Please read this entire post carefully
Over the last few months, we have gotten an increasing number of emails asking us to “please do a shirt like [x]”. This is cool because it gives us some clues about what you want, but it’s a bit hard to manage, as it gives us no indication of how badly you want it or it what quantities. It might be easier, we have thought on occasion, to just let you design a shirt yourselves… so that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Today, I’m happy to announce the first ever LoadingReadyRun T-Shirt Design Open Call, through which we hope to solicit a tonne of t-shirt designs from from you, the LRR fanbase. From that tonne of submissions, we will choose the designs that we like the most and put them to a public vote right here on the blog. The designer whose shirt is most supported will be offered a contract, the short version of which is: we buy the design for $200, and that shirt becomes our next pre-order item.
Here is the part you need to read especially carefully
Submission guidelines:
- For this open call, we are looking for a variant LoadingReadyRun logo shirt–that means the logo should be the focus of the design, though you can interpret that as you like: you could construct it out of buildings, imply it in negative space, create it out of ascii symbols, whatever you like. You can have other things on the shirt besides the logo, providing the logo stands out and draws the eye. I’m including both bitmap and vector reference files for you to work with here.
- Four colours, maximum; front only.
- No copyrighted material except our logo. I like the Pac Man ghosts too, but we can’t put them on a shirt.
- No hatespeech: we’re Canadian; it’s illegal up here…also it’s really inappropriate anywhere.
- This is not a contest, it is a job offer. We reserve the right to turn down any submission, and might decide that no submission meets the necessary requirements for what we’re doing. We also reserve the right to tweak the winning selection to best meet our needs.
- We will not use your design unless it is chosen through the selection process. If your design is chosen, we will provide you with a form to sign that sells us ownership.
- Your submission must include the following:
• Your name and email address
• a pdf, png, jpeg, Adobe Illustrator or Flash file illustrating your design
• a separate pdf, png, jpeg, Adobe Illustrator or Flash file illustrating your design as it would appear on a t-shirt. - Assuming you understand and agree to the above, please send your submission to [email protected] no later than 11:59 pm PST, August 3, 2010.
Thanks, everyone, for your interest! We think this will be a fun experiment, and look forward to seeing your submissions :D.
It has yet to happen, but I’m curious.
You buy the shirt for $200.
Somehow, magically, the t-shirt does not get the 50 preorders minimum.
You nix the design.
What happens with the t-shirt?
_Also_ does the winner get a free t-shirt(the one they designed, specifically) on TOP of the $200 dollars (this is a standard deal with other “design a t-shirt” places, which is why I ask). Do they get a medal on the forums?
Regardless of either answer, I approve, and hope some people better than I will make some sweet designs.
…I may or may not attempt.
Comment by theDreamer — July 13, 2010 @ 9:32 pm
Yes, the winner gets a free shirt of his or her own design. As for a medal, I hadn’t thought of this, but sure :D.
Regarding the hypothetical situations, we’ll cross this bridge when we come to it; we’ll work something out with the winner in this case :).
Comment by Jeremy — July 13, 2010 @ 10:09 pm
Are we limited to one design, or may we submit several of our best ideas?
Comment by Echi — July 13, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
Could you post a blank t-shirt picture like those above for us to put out designs on in the file?
Comment by King Kool — July 13, 2010 @ 10:17 pm
This makes me wonder if the Asteroids game objects are copyrighted.
Comment by Vigafre — July 13, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
Sounds like a lot fun.
Comment by Billiem — July 13, 2010 @ 10:44 pm
I honestly can’t recall where I got the file that I use, and I’m not distributing it because I don’t know if I have a distribution license for it ;). That said, you can find stuff like this all over the internet by googling “t-shirt template”. Some examples here:
http://speckyboy.com/2010/06/07/complete-collection-of-blank-t-shirt-mockup-templates/
Also, we use the default Commodore 64 character set for a lot of stuff on the site. There are many fonts based on this, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one :).
http://simplythebest.net/fonts/fonts/commodore_64.html
Comment by Jeremy — July 13, 2010 @ 11:06 pm
@Echi: we talked about limiting submissions, but opted not to in the end. However, I think you’re much better off really refining one super-solid design than going too scattershot.
Comment by Jeremy — July 13, 2010 @ 11:10 pm
Excellent! I cannot wait to get started. Now bring me my sketchbook, and Mary put the kettle on!
Comment by agloriouscuppa — July 13, 2010 @ 11:12 pm
Threadless has a design kit posted on their site for download.
http://www.threadless.com/submit
Comment by Vigafre — July 13, 2010 @ 11:42 pm
I would like to be the first to congratulate Tensen on his fabulous winning design. Nice work, dude. 😉
Comment by Evil Jim — July 14, 2010 @ 2:28 am
Ooooh, cool idea guys.
I shall now take the logo and BRITISH IT UP!!!
(sips tea)
[yes i’m English, i’m not racist]
{And yes, the tea thing is 100% true}
((Those who don’t drink it are burned at the stake))
Comment by HarryBentley — July 14, 2010 @ 5:41 am
Awesome, I’ll get right on this! Regardless of wether I win or even get picked or not, I still can’t wait to see the other entries! 😀
Comment by The Jester — July 14, 2010 @ 6:05 am
Jeremy: thanks.
Comment by theDreamer — July 14, 2010 @ 7:53 am
If I get hit by a great idea I might just do this, so far the only one I’ve come up with is the LRR logo being on an arrow and it being shot at Borington, but that’s way too complex and large for a shirt and definitely more than 4 colors
Comment by Richard Nixon — July 14, 2010 @ 12:11 pm
@HarryBentley Does “British it up” mean create a black-and-neon Spectrum version?
