Derby Guidelines

Hello to our most awesomest artist community! A while ago we kicked off the doors and lit the fires in the discussion for the Derby Contest guidelines. We combed through the feedback (thank you!), worked around the clock, drank enormous amounts of coffee, and consolidated them here for your viewing and learning pleasure.

The result is the updated Derby Contest Guidelines below, both guidelines for participation in the contest AND information for submitting your design as print ready artwork. This will be updated in the Derby Contest submission page as soon as possible, but please consider these guidelines as the most up to date.

This list is thorough but not limited to the below and the ShirtWoot Editorial team reserves the right to make the final ruling regarding the infringement of any guideline below. However if you feel that the Editorial team are not doing their due diligence the ā€˜tattleā€™ button is available to call out an infringement. A ā€˜tattleā€™ does not always warrant action but all ā€˜tattlesā€™ will be taken into consideration.

Derby Guidelines for Participation

  • Entries must be original, not designs that have been submitted or sold on another site (even if it was on another product). Re-submissions are allowed unless otherwise stated on a week to week basis. A re-submission is defined as a design submitted to a derby that was not selected to be printed or did not win.
  • Entries must contain all original elements (no clip-art or other images that the artist does not own the rights to).
  • Entries must include the design and a mock-up of the design on a shirt.
  • Entries must be clearly related to the Derby topic or theme, this is judged and determined by our Editorial team. If you have questions or need clarity, please check out the preview in the forums over here and feel free to post questions here.
  • No cussing, no nudity and no depictions of offensive expressions or behaviors.
  • Entries cannot contain likenesses of people or public figures.
  • Fan art is acceptable if done in the artists own style and not direct copies of the original work. It should be noted that fan art is considered derivative work and that any copyright or IP infringement is taken at the risk of the artist. If we receive a request to take a design out of print, we will. We will not print brand or company logos, please donā€™t include them in your design.
  • Entries may contain photographic elements IF you have rights to the images and/or permission. You do not have to provide the proof of rights with your submission but you must have them available and provide upon request. Remember that we own the Editorial and when there is a question we will address it.
  • No limit on number of entries, however we will be selective in curating the Editorā€™s Choice sale.

The Derby ends each THURSDAY at noon, CST. The three designs that receive the most votes will be featured as the Daily offers Friday - Sunday. Great designs that donā€™t win may be included in an Editorā€™s Choice sale each Monday, so be sure to check back and see who makes the cut!

Design Guidelines for Artwork

  • Maximum design dimensions are 15ā€ x 18ā€
  • Use our official shirt templates as a guide as well as available color blanks:

Download the New Photoshop Template Here

Download the New Illustrator Template Here

  • Solid Coated color swatches are preferred but not required.
  • Gradients & Halftones:
    • Photoshop users, make certain that your halftones are 30 LPI or larger for a full-size design at 300 DPI.
    • Illustrator users, please submit your final art with gradients. Weā€™ll create the halftones on our end.
    • Each dot that makes up your halftone must be one solid color.
    • Your Design Detail & Shirt Comp images must show halftones.

Did you catch our announcement on how winners of the derby are chosen? Make sure you are in the know by reading up here!

4 Likes

OH SNAP! Is this for me??? lol

1 Like

You are by far not the worst offenderā€¦

1 Like

Why have I been so sure that I read these guidelines and there was a limit of 6 colors? Is there a color limit?

Well, never mind. I found my own answer: NEW Design Guidelines for Artists! Updated!

1 Like

Originally when we were screen printing that was the caseā€¦but now we are digitally printing, there is no color limit!

@Lady5tark and Shirt.Woot Team-
Would it be possible to include an additional upload field for the print-ready file when folks submit the derby entries? That might make things easier for everyone involved.

3 Likes

I now know why I have been confused. On the ā€œsubmitā€ page here: Woot Sign-In
it says, Maximum 6 spot colors. It doesnā€™t mention separating the colors into layers. It has 16x20 as the size.

Iā€™m new to submitting designs and have been wondering how all the entries with so many colors are allowed in the derby. And I feel bad that Iā€™ve been sending in ai files when you want them converted to psd. Should I resend in a corrected file for the current derby?

Hi, a newbie here.

The templates doesnā€™t load to me =/

#help

Thank you for the heads up! I have updated the links so go ahead and try again, they should automatically download when you click on them. Good luck in the Derby!

1 Like

Hi, if my design is being sold on Amazon but nowhere else can I submit it in the Derby?

Pretty sure thatā€™s a no. They want derby entries to be exclusive, at least until after the derby closes and all winning designs & editorā€™s choice designs are published.