Graphic Submissions Requirements & Moderators Guide for Submitting Graphics/Layouts Options

[Gypsy Eyes]

This is not deviantART; this is not a place for you to establish a portfolio. This is a resource and we reserve the right to reject your submissions.

Many people ask us what we are looking for in graphics, and what they should submit. Here's a loose set or rules/requirements that we have put together:

General
-Crips, smooth lines (as in not pixelated).
-No copyright images.
-Good quality.
-Good color scheme.
-Correct spelling.

Photos
-Any submitted photos must be taken by you! Do NOT submit any images under photos that you did not personally take.
-The image has to be in focus.
-If the image is grainy/blurry, it will be rejected.
-No personal pictures. Keep in mind these pictures are to be used for graphics. No one is going to want a silly picture of you and your friend. If you want us to see what you look like, you should post the pictures in the Members' Photos threads in the Pictures forum.
-If there are already too many that are similar, it won't be accepted. (ie: no more heart hands, hands spelling out love, eyes, stop/danger/road signs, etc). Check around before you submit.
-No time stamps; they're highly unprofessional.
-No more hand/shoe/feet pictures.
-Decent size. Not too big (over 1024x768) and not too small (under 350x350).

NOTE: Any pictures featuring the Eiffel tower at night will not be accepted. This violates copyright laws and a fee must be paid in order to publish it anywhere. (see Reference)

Avatars/Icons
-No bigger than 100x100px.
-Not an exact copy of a tutorial (as in using the exact same effects and images)
-More than just a cropped image (unless it suits the icon)

Backgrounds
-It must be made by you. This does not mean slapping some text onto an image. It includes altering it.
-Good, crisp quality.
-Repeated backgrounds: try not to make is to simple (ie: just dots/lines) There will be exceptions to this of course, if it is unique.
-Wallpapers: -At least 800 by 600px (unless it's a repeated pattern)

This post has been edited by alovesopure: Sep 7 2007, 02:13 PM

[*digital.fragrance*]

All of the moderators (past and present) participated in this uber long topic to help you! Special hats off to Kristina (Sherlock.) for getting this started! YOU ARE THE BEST!

Also, please PM a design staff member if you would like to see some comments written on something that hasn't been mentioned in this thread. We'd love to heard from you!

Moderator's Guide for Judging-your-graphic-to-see-if-it-will-get-accepted!

Yay for long titles!

I. Pixely Text

Pixely text is THE WORST thing that you can have on a graphic. It ruins the graphic. It makes it look tacky and disgusting and COMPLETELY low end.

Examples of Bad Text:


And for some examples of GOOD TEXT:
http://www.createblog.com/graphics/download.php?id=17637
http://www.createblog.com/graphics/download.php?id=17639


II. Blurry Text

Once again, another one of the worst things you can do. I'm dead serious. It looks awful when it's blurred. DEAD SERIOUS.

Examples of what I mean:



III. Cliché Graphics

Brushes
Stop it with the "gangsta" look... and for that matter, quit the "girly girly girly" stuff. With the cluttered splatter brushes or those stupid swirls. I'm serious, guys. It isn't cool. At all. Everyone else uses them! We look for originality, but when people keep using those brushes over and over again, it DOESN'T look cool. Also, those silhouette brushes of models aren't "fly" either.

Example:


Fonts and Quotes
DON'T USE SCRIPTINA! Yes, it was pretty at one point in time, and then everyone started using it. So basically, it's overdone and overused. It's like the ex-girlfriend of graphics. Same goes for New Romantics. Also, the love quotes that you see every where on myspace don't really work either. Unless you have some real meaning behind it with a VERY WELL done graphic (as in a real picture, not just brushes and text), forget it.

Example:


IV. Bad image Quality

Bad image quality comes down to this - it's blurry, out of focus, grainy, or pixellated. What's pixellated? It's when you can see all of the individual tiny squares of color - a definite graphics "no no."

Examples:
This photo is very blurry. Please focus your lens!

This avatar is pixellated and blurry (and too large).


Now, how do you solve this image crisis?
1. Find a better base image - a clear, more vibrant image.
2. Avoid making the graphic larger from it's original size.
3. Find a larger version of an image and scale it down.
4. Focus your lens when taking a photo!
5. Use the lowest compression rate possible when saving graphics files - I suggest the .png (Portable Network Graphic) file. AVOID THE .GIF if you want your work to be presented in the best quality.


V. Messy Graphics

I have always been a fan of the clean-cut image. Of course, you can always make a "grungy" graphic "clean-cut" in my mind. It should have a focus, a good color scheme, and the design should be applied with skill. Where "messy" or "grunge" is taken too far, is the Paint graphic.