Comment by Jeremy — July 14, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
I am very much working on this.
Comment by Mimm — July 14, 2010 @ 1:05 pm
Oh you best believe that I’m intrigued. I’ve even done sone stuff like this before.
Comment by epocalypse — July 14, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
Am I the only one who thinks that the example design is pretty nifty? I’d by that.
Comment by Makahi — July 14, 2010 @ 2:01 pm
Well…So far I’ve done two submissions…Not entirely confident in them, but I’m contributing none-the-less
Comment by Richard Nixon — July 14, 2010 @ 2:54 pm
Awww right as my graphics card dies D:
Comment by WallCat — July 14, 2010 @ 3:06 pm
In fact, maybe I’ll formally submit those keep calm and carry on alts I made a while back… And some other new designs…. Oooooo fun times.
Comment by epocalypse — July 14, 2010 @ 3:44 pm
Just sent in my submission. Kind of limited by lack of colours available though. I know it’s a t-shirt but 4! Anyhow it looks good but probably won’t make it far. However I am British and with a cup of tea and that old war time spirit my Nan keeps rabiting on about, I think we can hold of that evil army of medioca shirts and victory shall be ours. TAKE THAT YOU POINTY HAT WEARING, COFFEE DRINKING, LLR HATING TWONKS! I think I’ve made my point clear (what ever that point was?…).
Anyway, good luck to everyone who is entering. Let the best design be made.
Comment by Andy — July 14, 2010 @ 6:10 pm
If A good idea comes to me I’ll take a stab at it.
Comment by Reid A — July 14, 2010 @ 6:11 pm
I think I have an idea, but I’ll have to tweak it a bit for it to work. Only four colors makes it challenging. Good luck to everyone!
Comment by Luft — July 14, 2010 @ 6:26 pm
@Jeremy …perhaps neon is involved…
Comment by HarryBentley — July 15, 2010 @ 5:03 am
Back to the workbench…!
Comment by addeB — July 15, 2010 @ 6:24 am
I’m totally up for up this.
But as another British entrant, I’m curious, the $200.
Will that be the made into the respective amount for overseas winners or will it be the converted equivalent?
Obviously it’s not the important part of all this, but I figured someone should ask.
Comment by Archemetis — July 15, 2010 @ 6:43 am
@Archemetis That is 200.00 CAD, which means if someone from your neck of the woods wins, they’ll recieve 125.00 GBP
Comment by James — July 15, 2010 @ 12:08 pm
@James, Awesomesauce, thanks for getting back to me on that, now to just get a design idea floating around…
Comment by Archemetis — July 15, 2010 @ 12:50 pm
Jim, Thanks in advance 😉
I’d like to thank all the little people.
But seriously, I doubt I’ll win. I’ve done plenty of LRR-related designs but only one design with the logo(which clever people could probably find) and I have a feeling there will be plenty that are more creative and better designed.
Comment by Tensen01 — July 15, 2010 @ 3:36 pm
I have 2 varients of my design idea – would you prefer them sent as seperate designs, or for me just to include both of them as attachments in the same eMail?
Comment by HarryBentley — July 15, 2010 @ 6:13 pm
I’m just curious, is this open to only single contestants or would you guys be fine with people working together for this?
Comment by Asturiel — July 15, 2010 @ 6:31 pm
[…] Open Call: Design a T-Shirt […]
Pingback by LoadingReadyRun - — July 15, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
I don’t think there would be a problem with people working together, but it’ll probably be easier for us to just pay one person, and you’d have to split it up on your end. Or something. We’d work it out.
Comment by Tim — July 15, 2010 @ 7:51 pm
@Tim: Alrighty then, we’ll send in our designs in a little while.
Comment by Asturiel — July 15, 2010 @ 8:29 pm
When it comes to the “four colours only” rule, does white, or alternatively black, count as a colour within that limit?
Comment by Beltom — July 16, 2010 @ 3:16 pm
just uploaded a kitty design idea. looks awsome[ish]. hope it does well!
Comment by Andy — July 16, 2010 @ 4:59 pm
@HarryBentley either way is fine.
@Beltom While the colour of the t-shirt doesn’t count against your limit, please keep in mind that people like different colours of shirts. We (and the public in general) are more likely to choose a design that works on several colours, so folks have a choice. My example above is a one-color design.
If you intend to use black on black t-shirts only, for example, the black bits in your first image should be transparent. If you can’t do transparency in your graphics program, please indicate to us which sections are supposed to be the shirt showing through.
Comment by Jeremy — July 18, 2010 @ 12:06 pm
Is there an age restriction, I was thinking due to the money?
Comment by Wesley — July 25, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
[…] far, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to flex those design muscles. Complete details here; final deadline for entry is 11:59 August […]
Pingback by LoadingReadyRun - — July 26, 2010 @ 10:20 pm
[…] pull the trigger and get the chance to have your design worn by LoadingreadyRun fans. Full details here. Best of luck to all […]
Pingback by LoadingReadyRun - — August 3, 2010 @ 12:53 pm
What is the best software for designing clothe? Photoshop?
Comment by Blank T shirt — August 5, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
All right if I submit my designs then what is next.
Is there any system to evaluate the design?
Comment by prism — June 29, 2011 @ 8:36 am
I am new.
This is my first thread. – ol.And I desire to be friends with you
Comment by PoobaccickJot — July 13, 2011 @ 4:41 am
Cool designs on t shirts should be washed in good washing soap so they do not fade.
Comment by Design A Shirt — February 24, 2012 @ 11:44 am