello folks!
Many registered users and new Elite Designers might ask themselves ...
¿why some designers won once, twice and three times in a row? while some others just enter the contests, do really hard work on their entries ... but.... never win.

Well, here I want to start this thread by saying:

THE FIRST KEY TO WINNING IS: FOLLOW THE RULES!

That's it! The first key to winning is to follow the DC rules, every contest has its rules, well ... follow them carefully and you will be in the road to winning DC contests!!

There are many other KEYS, so I invite other designers express themselves as well.

Keep up the good job & follow the rules!

Cheers,
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

Hey!
Here I come with a second KEY!

A KEY TO WINNING DC CONTESTS IS: READ THE BRIEF! AND THE DETAILS!

That's it!
Every contest have a "Brief", where the Contest Holder (CH) express his/her expectations and give an explanation on what his/her company works on, what he/she expects from designers, What he/she would love to get as a final product (logo/label/illustration/whatever)!

So, read the BRIEF and the DETAILS carefully, try to feel what the CH try to express, get involve with the company subject, the product or service the company offers ... and in doing that, you will be in the road to winning DC contests!

Cheers,
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

Another KEY: MANAGE YOUR ENTRIES!

You have just three chances to submit your entries, so don't waste them!
After "following the rules" and "reading the brief! and the details!", get into it! work on an idea ... try to feel what the CH wants from you! Do your best and post your first one! ---- then ... sit back, relax and enjoy :-)

I mean, you just have two chances left (revisions not included, of course), so, take your time ... don't hurry up! Be patient and Manage your entries!

And so .. you will be in the road to winning!

Cheers!
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

Another one: READ ALL THE FEEDBACKS & COMMENTS!

Not just those to your entries .. but everyone!
I mean, read the feedbacks on your entries carefully, but ... before posting the revisions, read the other feedbacks, maybe you can get a hint in what CH is expecting when he/she comments someoneelse's entry ....

I absolutely am not encourageing you to copy someoneelse's work ... just reading between the lines! Maybe the CH has changing his/her mind a little bit after posting you a feedback ... so ...

If you wanna win (and I bet you want!) remember, read all the feedbacks and comments before posting your revisions .... that could make a difference!

Cheers!
--
jjyepez

[imar183]

Can you explain what you win, how to wait for payment, because I won one and gave the work, and what now?
Thanks

[jjyepez]

One Important KEY IS: BE PATIENT.

Some times CHs will have one eye on the contest and might post feedback almost inmediatly but ... maybe some times (many times I can tell) they are a little bit busy and might not post any comment or feedback for a while.

So, be patient ... wait for the right moment to post a new entry or a revision.
And always remember previous KEYs ... Manage your entries. And so on ..

Cheers!
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

Hi!
A new one here!

ENTER AS MANY CONTESTS AS YOU ARE ABLE TO!

As many as you can handle, of course. If you have time enough to enter more than one contest and you are good enough (I am sure you are) to keep a good job in designing different HIGH quality pieces at a time, well ... Just do it!

In doing so, you will be increasing your chances to win!

Cheers!
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

transferred below ..

[jjyepez]

One OBVIOUS KEY is: DO YOUR BEST!

Of course it's obvious!
The better and higher qualitiy your entries are, the more the chances you have to WIN!

Get the best out of your skills!
In doing so, you will be in the right path to winning DC contests!

Cheers,
--
jjyepez

[smyth]

I think taking a look through the history of contests will also be helpfull, you can see what designs won, what designs didn't. If you are beginner, like i am, having some confidence it's also a good thing, because even if you don't win, like in Heroes 3, you don't get the money, but you get experience.
I guess trying to describe in words the logo it's also good, as it gives it a meaning, a concept, and you can improve the design following that concept.
Well, till i will win a contest that remains a guess

[sevehn]

hmmm ... interesting much ....

for me though .... it have to be ....

