As you all know, we at WooThemes love collaborating with industry-leading, creative designers and launching stylish and unique WordPress themes every month. We also love seeing how our fantastic community of users customize and implement our themes.
We therefore thought it would be a good idea to launch a competition where you our readers/users can get involved, and gain some exposure, designing a theme concept for us. Not to forget, you stand the chance to win some big money!
How to enter
To enter the competition, contestants must submit a theme concept you think would go down a treat on WooThemes.
- The design must be created in Photoshop, Fireworks or Illustrator format.
- The website container must have a width of between 940 and 980 pixels, catering for the average 1024 X 768 user.
- The entries must be submitted to the WooThemes Flickr pool in jpeg or png format and tagged “Woocontest”.
- Entries must be submitted before midnight on 31st October 2008. That’s Halloween night! Woooooooooooooo.
Your submission on Flickr must include:
- Your name and any URL you would like linked to in case you win.
- Any stock or source images you have used including URLs. Be sure to only use stock images that have Extended Usage licenses that allow for distributing the theme design once coded, otherwise avoid use of stock images.
The winner will be chosen according to the amount of positive comments it receives, as well as feedback gathered from guest judges (guest judges will be announced soon).
The winner will receive $2000 and a 6 month develop license, whilst the runner up will receive $1000 and a 3 month develop license. Both will obviously grab a heap of exposure.
We will then add some wordpress magic to the concept and launch it is an official WooTheme, crediting our winning designer.
Terms and Conditions
- The theme concept submitted must be entirely your own work. As mentioned above if stock imagery is used it must have an exttended usage license.
- By entering this competition you consent to your theme concept possibly being used by WooThemes and avaliable for purchase on our site. First and second prize will, as already stated, be awarded a cash prize for their work.
- If any other theme concepts are used by WooThemes the designer will be informed and a once-off fee will be awarded to the designer for the concept. The fee will be agreed upon by both parties. Sales generated off the theme will be kept by the company.
- The winning theme concept and the runner up may be required to mock up an inner page before payment is made, determined by an inspection of the design source file. A clearly noted grid structure is highly recommended.
About
Awesome idea guys. This will no-doubt lead to some amazing designs worthy of “Woo” quality. Keep up the awesome work!
Posted about the contest at http://www.submityourcontest.com/win-upto-3000-cash-for-designing-a-theme/
SYC is a contest blog. Hope we give your contest some more exposure.
Excited about this, will be fun 🙂
Congratulations to the #Woo team on all the great work done so far – it’s really awesome!
Wow! Can’t wait to submit an entry! Sounds like a great idea to get users involved!
What are the rules about me submitting? 😉 (I don’t care about the cash… just wanna win)
I’ll take Magnus Jepson’s cash if he wins! He won’t care ’cause he just wants to win. 😉
Just a quick question though, is it possible to win both first and second place for multiple design entrees?
In any case, I’ll give WooThemes everything I’ve got to win this contest!
Nice looking content, and it’ll be a huge shame I can’t quite enter it. The simple matter of fact is that I don’t design, or create anything in Photoshop or that! – While I have a few design ideas, they are now simply going to sit there running through me all the time.
Anyway though, I’m definately interested in what others can come up with. So I’m watching and waiting as they say! 😀
Thanks
Mark
Well… I guess I’ll be the first to post a concept then.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/woothemes/
This is really interesting. great prizes too.
i might start doing my entry later;)
Congrats for the success WooThemes and keep it up!!!
Ronald
Awesome stuff. Too bad I can’t design jack, but I’m sure a lot of people will come up with some pretty interesting concepts, to say the least. Good luck, guys!
@Matt Smart – Judging by your own site’s design, I look forward to what you can come up with.
@Magnus – Yeah, go ahead… Enter that new concept you sent Mark & I last week… 🙂 (jokes)
@Seeds For Wealth – Yes, one entrant can actually win both the 1st & 2nd prizes.
Im not a member of your theme club. cant afford it actually.
im a web designer. and following woothemes for huge period of time.
can i still take part in this? or ill have to be your theme club member?