• Do not submit stick figures of people with hearts or quotes. C'mon, we've all been able to draw them since we were small children. Rather, submit something that showcases your talent.
• Do not submit scratchy hearts. While this has been a trend, it's going old fast. You really have to make it good... and supply more than a pinat drawn heart with your graphic.
• Do not submit scratchy lines and call it a "brush." Smooth lines are aesthetically pleasing (beautiful, pleasing to the eye.)

Examples


These graphics or decorations on graphics are somewhat silly and need to be avoided.

VI. Inverted Images

We decided to devote an entire section to this alone.
Take this image:
And turn it into this:
Congratulations, your image has been rejected. Harsh? Maybe. But just because you took a picture, avatar, banner, graphic, or artwork and inverted it (took a negative image) doesn't mean it's acceptable. Usually when this technique is done, it doesn't look too good.... at all.

So, if just HAVE TO INVERT, at least add brushes, textures, and have some kind of focused theme as is discussed in the all of the sections here.

VII. Photos

- What we don't want to see:

• Photos not taken by you. That's stupid - submit your own work... you know that by now!
• Blurry photos [Example 1 & Example 2]
• Unfocused photos [Example 3]
• Personal pictures... or anything that looks like a personal picture. Meaning.... nothing that just has you in it in any way!
• Pictures where the flash reflects or throws off the color in the image. The flash shouldn't be seen in an excellent photo.... AT ALL.
• Pictures of something handwritten. Of course, this has it's exceptions, but a colorful picture of a drawn poster is not a graphic, nor is it a "artsy" photo.

What we want to see:

• Photos with rich color, if the photo needs it. Of course, black/white and other effects are fine, but please no "bland" images. In focus as well... [Example Courtesy of Arjuna Capulong*]
• Photos with a focus. Not just "in-focus," but photos with a point, a purpose... in other words a focal point [Example Courtesy of Arjuna Capulong* <- See the white boat? That's a central focal point. That's good!]
• We like originality and creativity. If you took it, and it's creative and good image quality, it'll probably be accepted if it meets the other requirements.

* These examples from Arjuna are not for public use. So don't jock or copy

VIII. Icons/Avatars

• Size. Icons/avatars should be standard sizes. A 500px by 500px graphic is NOT an icon. In any world. Sizes that are acceptable include (but are not limited to) 100x100, 50x50, 60x60, etc. Avatars are generally squares!
• Minimal. A minimal or simple/plain avatar shouldn't just be a photo with/without text on it. Make it look creative and visually appealing. Don't just crop a photo! Hardly an effort goes into that at all. Some examples:
  BAD:
  
  GOOD:
  
• Colorizing. Make sure your colorizing looks nice. That it isnt tacky, too dark, or too bright/contrasted. Colorizing always makes icons look better. :] Here are a few examples:
  BAD:
  
  GOOD:
  
• Text avatars. A text avatar should be more than a solid background with plain text on it. Emphasize text by using different faces, styles, and colors. Best seen with these examples:
  BAD:
  
  GOOD:
• This is generally what we do not want to see in your submission. If your graphic is rejected, most likely, you have violated something in this example:
  

IX. Class > Crude

I think the title speaks for itself. We don't want to see anything that is crude or nasty. This includes:

• Profanity in words or pictures. Don't make me list them out for you. We don't like any of them, no matter how "mild" or "severe" they are. They do not add to the theme of the design, they detract from it.
• Inappropriate pictures, references, or insinuations. I'm also not going to give you an example here. If you need an example, I don't think you should be submtiting to CreateBlog.

We want Classy graphics instead of Crude ones. We pride this website in its designs, and we want quality, wholesome graphics for people to use. Can you tell we're passionate about this? We are.

X. Personal Graphics

Do Not Submit PERSONAL GRAPHICS or REQUESTS fulfilled graphics. If the graphic is meant to be used by one persona only, don't even bother submitted. It's an automatic rejection. These are things that have your name as the focus of the graphic or anything exclusively personalized. Here's an example :


This is not allowed, because createblog submissions are not for just YOUR personal use. If everyone can't use it then don't submit it, because it won't be accepted. Createblog isn't your personal portfolio for your designs. Submissions are for everyone to use, not just you! If you are looking for a place to host your images, try Imageshack.

NOTE This applies to layouts as well!!!

XI. Creditlines

Images with blatant creditlines will be straight out rejected because they're tacky and because they bear no relevance to the image itself. Yes, we understand why people want credit on their images, but at the same time, by submitting it to createBlog, you're letting other people use it as resources.