" its all about the client, to realize the concept of the client and work together from there ...."


skill + talent - plays an important role in the process of designing! =D


kewl !!!

[jjyepez]

I guess trying to describe in words the logo it's also good, as it gives it a meaning, a concept, and you can improve the design following that concept.

Excellent smyth!
There you go: DESCRIBE YOUR ENTRY WELL, THE CONCEPT, THE INSPIRATION, THE MEANING!

Well said!
Thanks!
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

That's a good one sevhn!

PUT YOURSELF IN THE CLIENTS' SHOES!
Try to think the way CH thinks! Try to feel what CH feels ... !

Cheers!
--
jjyepez

[smyth]

hmmm ... interesting much ....

for me though .... it have to be ....

" its all about the client, to realize the concept of the client and work together from there ...."


skill + talent - plays an important role in the process of designing! =D


kewl !!!

Not always the client knows exactly what he wants, he has just some guidelines.
And about talent ... there's a lot to debate here, not the right thread to do it though.
I was talking with one friend of mine about that (complaining about my self that i don't have) and he said that the thing with talent is overrated. It's all about perseveration in doing stuff that you're attracted to, and somehow i agree with that. For example, always, but always when i was trying to draw a horse(with a pen), in the middle of the design, the shape looked more like a dog, and in the end the shape was of a pig. Recently i did it!, it's a horse alright! terrible horse, but horse!
http://simplysmyth.daportfolio.com/gallery/295687

[sevehn]

@smyth - i hear ur side dude ... true ... perhaps i should expand ... talent in the sense that ... it is innate ... but it does need to be developed ... and developing talent as well as acquiring the skill .... does involve process ... perseverance to continually go thru the process of developing ....

somethin' somethin' like that ... but yah - i kinda see the side ur trying to convey ....

[Coy]

try to do your own work. don't base your ideas off of what's currently looking good to the CH.
read the brief and think of your own concept(s) don't bother looking at what everyone else is doing until you've made your own concept up. then check to see if it's been done allready.
I've lost contests because other designers have taken my concept and advanced it slightly. And speaking of horses (LOL), my first contest was with a horse that I did something different with I lost to the other designer because he had a font the CH liked better but his horse was almost an exact rip off of mine.

This is one thing I like about DC.. If that happens here it's not accepted.

[jjyepez]

Nice!
I could tell: START YOUR DESIGNS FROM SCRTACH! BE ORIGINAL!

Good one! Indeed! It seems obvious but It's not actually -sometimes designers need to be warned of it.

Cheers!

[jjyepez]

Here it is another one:

CONSTANTLY IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS!

I read somewhere that if you want to become a remarkable logo designer, you have to "LOOK" .. look around, look at, look for ... good Logos. Keep looking, analizing, reading logo news, rebrands notes, newborn brands, contests winners ... global events logos, trends, etc .... keep looking/watching & learning.

CHs expect high quality / cutting edge style (among others) - keep yourself away from a "too dummy" style .. they don't really like it that much

Wait! Looking is NOT the same as imitating! Look .. learn, and then CONSTANTLY IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS!
And don't forget previuos KEYS to win!

Cheers!
--
jjyepez

[jjyepez]

Which are the keys to winning DC contests?

Here they are ...

• FOLLOW THE RULES!
• READ THE BRIEF! AND THE DETAILS!
• MANAGE YOUR ENTRIES!
• READ ALL THE FEEDBACKS & COMMENTS!
• BE PATIENT
• ENTER AS MANY CONTESTS AS YOU ARE ABLE TO!
• DO YOUR BEST!
• DESCRIBE YOUR ENTRY WELL, THE CONCEPT, THE INSPIRATION, THE MEANING!
• PUT YOURSELF IN THE CLIENTS' SHOES!
• START YOUR DESIGNS FROM SCRTACH! BE ORIGINAL!
• CONSTANTLY IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS!
• NEVER GIVE UP!

(to be continued)

[colekins]

This has gotten me inspired...