Regards, Thank you
@Royan – You don’t have to be a theme club member. In fact there’s even more reason for you to submit an entry. Not only could you win cash, but also a developer membership!
I can design well, but do you only need a JPEG? ‘Cause if one Wins, he has to create full xhtml template also ? Because I don’t know that, I only only to design :$
Please reply !
@Enk – The design must be created in Photoshop, Fireworks or Illustrator format. Then upload your JPG to Flickr.
We will handle all coding so we only need the design.
Awesome idea. Shame I don’t have the time to enter myself. But I will look forward to seeing what others do. 🙂
I still can’t understand how I’ve been the only one to work something up so far. At this rate, I’ll create one entry every 3 days. I’ll have ten entries, possibly two winners, and eight or nine others to go pawn off to the cheapest bidder. 😉
@Magnus: I’ll take that compliment again… I updated it so your original went bye bye! 🙂
I’m looking forward to what you all come up with, it’s like Christmas morning over here!
Lemme blog about this one, although am not a designer. This might at least get a few entries for you 🙂
Wow! Great stuff guys!
The idea is fantastic. Need to try my hand on designing.
Good luck contestants!
I’m disappointed that there are no submissions in the pool yet, what is up with that clowns?
@Justin – pbiscuit is the first to post a submission, but you have to become a member of the pool to see it because he is a new member. Weird Flickr rules 😉
Nice contest. I might join in the fun! By the way, can we still use our submitted themes if in case it will not win? Or will it be automatically a property of the woothemes?
@Dulce – join in the fun 🙂 If you check the second point in terms & condition I think we have an answer to your question.
Thanks for clearing it up. 🙂
I will join once I got some free time over the weekend.
Good luck contestants!
I’m working on mine as I type this. 😀 Can’t wait to see all of the great entries. 🙂
ooh, sounds like fun!
This is an excellent opportunity for designers and WooThemes.
If I get some “extra” time, I may put together a submission. Either way, I’ll be watching the contest closely.
I’m hosting a contest of my own over at http://www.uniquecss.com, so be sure to check that out as well. The prize package is valued at over $400.
Best of luck to everyone!
Josh
Wow, this sounds like a great contest and should result in some fabulous entries. We design, you code…omg contest sounds even better!
I’ll be flying this weekend, if the baby falls asleep I know what I’ll be doing!
But Magnus as long as you are here, How can We Win man ? You don’t know me, but I’m an old fan of your themes ! 😀
Plus, One Entry per Head ?
@Enk – No, you can add more than one entry per person.
@enk – I’m staying out of the contest 🙂 But I’ve got a new theme that is finished so expect something soon!
So does submitting a design to the contest give woo ownership privileges to the design as mentioned:
“If any other theme concepts are used by WooThemes the designer will be informed and awarded a set fee for the concept. Sales generated will be kept by the company.”
Also, what is that “set fee”, and does the designer have the option to accept the offered set fee, and/or decline it?
Thanks!
OK … I just joined the race with a design submission … 🙂 Please check it out and i will greatly appreciate all your comments and feedback … See http://www.flickr.com/photos/24795070@N03/2925190528/in/pool-woothemes
What’s the deadline for entry?
Thats in the post 🙂
“Entries must be submitted before midnight on 31st October 2008. That’s Haloween night! Woooooooooooooo.”
Submitted an entry:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8689981@N07/2925459724/in/pool-woothemes
It’s a nice clean and simple grid based blog design.
Submitted another, this one is a clean and simple business theme:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8689981@N07/2925523314/in/pool-woothemes
hey if you’d like to start a design contest and have more entries. come to Denook.com
you can launch a design contest for free, and have a community of talented designer individuals submit and compete for your prizes.
Very interesting, the prizes look pretty good, cash is always nice but the exposure would also be great for any designer.
Couple of questions.
1) What happens to your design if you don’t win? Do you still own the design or is it now property of WooThemes?