There isn't any harm in putting your name along a border of a photo or image, as long as it won't prevent someone from using it. Discrete creditlines, especially in the case of avatars, are allowed, but anything with extremely obvious that takes away from the graphic should be rejected. Please remember, though, that the key word here is discrete.

XII. Rule of Thirds
Basically, does your photo have balance? Does your artwork have a focus? How can you make sure that it's positioned correctly on the canvas? This is the Rule of Thirds!. Check the link for a more detailed explanation. If your image is rejected because of a lack of focus, balance, or is just plain awkward, refer to the Rule of Thirds.

XIII. The Spelling Bee
This is pretty self-explanatory. We are gonna reject a design that isn't spelled correctly. Unless, this is a way of artistic interpretation... but still, come on guys, spell the words correctly. If you're having trouble knowing if the word is spelled correctly, type it in MICROSOFT WORD and see if Spell Check flags it. Or try Dict.org.

XIV. Great Graphics

So, you've read this page, and know you say, "WHAT THE CRAP. NOW I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" Wrong. Here's some people's work that you should look at if you're trying to accomplish a certain style. Oh, and a word for the wise: Usually the most favorited ones in the graphics/layouts sections are superb, or at least good

Hip-Hop, R&B, Gangsta

• Sheemika
  Notice how she uses layers, textures, and aptly placed brushes with excellent text choice. She has a focus in every graphic, and the color scheme is pulled off well.

Emo, Punk

• wentzxxpete
  (Not only Emo and Punk) His works are very color intensive. They are all vibrant, and very well -made.

Vintage, Retro

• Check out this one By Sodapop. This is how you put random images together and still have a focus. Notice the mixes of color on a simple background - that emphasizes the random images. It also prevents the graphic from being too busy.
• Check out this one by Schizophreak. Once again, bright, vivid colors on a sort of blank canvas. Micheal does a great job of mixing bright and dark colors together and using brushes that accent the work rather than detract from it.
• For a more layout-sensitive graphic, check out this one by krizannenicole. Once again, color on a 'blank' canvas. Seeing a trend?

Vectors

• Check this one out by Sherlock. Kristina uses tons of layers and detail (not to mention a lot of patience) to create this grey-scaled beauty. Look at the eyes - even they are shaded to the upmost detail. The hair - you can see the indiviual strands. This is amazing vector work.
• Check this one out by Madame C. While this isn't completely finished, it is a great example on how your work should look in progress. Tackling phases of the photo in sections and paying close attention to detail is the name of the game. Look at how amazing the shading of the skin is! This takes a lot of patience. And the hair - notice how the general direction of the hair is done in lines to help figure out how to vector it in more detail.

This post has been edited by Synesthesia: Apr 24 2008, 10:44 AM

[*digitalfragrance*]

Ever wondered why your layout wasn't accepted... even though the moderator gave you reasons? The Design Staff team has put this thread together to help you with your layout submitting process for all layouts supported on createBlog.

Moderators-Guide-to-Critiquing-Layouts!

[under construction]

I. Generated Coding

You ask, "Generated Coding? What's that?" It's anything that involves coding a myspace layout that you didn't code, by hand, on your own. You know, those places like Mygen, BBZ, nuclearcentury, and soooo on. We'd love to see you guys code your layouts yourself, and we don't want completing sites advertised in the layout coding that we put on display! Doesn't matter how beautiful or complex it is... it's gonna get rejected.

Oh, and we do know what generated coding looks like. So don't try erasing things and renaming taglines. We're smarter than that. We know that format.

II. Jocked Coding

We have a zero tolerance policy for jocked layout coding. Code it YOURSELF. It is stealing, and any layout that is found out to have coding jocked without the other designer's permission will be rejected. End of story.

III. Image Quality

Image quality... Hmmm... An image is an image right? It doesn't matter what it looks like as long as it's the right size, correct? WRONG. At CreateBlog, we like to see images that aren't pixelly*, blurry**, or too crisp***

* That's when you see the little squares of color
EXAMPLES:
** This is when your point of focus in the design is out-of-focus or smudged
EXAMPLES:
*** There is too much contrast or too bright - image coloring has harsh or bleached edges.
EXAMPLES:

How do you correct this? Well, when you "Save As" your image file, there should be some options on the menu where you can click to adjust the compression rate (how small a file size the image will be). Small compression rates = larger file sizes = better image quality Sometimes it takes quite a bit of clicking to get there, or you might have to search your help topics.

If this does not work, it means you need to stop using so many effects and filters. If that's not the case, you just need to find a higher quality image to start with (a base image).

