Banner Contest 7: Celebrating 100 Episodes

[Jeric 46,834]

This post comes in three parts: Banner Contest Theme, Non-Contest Season 5 Submissions, Banner Contest Rules. 

 

 

Important note: Please read the general rules and theme info below before submitting your banner. Otherwise, it may not be accepted!
 
Submit your contest banner to the Admins Artemis, Lavo, Jeric, and Spoon (and nopony else) by Sunday, June 14th at 11:59 PM (EST). Voting begins immediately!

 

Submit your Episode 100 banner to the Admins (and nopony else) by Thursday , June 11th at 11:59 PM (EST). 

 

 

 

 

 

Banner Contest Theme - Celebrating 100 Episodes

 

 

On June 13th Friendship is Magic will air its 100th episode. In animation, that is a huge deal. What better to celebrate this momentous occasion over the weeks that follow than with a series of banners celebrating this episode and the history of the show? It has been a long journey from Friendship is Magic to Slice of Life. So for this theme we are looking for the following:

 

• Memorable moments from past episodes. This show has given us no shortage of encapsulated wonder, heart melting adorableness, heartfelt scenes, and showstopping songs. Focus of one moment in time of any previously aired episode and banner it up with style ... STYLE I SAY. Or create a banner that showcases an entire episode. (inb4 50 Smile Song themed entries). 
• We want to also throw up a specific banner for Episode 100 on the day that it airs. This will not be a forum voted contest entry but specific for the 4th week banner with the winner selected by staff. We know only a little about the episode, so please use the synopsis and leaks ... or focus on something that screams ... 100 episodes! 

 

Non Contest Banner Submissions - AKA We like Season 5 Pls Thx

 

• At anytime should you wish to submit a banner highlighting a Season 5 episode ... please do. We are more apt to run these on the fly in season while we are so hyped for Pony. We used to run a lot on these even if just for a few days. 
• PM these to all Admins
• These may not run a full week depending on contest timing (winners of contests get a full week). 
• I can has Rarity Episode 100 banner?

 

---

 

 

Banner Contest Rules. 

 

For those who don't know, we used to have banner contests every month. Each time, we had a different theme, usually based around a pony. The winning submission, chosen by our wonderful members, would be used as the site's banner. We now do contests a bit differently this time.
 
Four weeks, four banners
In the past, the winning banner was used for a month. Now, we'll have a new banner each week. For three of those weeks, we'll be using the top three banners in the contest.
 
For the fourth week (not necessarily the last), we'll spice things up a bit. Three things can happen at this point: 1) the staff pick a fourth banner from the existing contest submissions, 2) we ask members to make a banner under a special theme (e.g., an international holiday or other special event), or 3) you send us a submission of your choosing (bonus points if it's episode related!). 

 

 

This also means...
 
You can use any pony (or ponies) you want
In the past, we allowed only certain ponies to be used in each contest. For example, one month was all about Applejack. Another was about the CMC. The rationale behind this was simple: to give less popular ponies a shot at success. But that was when we had one winner. Now that we have four (three for the contest, and one for the bonus), that's much less of a problem.
 
Finally...
 
Don't hesitate to send us banners outside of contests!
Seriously, we love it when you send us banners! If you want to show off your creative talent, that fourth slot could very well be yours. Go nuts!
 

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General rules and submission instructions

 

- Banners should be approximately 1000x255 pixels and saved as a .png file. More info here

 

- Send contest submissions to the Admins (and nobody else) via PM
 
- Send bonus (fourth week) submissions to all the admins in one PM. This can be done at any time during the month
 
- One entry per member (with the exception of non contest submissions)

- All entries must adhere to the current theme, but creative liberties may be taken (to fit an airing FiM episode, for example)

- Anyone who wishes to edit an entry that has already been sent may do so, as long as the revised version is submitted by the deadline

- All entries must have the name of the forums, MLP Forums, as well as being pony-centric and related to the show in some way. That being said, feel free to be creative!

- All forum rules still apply. Any entries that do not adhere to these rules will not be accepted

- Please do not post your entries anywhere else on the forums until after the winners have been announced. Although we can understand your excitement to show others your hard work, please keep them under wraps

 

- Please put Banner Submission in the PM subject line

[Pastel 7,627]

I so want a mosaic of pics from every episode of the show. o:

Anyway, good luck to all contestants!

[碇 シンジン 27,427]

We need a fabulous banner for such an important event as the 100th episode, Rarity banner should do it =) =)

 

 

[Alphys Hedge 671]

I so want a mosaic of pics from every episode of the show. o:

Anyway, good luck to all contestants!

That is a great idea...hmmm....

[Lisa 5,551]

Eh. Not really liking this month's theme guidelines. I think I'll just submit a random 4th week banner.

[Chaton 3,765]

I'll be sure to start this as soon as I can.

 

Now where did I put those vectors...

[Guest]

I'm slightly confused... are we to submit three banners, two or, one? 

 

Does this mean you want a banner for the 100th episode, a previously aired episode, and, a random non-contest banner for the 4th week?   

[Jeric 46,834]

I'm slightly confused... are we to submit three banners, two or, one?

 

Does this mean you want a banner for the 100th episode, a previously aired episode, and, a random non-contest banner for the 4th week?

That's up to you.

 

The member voted contest theme is past moments or episodes.

 

I am requesting banners for specific to episode 100 and staff will pick that one.