2) Can you share some more details on what the “6 month development license” entails?
Whether I end up entering or not this definitely looks worthy of keeping an eye on.
Rock on.
Thanks for such a chance! 🙂 I’ll absolutely try to compete in this one 🙂
@Jesse:
1) What happens to your design if you don’t win? Do you still own the design or is it now property of WooThemes?
I’ve ammended the terms and conditions so that this question is answered. WooThemes does not own your design concept, unless the concept is chosen as a winner, in which case you are awarded a prize in compensation. If we choose to use any other designs in the pool we will compensate the designer an agreed sum before taking ownership of it.
2) Can you share some more details on what the “6 month development license†entails?
See what the 6 Month Dev License entitles you too here –> http://woocommerce.com/the-woothemes-club/
Woo! I’m done, just finishing.
@ Magnus, Can I get your eMail ?
Well, here are two. Will try to Add more..
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/19715193@N05/2926941024/in/pool-woothemes
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/19715193@N05/2926940036/in/pool-woothemes
wow! cool prize!
great idea, i think i’ll create somethin’ 😉
http://www.freshnessdesign.com
submitted another news style theme:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8689981@N07/2927259276/in/pool-woothemes
wow! sounds just interesting design contest! I’ve never been into any online competition yet, maybe will try my luck if I got enough time to complete any design before the dateline.
great competition you have here Adii!! Congrats.. wish all the best!
I think I need to learn these things now
I surprised that everyone here is so exuberant about a design contest and particularly questioning why the awesome designers of this site is having one. Before everyone jumps down my throat, please openly and honestly read this link: http://www.no-spec.com/articles/design-contests/ and think for awhile if this is really the best way to professionally spend your time.
That’s great. I like it.
@Chris – Although I agree with some of your points, you must see that we are in a different position than your average company. We DO hire designers in addition to this contest. This is just our way of letting other WordPress designers get a chance to show off and get their name on the map.
“I’d venture to guess that very few of the companies running contests have the knowledge of the design industry to take over a project should they discover that their winner’s only skill is in making pleasing pictures.”
This does not apply to us.
Chris Wyatt,
Agree with Magnus.. for me as a beginner, I don’t really take this contest to be the best way to ‘professionally’ spent my time as it more less like the best way to ‘socialize’ my design skills.
The prizes offered actually comes in second, the major thing is all about the quality + effort + results of the design you put in line with those talented graphic designers out there. 😉
The exposure is really what I’m diggin’ and the prize money isnt too bad either 🙂
Agreed with Chris. ^^
Why is nobody trying?
I haven’t seen a single theme so far for the content that actually tries to cater to what WooThemes is!
It’s quite angering, it’s starting to look like my theme is the only one that will actually be centered around Woo and not just a theme I’ve already made and trying to make some money off of.
Shame on you lazy designers, making me rant like this. Now i’m all ticked off, thanks.
Awesome… submitting some tonight. 🙂
Nice contest, yesterday I’ve submitted my theme called Igloo. Hope you like it. Link to it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19366836@N03/2932018815/in/pool-woothemes
This is a great idea… I will be submitting soon!
This is challenging, and can keep our skills for more experienced.
I am also one of the designers who doesnt feel that “contest” is the best way to spend my valuable time, but…Alright, if thats the trick to get my name on the WP theme designers map why not…will submit my idea soon LOL.
Alright, here is mine http://www.flickr.com/photos/wpmad/2937037716/in/pool-woothemes …good luck to all who enter the contest :-).
One more Pink Girly Theme by Me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19715193@N05/2931305486/in/pool-woothemes
I’ve seen some designs submitted on your Flickr group, they are great!! Congratz for the contest
Just added mine 😉 Please check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tangkapimaji/2938352647/sizes/o/in/pool-903511@N21/
Here’s one more,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19715193@N05/2938047356/in/pool-woothemes
my 2nd entry “eat on woo”, please take a look at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wpmad/2945193177/in/pool-903511@N21
Question for WooThemes … any idea when the Guest Judges will be announced and who they are ? Will they be posting commentson each individual design on Flicr ? 🙂
This is a great idea. Pitty it has to be done on the computer because I thought I would get involved and design it with pen and paper! Oh well, great stuff though!