IV. Default Layouts

1. No personalized layouts - see Article X in the Graphics Guidelines above this post.

V. Blinkies/Color Co-ordination

Alright, let's get to the point. Blinkies are distracting, busy and hurt people's eyes. PLEASE don't submit layouts with the entire background being a repeated blinkie! IT WILL BE REJECTED. The whole point is to create a layout that is beautiful, pleasing to the eye, and not distracting. Even blinkie banners in layouts will be rejected, unless done to where it doesn't cause a ceizure... even then... I think you get my point.

Color clashing is a sense that a designer, most of the time, has to acquire with practice most of the times. Sometimes it's natural (rarely), but if you're looking at this thread for help, it probably isn't. Generally, pink doesn't go with puke green, or royal blue doesn't go with pale brown. Usually, bright neon colors don't go with other bright neon colors. There are exceptions. Again, let me emphasize the whole point is to create a layout that is beautiful, pleasing to the eye, and not distracting.

This article might help you to match colors:
http://colortheory.liquisoft.com/

Clashing Colors
are colors of very similar but not quite identical hue. On the poster, only color chips with the exact same hue are touching. Colors like that do not clash. There are 61 groups of them. So if you're trying to use shades of the same hue together, you may want to make sure they're in the same group.

Every layout involves figure-ground relationships When we create layouts that are intended to be read, offering the viewer enough contrast between the background and the text is important.

Yellow text on a white background or blue text on a black background, are difficult to read due to the low level of contrast between figure and ground.
EXAMPLES:



Some color combinations, such as red text on a blue background, cause illusions when positioned together.
EXAMPLE:


If you still have problems with this, ask some friends opinions, or post a topic in the Showcase Booth so we can give you our advice.

VI. DIV Overlay Guidelines

There's a couple simple rules for DIVs.
1. Don't make it too "bordered." In other words, we want to see more than thick borders and bright colors. We want to see DESIGN (photos, creative fonts, etc.) Creativity people!

2. Make sure that you fill out your DIV areas with content... default friend's pictures for friends areas... Name, Age, and Info in the About Me areas and so on. People will be more apt to use your layout if you have stuff in the DIV areas already.

3. As some of you may have noticed, Myspace now has "msplinks" in place of all other links on layouts, to combat spammers and hackers. This has affected our layouts because when people submit, they have the msplinks in place of all the navigation links and links to friends' profiles.

There's not really a way to fix this, but in order to keep our layouts user-friendly, we are asking all those who submit to please, instead of putting the links in the layout, put "NAVIGATIONHERE" or "FRIENDSHERE" and so on wherever they would otherwise be. Put the actual links in the comments section and instruct the user to put their friendid where needed and to copy/paste the links into the right place (NAVIGATIONHERE, FRIENDSHERE, etc.) when they put the layout in their profile.

Here's some of the commonly used links in Myspace layouts:

CODE

<a href="http://messaging.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mail.message&friendID=FRIENDID">Message</a>
<a href=http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=invite.addfriend_verify&friendID=FRIENDID">Add</a>
<a href="http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=block.blockUser&userID=FRIENDID">Block</a>
<a href="http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewAlbums&friendID=FRIENDID">Pictures</a>
<a href="http://comment.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile_commentForm&friendID=FRIENDID">Comment</a>
<a href="http://comment.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewComments&friendID=FRIENDID">View All Comments</a>
<a href="http://friends.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewfriends&friendID=FRIENDID">View All Friends</a>
<a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=FRIENDID">My Friend's Profile</a>

This would help us out so, so much when going through all the submitted layouts so if you guys could do this, that would be great! Thanks!

• Edit your coding in notepad with the correct links where users can input their User IDs.
• Copy and Paste the code from notepad into your edit Profile to test the preview
• Submit the notepad code, and not the code in the myspace preview to createblog

5. Credit Lines: We understand that you work hard on your design, however, some credit lines can take away from the overall design and look tacky. Please, don't put your credit line over the entire image, over the focal point of the image, or a large banner in the corner. We trust your judgement as a designer to know how to include a decent looking credit line. Links and credit lines in the corner of images are fine.

6.No personalized layouts - see Article X in the Graphics Guidelines above this post.

This post has been edited by libertie: Feb 21 2008, 06:54 PM

[*digitalfragrance*]

STILL HAVE A QUESTION OR DON'T UNDERSTAND?

These threads are made to help those of you that are not sure why your layout or graephic was rejected. Currently the layout critique thread isn't finished, but if you'd like to see something clarified, like "A moderator said that if was rejected becuase of this: Example. What should I do, or what do they mean?" We'll add a section for you explaning how to improve and what to watch out for

Just PM any Design Staff.