 

Also, going forward we like ad hoc season 5 banners

 

---

 

You can send in three banners technically like this:

 

1) Member voted banner: "Return of Harmony themed"

 

2) Staff voted Episode 100 for use on 6/13

 

3) Banner based on Tanks for the Memories

[Batbrony 15,994]

Ya know... I'm not really a fan artist, but given what Episode 100's going to revolve around, and that I'm me, well... I might just try my hand at putting a banner together.  FOR DERPY AND GLORIOUS BACKGROUND CHARACTERS!!! 

 

One question, though, what's a good program to use for designing a banner?  Sorry if it's a stupid question, but like I said, I'm not a graphic artist, I'm a writer, so this is totally new for me. 

[Guest]

Ya know... I'm not really a fan artist, but given what Episode 100's going to revolve around, and that I'm me, well... I might just try my hand at putting a banner together.  FOR DERPY AND GLORIOUS BACKGROUND CHARACTERS!!! 

 

One question, though, what's a good program to use for designing a banner?  Sorry if it's a stupid question, but like I said, I'm not a graphic artist, I'm a writer, so this is totally new for me. 

 

I use a combination of Manga Studio 5 and Photoshop Cs6. Manga Studio being the work horse of the two while Photoshop is for quick edits/touch ups.

 

Though, I think most people just use Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

 

Illustrator is great for creating vectors and shapes, it also has a couple of default images that you can use to build off of. A lot of professionals use this program when it comes to graphic design.

 

Photoshop is amazing when it comes to editing and adding special effects or textures. You can also vector in it with the pen tool though if you prefer it over Illustrator's vectoring. 

 

I'm not sure how many other people use Manga studio because its not as popular as Photoshop or Illustrator but, if you were to ask me personally, its definitely a competitor to them. The interface doesn't have as high as a learning curve and playing with selections and layers is very intuitive. It also has a really deep vector system, more so that Photoshop or Illustrator imo.

 

All and all though, I think all three of these programs are very flexible and you to do a lot of things in them. 

[Jeric 46,834]

 

 

I use a combination of Manga Studio 5 and Photoshop Cs6.

 

Oh nice! My daughter uses both along with Art Rage ... Manga Studio 5 and Art Rage (4 I think it is) work beautifully with her tablet so she prefers those.  

[Batbrony 15,994]

I use a combination of Manga Studio 5 and Photoshop Cs6. Manga Studio being the work horse of the two while Photoshop is for quick edits/touch ups.

 

Though, I think most people just use Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

 

Illustrator is great for creating vectors and shapes, it also has a couple of default images that you can use to build off of. A lot of professionals use this program when it comes to graphic design.

 

Photoshop is amazing when it comes to editing and adding special effects or textures. You can also vector in it with the pen tool though if you prefer it over Illustrator's vectoring. 

 

I'm not sure how many other people use Manga studio because its not as popular as Photoshop or Illustrator but, if you were to ask me personally, its definitely a competitor to them. The interface doesn't have as high as a learning curve and playing with selections and layers is very intuitive. It also has a really deep vector system, more so that Photoshop or Illustrator imo.

 

All and all though, I think all three of these programs are very flexible and you to do a lot of things in them. 

 

Thank you so much, I'll probably start by giving Illustrator and Photoshop a look. 

[Allen 1,371]

That's excellent news for another banner contest! I'll take a look on the 100^th episode banner by next Friday and the contest banner by  next Monday and see what it'll look like.
 
And by next Saturday at June 13^th, I'm so excited for the 100^th episode called "Slice of Life" to come up airing on Discovery Family and will see the background ponies talk! 

[Misty Rose 3,215]

I wish I could submit something, however I no longer have access to Photoshop  

[Chaton 3,765]

 

I wish I could submit something, however I no longer have access to Photoshop

 

I came second in the last banner contest and I only used PaintDOTNet. Completely free program.

[Jeric 46,834]

I wish I could submit something, however I no longer have access to Photoshop

People also get by with GIMP.

[Treble Sketch 360]

hmmm, this is going to be very interesting to work on ^^

[Misty Rose 3,215]

People also get by with GIMP.

I tried it, NOT THE SAME! I could never get used to it

[Misty Rose 3,215]

 

 

I came second in the last banner contest and I only used PaintDOTNet. Completely free program.

Thanks but I've been in a relationship with Photoshop since 2013 so I'm not moving

[FlyingLikeDash 33]

Some really awesome ideas here!

[Chaton 3,765]

Thanks but I've been in a relationship with Photoshop since 2013 so I'm not moving

Okay. Fair enough, fair enough.

[Misty Rose 3,215]

Now that I have Photoshop back I'm gonna aim to make one specifically for the 100th episode, I've looked up a bit about it without spoiling too much so I think I can handle it Let's do it

[rpc8169 228]

Does it have to reference a specific moment or episode, or can it show all the MLP has stood for over the past seasons?

[Jeric 46,834]

Does it have to reference a specific moment or episode, or can it show all the MLP has stood for over the past seasons?

I'm fine with both concepts.

[dragonsponies 101]

i've got a question actually, i see these banners often yet i can't help but notice that each time they're made out of vectors from ponies. which is fine i like them though does that mean you can only compose a picture with vectors or is it also allowed to create/draw these ponies yourself and have them put in a banner?

cause i'm not sure if that's the case...

 

also where can i find what theme the banner has each month?