The Winter / Christmas Decorative Flag Art Challenge got over 60 submissions from portfolio members. The Sr. Director of Product Development and her team at Studio M have made their final selections for the Top Six Flag Design Winners!
We’d like to thank all of the Art Licensing Show (ALSC) Portfolio Members that participated! This was a tough art challenge and with many great designs submitted! Some really amazing artwork did not make the Top Six Winners but it’s still wonderful! Outdoor decorative flags are a popular category in the retail market. All of the submissions show a nice range of ideas and themes for flags.
We teamed up with one of the premier companies in the outdoor and garden market that judged this art challenge for us — Studio M, led by their Sr. Director of Product Development, Anne McFarland Brown. They chose this Winter / Christmas category because it’s their best selling season. Thank you to Anne and her team at Studio M for helping us judge this art challenge! Studio M selected the Holiday / Christmas Decorative Flag Top 6 Winners based on what they consider the most commercially viable designs. People seem to really love their seasonal house flags, so it’s a great market for manufacturers. Here is what Anne Browne had to say about what you need to keep in mind when designing your art for decorative flags.
“This was tough! The ones we selected we feel are the most commercially viable for the market. Honestly, the flag customer is very traditional. They like traditional, bold color….especially for holidays like Christmas, Easter, Valentines, etc.. When designing product for outdoors, the designer should keep in mind the environment in which it would be placed. Light, pastel colors look washed out in the sun and do not add contrast against a house, bushes or trees. Also, some people tend to think that the flags are “faded” if the colors are too light. Any flag design needs to be read from 20’ away. It also needs contrast, a focal point, depth and a strong theme/subject matter. Sometimes what works on a greeting card, does not always work on a flag design. Everyone did a great job!”
Here are the Top Six Winter / Christmas Decorative Flag Art Challenge Winners! Congratulations!
Annie Troe, Dale Simpson, Madiha Yearwood, Rose Mary Berlin, Sydney Wright and Wendy Wiinanen.
joanie said on July 19, 2017
Another GREAT challenge!!! . . . Thank YOU Valerie & Cherish!!! CONGRATS to all . . . so many GREAT designs!!!
Tracey said on July 14, 2017
Congratulations to all the winners! Something I hadn’t thought about- using brighter colors so it the flag “pops” against all the other background such as the house, snow, foliage…. etc…Thanks Anne Brown- very good suggestion!
Dale said on July 14, 2017
Can I ask a quick question – we were asked to create art at 8″ x 11″ for this challenge – I work digitally in photoshop always at 300 dpi – is that size going to be too small for a flag that would be produced at 30″ x 42″ at 150 dpi? ( I have tried converting it myself and is doesn’t look blurry when it’s enlarged but I fear all my future new work should be created much larger in photoshop). Do you ladies who only work digitally in photoshop have a standard size you create all artwork to so you know it will suit as many products as possible?
Valerie said on July 14, 2017
Here is some info that Joan Beiriger gives on her “licensing Art to the Flag Industry” blog post:
“Good question Leyla! Ideally you would like to create art at least the same size needed for the product so that you don’t have to increase the size in Photoshop and thus lose resolution. However, that isn’t very practical because most scanners can’t scan a 28 by 40 inch painting and the file size in Photoshop would be huge. Also manipulating huge files in Photoshop takes too much time.
I create all my art with a minimum size of 12 inches at 300dpi (12 by 16.8 inches for a vertical format – greeting card format). That means the image would be enlarged 2.3 times to fit a 28 by 40 flag. Surprisingly even though my art is enlarged that much, the detail in the images still looks good when printed. Do some test runs of your art and see what happens when you enlarge a pic to fit on a large flag. You may be able to use a smaller size than I do. Good luck, Joan
To read the whole post, click the link here:
http://joanbeiriger.blogspot.com/2010/02/licensing-art-to-flag-industry.html
Dale said on July 14, 2017
Thank you SO much for locating that info Valerie. That’s the info I needed as working in photoshop at a huge flag size isn’t practical as Joan says. I’ll stick to the 12 ish by 16.8 ish at 300 dpi then and see how that goes. Thanks Joan and Valerie!!
May said on July 14, 2017
Wow, so many beautiful art here. Congratulations to all the 6 winners !
Madiha said on July 13, 2017
WOW, I can’t believe my art is in the top 6, a long side such awesome talent. I’m so honored, Congrats everyone!!
Sydney wright said on July 13, 2017
Thanks for choosing me in the final 6! I’m thrilled to be included in such a talented group! WooHoo!
Sydney wright said on July 13, 2017
Thanks so much for choosing my art as one of the final 6! I’m thrilled to be included in this very talented group of artists! Woo hoo!
Michelle Goggins said on July 13, 2017
Congratulations to the winners, as well as to everyone who posted their beautiful flag designs! It’s a great learning experience to see what designs win and what art directors are looking for.
Michelle Goggins said on July 13, 2017
Congratulations to the winners! And also to everyone who entered their beautiful flag designs. It’s a great learning experience to see what art directors are looking for.
Shelly Comiskey said on July 13, 2017
Congratulations to all the winners!! Beautiful work!
Lady Lucas said on July 13, 2017
I really had fun looking at this today – I love looking through garden flags when I visit my parents local flower nursery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It’s a lovely way to encourage an appreciation for art. Congrats to the winners!!
Vickie said on July 13, 2017
Congratulations to all the winners!
Annie said on July 13, 2017
HEY! What wonderful designs submitted! I am over the moon to be in the top 6 – Cool Beans! Thanks a bunch Anne and the amazing Studio M gang.
Kimberly McSparran said on July 13, 2017
Congrats Annie…it looks great!
Annie said on July 15, 2017
Hey Kimberly! HUGS!
joanie said on July 19, 2017
YES, CONGRATS, Annie!!! . . . Love your winning design!!! HUGS!!!
Annie said on July 21, 2017
thanks bunches Joanie! <3
Dale said on July 13, 2017
Oh Wow – Thank you So much for placing my art in the top 6 of so many wonderful pieces of art – it’s been a lovely little boost to my confidence to tell myself to “Keep going Dale, don’t give up!!”
Valerie said on July 13, 2017
Congrats Dale! Wonderful submission!
Jeanne said on July 13, 2017
Oh my gosh Dale. Beautiful stuff. Please don’t give up!
Kimberly McSparran said on July 13, 2017
Very cute Dale, we all doubt ourselves, never give up!
Dale said on July 14, 2017
Thank you ladies! Confidence taken a bit of a battering these last couple of years but through joining here I am hoping it will give me the knowledge and push to develop my work further and hopefully justify doing what I am doing!
Sally said on July 13, 2017
This was another great experience being among so many talented artists. I’m learning a lot!
Art Licensing Show said on July 13, 2017
Rose Mary Berlin replied to one of your updates:
“Thank you so much for choosing my Santa for the top 6!! I’m really honored to be a part of this talented group- always inspiring & full of opportunities!”
Valerie said on July 13, 2017
Congrats Rose! I think I was sending you a last minute email to get your design submitted! haha!
Laura Bray said on July 13, 2017
Congrats to the winners! All the flags look fantastic!