Update 1 We updated the below submission specifications to resolve any confusion about what image formats we can accept and convert into store gifts

Update 2 We created the Digital Gift Makers Workshop Group for anypaw and everypaw that wants to make gifts that share, learn and help each other. HQ will be hanging out there too.

We are always amazed and impressed at how creative everyfur gets on Dogster and Catster with their spectacular pet pages and profile pictures. That’s why we decided to have a special contest for all you creatives out there: We want YOU to make the next new virtual gift for the gift store! We are outlining some guidelines below for creating the artwork for the gift, and the winner will receive a bowl-ful of Zealies, a badge to show off on their pet page and of course, props from HQ. When the gift is available in the gift store the creator will get credit so that all the Dogsters and Catsters out there will know who made it!

Entries

There are three different sizes of gifts you can create: Furever Rosettes, Stars & Small Gifts, and Large Gifts. You may submit as many entries as you’d like in each category.

Files should be zipped and sent to: gift_submit[AT]dogster.com

Entries must be submitted by July 1st, 2009 midnight PST.

Winners will be announced by July 15th.

Winners will be selected by Dogster HQ.

Prizes

Furever Rosettes – winner gets 100 zealies

Stars & Small Gifts (type 1) – winner gets 250 zealies

Large Gifts (type 2) – winner gets 500 zealies

Specifications

There are some guidelines that must be followed in creating the submissions. Please take the time to reads the guidelines closely to make sure your submissions can be considered. If an entry does not comply with submission guidelines we will have no choice but to not accept or review it.

1) We cannot accept or use artwork that is trademarked, registered, or displays any trademarked or copyrighted terms (such as brand names). Make sure you have the right to use any artwork your submit. Please do not submit any artwork that you are not the original creator of.

2) The gifts, stars and rosettes must be supplied and clearly viewable in multiple sizes since they are displayed on various pages, such as the virtual gift store, on pet pages, and on the homepage. While the image that appears in the Store and on Pet Pages is the most important, the other images sizes need to look good too. Usually we find that reducing a large image to a small image will not work. Usually the small image needs to be made separately or at least modified so it appears clear and neat.

3) All submissions should be the original/source layered artwork file. Photoshop, Illustrator, Gimp and many others allow for layered artwork. Common file types are, but are not limited to .PSD, .AI, .PDF .EPS. Entries should not be flattened single layer artwork, and it’s very unlikely we will be able to accept GIF, PNG or JPG files.

4) Finally all submissions need to be on a transparent background (this includes animated gifts) but ultimately, once we reduce them to animated gifs, must not exceed 50kb. Therefore we strongly recommend animated gift submissions to not exceed 30 frames.

Furever Rosettes, Stars

One file must depict artwork at 100 pixels high x 100 pixels wide

One file must depict artwork at 15 pixels high x 15 pixels wide

Small Gifts

One file must depict artwork at 40 pixels high x 40 pixels wide

One file must depict artwork at 15 pixels high x 15 pixels wide

Large Gifts

One file must depict artwork at 80 pixels high x 80 pixels wide

One file must depict artwork at 15 pixels high x 15 pixels wide

Tip: Sometimes a small or large gift does not lend itself well to the required 15 x 15 size and thus it will be a sampling of the larger image. For example, we just used Scaredy Squirrel’s head for the smaller image.

Help

We have created the Digital Gift Makers Workshop Group to ask questions, get answers, help, learn and share. We warmly invite all designers to join. We will use that for announcing updates if any are needed

Terms

By submitting any materials on or through the “Make Your Own Virtual Gift Contest”, you automatically grant to us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, right to publicly display or re-display such Materials in other formats not simply limited to websites.

Winners

We will announce winners 2 weeks after the submission closing date. We are not going to put a cap on how many winners that will be. There will be at least one winner in each category, but we will pick the number of winners based upon how impressed we are. So please, IMPRESS US! =)

Good luck to all you creative geniuses! We can’t wait to see what you invent!

Woofs and Meows,

Dogster/Catster HQ