Tempting 🙂 I’ve thought about contacting you in the past in regards to a collaboration so if time permits I may have a little doodle in PS.
Are there any limitations for this project, how far could we go in to designing something?
I got something really hard to build in my mind, so I want to know where you guys put the limits?
(as it will require custom wp-querys to probably pull this off, etc).
Could you guys shine some light on that? Or is there someone I can e-mail about it? As I don’t want to post this in public ^_^ before someone runs off with my killer idea o.o
A new theme for the contest
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21179392@N07/2949358087/in/pool-woothemes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21179392@N07/2949323421/in/pool-woothemes
From all the themes added so far this is something different. Guys you said that you want new a theme concept, right? well there you have it, a new theme concept between a video player and a blog – working nicely together. I seen that there are some other video themes in this contest but guys lets be honest… they copy some already known wordpress themes that are already for sale. And the magazine themes – lets not even talk about it, or you want me to come with a list of the websites copied? On my concept you will see the youtube player integrated in an iphone (not photo but actually everything is made in photoshop) and a new type of videos playlist. Moving down you will see the blog part where you have 1 main post, 3 popular posts and a lifestream section, nicely integrated. Not mentioning all the features but in the footer you will see a carousel for the flickr photos. Please take a look and I am sure that you will agree this is an interesting template. Is something new that many bloggers would like.
Taking a look at the themes submitted so far… one could be disappointed because I think that many of the designs so far are just copies of other websites. I may be criticized but it is true, and I could give examples for almost, not all, the themes submitted that they are copied after another websites. Maybe this comment will be wrongly understood by some, but I just say what I see – copies, nothing new, just many guys who want to make $2000 the easy way. Honestly now, am I the only one who seen the striking resemblance between many of the designs on the contest and other websites? If one of the copied designs will win then I think that it wont take long to be compared to the original website and would be a little embarrassing for the guys who picked to win that design.
For the guys from WooThemes, I apologize if my opinion is upsetting for some, I dont mean to offend nobody. I am not a webdesigner so I dont have a website-portfolio yet, my job is about something different but soon I want to start working as a freelancer so winning this contest would help me a lot financially (if others said that the prize it is tempting, I really need the money hehe), with the $2000 I could buy me a new mac 🙂 and start rolling new original website concepts. Thank you WooThemes for making this contest, I am sure that in the end there will be many original templates.
And please comment, I still hope to win 🙂
You can see the HQ screenshot here: http://img229.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=75302_blog3.0_122_89lo.jpg
Check out the Retro fUNK design http://www.flickr.com/photos/31483206@N02/2949108359/in/pool-woothemes
Hi this is an interesting contest. Count me in.
A reply to my question would be nice 😀
@V1 Apologies the slow reply.
Are there any limitations for this project, how far could we go in to designing something?
A: There are no limitations to what you can submit. Obviously, it would be preferable for the designers to think with the web and it’s “limitations” in mind, but we really are after some creative pieces, something not done before with wordpress templating. We will obviously decide what functionality is possible/feasible within wordpress should we decide to go with your design.
I got something really hard to build in my mind, so I want to know where you guys put the limits?
(as it will require custom wp-querys to probably pull this off, etc).
A: Keen to see what you are brainstorming, if you have any questions email info@woocommerce.com.
Thanks for the answer Mark.
I Submitted my first theme. it´s a clean and simple portfolio theme:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24339695@N04/2957525732/in/pool-woothemes
a little question. why my theme dosn’t show up on the themes list? Only show if you log in on flickr.
=)
That nearly bought a tear to my eye Olimpiu.
If I wanted to I’m pretty sure I could find a theme that uses a video as a focus point. Yes it’s good to try and be unique, but you can’t critisize people for designing a ‘magazine theme’. There probably the best selling theme on this or any other theme selling site so it makes sense to improve upon the existing ones.
