Writer|designer Ellen Shapiro 'digs' my early blooms

Yesterday I received a Facebook direct message from writer/designer Ellen Shapiro, in regards to some early 2011 garden photos I have posted on my personal Facebook page and on Flickr. From her home in snowy New York, photographic documentation that anything was blooming anywhere must have offered hope that this winter might yet end. Shapiro asked if some of my garden images could be shared on her garden and design blog, ">Dig It!"

Today a little bit of spring was presented to "Dig It!" readers, in the form of the entry "It's Spring (Somewhere)." I appreciate Shapiro's interest in my gardening efforts - and for giving friends Joy Creek Nursery a mention. She also writes of her intention to check in occasionally on my garden throughout the coming year.

For several years now, I have shared my gardening adventures on bLog-oMotives and in Flickr galleries for the years 2010, 2009 and 2008.

Graphic designer, writer, and gardener Ellen Shapiro is based in Irvington, New York. A frequent contributor to design magazines including Print, Communication Arts, and Etapes, she writes about trends, issues and personalities in design, illustration, photography, and visual culture around the world. She was also a contributor to the book, Identity Crisis!: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands, by Jeff Fisher.

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Calls for entries: Upcoming graphic design competition and book submission deadlines

All of the following competition or book submission deadlines present great opportunities to showcase your design efforts, market your work on an international scale through the published books, and "toot!" your own horn to clients, peers and the media:

D&AD Awards 2011
(D&AD - UK)
Deadline Extended: 4 February 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

Top 100 New Creatives 50
(CMYK Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 14 February 2011
Entry fees charged

Basic Sign
(Index Book - Spain)
Deadline: 15 February 2011
No entry fees charged

Wolda Logo Annual
(Eulda Books - Italy)
Deadline Extended: 17 February 2011
Entry fees charged

Design Elements: Choosing and Using Type
(Rockport Publishers - USA)
Deadline: 25 February 2011
No entry fees charged

ADC Advertising Awards
(ADC - USA)
Late Deadline: 25 February 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

ADC Hybrid Awards
(ADC - USA)
Late Deadline: 25 February 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

SEGD Design Awards
(Society for Environmental Graphic Design - USA)
Deadline Extended: 25 February 2011
Entry fees charged

Humor Sells: 300 Examples of Truly Witty Designs
(Crescent Hill Books - USA)
Deadline: 28 February 2011
No entry fees charged • Publication fee if accepted for book

Damn Good: Top Designers Discuss Their All-Time Favorite Projects
(Crescent Hill Books - USA)
Deadline Extended: 28 February 2011
No entry fees charged • Publication fee if accepted for book

Greeting Card Design
(Zeixs - Germany)
Deadline Extended: 28 February 2011
No entry fees charged

T-Shirt Design 2
(Zeixs - Germany)
Deadline Extended: 28 February 2011
No entry fees charged

Book and Magazine Design
(Zeixs - Germany)
Deadline Extended: 28 February 2011
No entry fees charged

Typography 2
(Zeixs - Germany)
Deadline Extended: 28 February 2011
No entry fees charged

The Dieline Awards
(The Dieline - USA)
Final Deadline: 1 March 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

Print Regional Design Annual
(Print - USA)
Late Deadline: 1 March 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

The Best of Business Card Design 10
(Rockport Publishers - USA)
Deadline: 1 March 2011
No entry fees charged

Summit Creative Awards
(Summit International Awards - USA)
Deadline Extended: 2 March 2011
Entry fees charged

One Show Interactive Awards
(The One Club - USA)
Deadline Extended: 4 March 2011
Entry fees charged

HOW Promotion Design Awards
(HOW Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 5 March 2011
Late Deadline: 22 March 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

365 | Design Effectiveness Competition
(AIGA - USA)
Deadline: 10 March 2011
Late Deadline: 31 March 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

Making the Case Competition
(AIGA - USA)
Deadline: 10 March 2011
Late Deadline: 31 March 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

Great Graphic Design Ideas
(Ampixx Books - USA)
Deadline Extended: 14 March 2011
No entry fees charged

International Design Awards
(IDA - USA)
Deadline Extended: 15 March 2011
Entry fees charged

