If you've been around a while, you'll know that we usually run a children's design competition over Christmas.  For various reasons, I'm afraid that didn't happen this year. (OK, last year!)

Instead, it's going to happen now - perfect timing for those of you trying to home-school your children!

This will make a great creative project to help keep your children amused and educated whilst they're stuck at home.  And even better, I can give you some help!  Last week's blog post shows you how to create a geometric design using paper shapes.  

And our February Fabric Fun Club night will go through the same process, with everything provided.  (except scissors and a computer!)  You can even order extra materials for your children.  Sign up for the club night on the blog post here.

The theme of the competition is Geometric.  You can interpret that any way you like, you don't have to follow the blog post - but you can if you want to!  Your children will probably have their own ideas, but it will give you an opportunity to talk about shapes and also other artists who have used geometric patterns in their work.

The competition is open to all children aged 11 and under.  If there are enough entries, I'll create 2 age categories.

The closing date will be Tuesday, February 23rd, so your children will have plenty of time to create their design.  You can upload the design to your account if you have one, in which case, please email me at admin@printmepretty.co.uk after you've uploaded it.  (See details below)  Alternatively, you may just email the design to me, so that, if you know children who may be interested (nephews & nieces, grandchildren, the neighbours' kids) they can still enter even if they don't have an account.  The designs will be displayed on our web site and Facebook, but we will not vote on them.  (Please let me know what name you would like me to use on the internet, or if you would prefer no name at all. If you don't tell me otherwise, I will use the child's first name.)  The winner will be chosen by our guest judge. The winner will receive his/her design printed onto a metre of fabric.  We may sub-divide the entries according to age, depending on the number of entries, in which case each group will have a winner. 

EMAIL

If you upload your design, please email me at admin@printmepretty.co.uk.  Alternatively, email the design to me at the same address, or, if you can't scan it, post it to Print me Pretty, Unit 7 Glebelands Centre, Vincent Lane, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 3HW.    In all cases, please include the name and age of the child, the title of the design, and, if he or she knows, what the child would like it to be used for.   Please also include a statement to the effect that this is the child's unaided work.  We retain the right to ask for further proof (eg a photo of the child holding the picture, or, better still, actually creating it) if there is any doubt about the authenticity of the design.

RULES

So, the competition is: A design by a child aged 11 or under with the theme Geometric.

Technical matters:

If possible, your design should be at a resolution of at least 150 dpi, but not more than 300, using RGB colour space.  (If you scan or take a photo of your child's design, that should be fine.)  If a winning design is not suitable for printing, we will do our best to make it so, in consultation with the child and child's parent.

To enter:

Upload your design onto our website by Tuesday, February 23rd, giving it a title.  Email me at admin@printmepretty.co.uk, telling me the title of your design and the name of your account.  If you don't have an account, email the design to me at the same address, or post it to the address above.  See above for additional information required.  Remember to add that it is your child's unaided work.

The closing date for receiving designs is midnight on Tuesday, February 23rd.  The designs will be judged by a guest judge.  The winners will be announced on March 4th.

The official bit:

By entering, you agree to our competition terms and conditions.

Each child may only submit one entry, which must be your child's own work and based on the theme Geometric.   ‘Your own work’ means any form of art work, photography, etc which your child has produced.  For this competition, no 'clip art' is allowed.  More than one child in a family may enter, so there may be more than one entry in an account.

All entries may be displayed on our web site or Facebook page.  Copyright will remain with you, but by entering the competition, you give us the right to use your design in any way we wish on our web site and social media, for advertising purposes.

The winning designs will feature on our web site. 

Happy designing!