And in regards to your preview you’ve uploaded and all the comments it’s gotten, i’m not even going to comment…
Great idea guys, I’m gonna enter for sure! 🙂
Here are my first two entries:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebarcena/2967154875/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebarcena/2968052597/
Please check them out and comment if you like them.
@Olimpiu… all this below is only an friendly recomendations (not willing to offend anyone)
…i see your efforts dude, but let me tell you something from my experiences. I start nearly 6 years ago with freelance graphic design and at that times was thinking i am the best out there (compering my work with other’s work). Within time (when i get more experienced), i realised that i am actually at the very begining, this forced me first to improve my drawing skills and improve my ideas.
Now when i look to your video theme entries and read your comment here, i automaticaly feel the need to tell you that drawing an rectangle shape with rounded edges in photoshop is not an rocket science. Having a picture in iphone shape is not something i (and i guess many others) see for first time. Basically the “idea” and the “skills” you have remind me very much to my first designs when i have started 6 years ago. Now telling us we dont have unique ideas is something i 100% agree with you, but why dont you come up with an unique idea and show us you stay behind your words? In today design industry there is nothing unique anymore…it wont matter what you design and how great is your idea, this will be something that is probably already designed before for 100s of times if not 1000s. What we designers of today do is only mixup already “existing ideas” and improve them “our way”.
An recommendation from me would be, next time before you write something stupit, first think about it…compare your submissions with some others and then make some critque. The only part of your comment i am taking serious is where you say you need the 2000 bucks to buy a new mac…this is totaly acceptable reason to enter the contest. But maybe start like we all did with small things, design logos, banners and flyers ect…this is what will bring to you experience + some $ :-). If i say my submissions are the best so far, i must be a big lier as i see really great designs submited buy other guys which some of them can be the winner right away (in my oppinion). You have long way to go front of you, first start to earn your life with your freelancing career, be able to pay all your bills and only once you can do that, you can make such statements like at your comment…i hope all this will make some sense to you.
just posted mine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/denysri/2975654552/in/pool-woothemes
any comments are very welcome and appreciated – thanks 🙂
Thought I would have a dabble and enter my http://nerdpress.co.uk theme, any feedback would be fantastic and muchley appreciated…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stugreenham/2975528105/in/pool-woothemes
Hi woothemes 🙂
May I know when would you announce the winner for the competition?
Olimpiu – 75% of your comment is unmature. If you have a section for posts, header, sidebar and footer is that copying?
Hmmm…
Can I join?
I design my weblog by myself (my friend did the html), and I’m still learning about web design.
But, I don’t really feel confident to attend this competition.
Hehe…
This will keep me occupied over the next few days. 🙂
Hi, I submitted my design about four hours ago but it only appears when I’m loged in on my Flickr account.
The link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31812949@N05/2987194347/in/pool-woothemes
There other themes that are only showing for loged in users.
I will really appreciate your comments.
Hi All…,
How long hours again the contest regristration will be closed ? And the exact time in GMT ??
Unfortunelly I know this contest today, but I’ll try to participate.
Thanks all,
GenthonX
I am also participating in this competition:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/benjacob/tags/woocontest/
But my submissions are not visible in the Wootheme.com sidebar 🙁
Hi everybody 🙂
I hope that I am not to late to enter the contest with my design.
An online shop design.
Please comment about it, good or bad.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21179392@N07/2989174815/in/pool-woothemes
Hi submitted my design last night in time, although I’m a bit worried I submitted it to late and it won’t recieve enough comments to even be considered!
I’m proud of the minimalistic design, and combined with the color set I used, I think it really sets it apart from the rest :)!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10484060@N07/2990203299/
Hi, I am wondering if anyone knows of a good place to publish details about my theme contest.
http://hotretech.com/wordpress-theme-contests/end-of-the-year-wordpress-theme-contest-real-estate
Awesome really, i just heared about it, does anyone know when is the next event coming ?