Creativity 41 Media & Interactive Competition
(Creativity International - USA)
Deadline: 18 March 2011
Late Deadline: 1 April 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

American Inhouse Design Awards
(GDUSA - USA)
Deadline: 25 March 2011
Entry fees charged

Communication Arts Photography Competition
(Communication Arts - USA)
Deadline: 25 March 2011
Late Deadline: 8 April 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

Graphis 100 Best in Design 2012
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline: 28 March 2011
Entry fees charged

Letter, Word, Sentence, Paragraph
(HOW Books - USA)
Deadline: 30 March 2011
No entry fees charged

Brand New Awards
(UnderConsideration - USA)
Deadline: 31 March 2011
Entry fees charged

Go, Stop, Slow, Eat: How Typography Influences Behavior
(Rockport Publishers - USA)
Deadline Extended: 31 March 2011
No entry fees charged

Print Regional Design Annual
(Print - USA)
Late Deadline Extended: 1 April 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

HOW In-HOWse Design Awards
(HOW Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 1 April 2011
Late Deadline: 1 May 2011 (late fees apply)
Entry fees charged

Great Healthcare Advertising
(Ampixx Books - USA)
Deadline: 29 April 2011
No entry fees charged

Creative Quarterly 24
(Creative Quarterly - USA)
Deadline: 29 April 2011
Entry fees charged

American Web Design Awards
(Graphic Design USA - USA)
Deadline: 30 April 2011
Entry fees charged

Photography Journal Americas 001
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline Extended: 2 May 2011
Entry fees charged

Design Journal Europe & Africa 002
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline: 2 May 2011
Entry fees charged

Photography Journal Americas 001
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline Extended: 2 May 2011
Entry fees charged

Communication Arts Design Competition
(Communication Arts - USA)
Deadline: 13 May 2011
Entry fees charged

Communication Arts Advertising Competition
(Communication Arts - USA)
Deadline: 13 May 2011
Entry fees charged

UCDA Design Competition
(University & College Designer Association - USA)
Early Deadline: 17 June 2011
Final Deadline: 8 July 2011
Entry fees charged

Great Layout Ideas
(Ampixx Books - USA)
Deadline: 30 June 2011
No entry fees charged

HOW Interactive Design Awards
(HOW Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 1 July 2011
Entry fees charged

iheartlogos
(iheartlogos.com - USA)
Season Two Deadline: 11 August 2011
Entry fees charged

HOW International Design Awards
(HOW Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 15 August 2011
Entry fees charged

Creativity 41 Print & Packaging Competition
(Creativity International - USA)
Deadline: 26 August 2011
Entry fees charged

Great Brochure Ideas
(Ampixx Books - USA)
Deadline: 31 August 2011
No entry fees charged

Communication Arts Typography Competition
(Communication Arts - USA)
Deadline: 9 September 2011
Entry fees charged

Book of the Year, Volume 4
(Design & Design - France)
Deadline: 30 September 2011
No entry fees charged

Great Use of Color in Graphic Design
(Ampixx Books - USA)
Deadline: 31 October 2011
No entry fees charged

PAPERWORKS Letterhead Contest
(Neenah Paper - USA)
Deadline: Ongoing - judged quarterly
No entry fees charged

PAPERWORKS Text And Cover Contest
(Neenah Paper - USA)
Deadline: Ongoing - judged quarterly
No entry fees charged

(To make sure you are reading the latest bLog-oMotives design competition update click here.)

You may want to read my article about participating in design industry competitions and calls for book submissions: A collection of design competition - and book submission request - tips, tricks and observations.

A design competition calendar is also available at Icograda. Lürzer's ARCHIVE has an impressive online list of competitions sponsored by international magazines and organizations. Dexinger posts competitions of great value to industry professionals - however designers need to be aware that some of the listings are for "spec" work as a requirement for submission. Requests for new, or speculative, work as a condition of entering a "contest" are much different than legitimate design competition "calls for entries," in which previously created works are judged for possible awards, exhibition, or publication in an annual or other book.

My own work appears in over 140 graphic design books. Many of those inclusions are the result of design competitions, or requests for submissions, like those listed above.

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives