Nuts and Bolts: Farewell Papyrus
It’s taken a while but it’s finally gone! Papyrus is no longer a font choice for artists (or shoppers) for inside verses on GCU.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
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Wanted New Cards: 4.0 GPA Congratulations
Wanted Cards – 4.0 GPA Congratulations
GCU has a great collection of cards for good grades and straight As, but let’s add some cards for more mature (high school and college age) students and specifically for 4.0 GPA.
These cards should go here:
Occasions >> Congratulations >> Academic Achievement / Performance >> Straight As / 4.0 GPA
Consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track. Remember, when you’re submitting your new stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.
Be inventive, be clever, be creative. Go for it!
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Freebie Wednesday: Celestial & Mythical SVG Bundle
FREE Celestial & Mythical SVG Bundle!
All designs are hand drawn so you can be sure you are receiving unique and original designs!
This Bundle is built from illustrations of the Sun and Moon as well moon phases and tarot cards. It comes in SVG, DXF, AI, EPS, PNG & JPEG formats.
This great freebie is brought to you by Skillyas std Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 Days.
This product comes with a commercial license.
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Wanted New Cards: Adult High School Graduate.
Wanted Cards – Adult High School Graduate
May through June brings the traditional end of year graduation ceremonies. We think of the pomp and circumstance of the events as well as the pride of the students and their families. One type of high school graduate that we don’t think of is an adult high school graduate. There are many reasons someone may not have finished high school as a teen. The opportunity for them to attend an adult school and attain their high school diploma can be even more challenging yet filled with great pride of accomplishment.
Please consider creating new cards for adult high school graduations and be sure to address the unique challenges and accomplishments of a returning / adult student.
These cards will go here:
To expedite the review of these cards, please check Fast Track Review on the card image details page when you create your card and add a Note for Reviewers like “for BLOG– Wanted Cards”.
Consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track. Remember, when you’re submitting your new stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.
Be inventive, be clever, be creative. Go for it!
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Freebie Wednesday: Boho Floral Collection.
Free Boho Floral Collection!
This pack consists of 40 individual floral elements and 10 bouquet compositions perfect for your floral themed projects! All files come in PNG and JPEG formats!
This wonderful freebie is brought to you by DesignECShop! Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 Days.
This product comes with a commercial license.
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Nuts and Bolts: Orientation Edits
Nuts & Bolts – Orientation Edits
Some designs, especially when you want to include cover text, beg for an alternative orientation – vertical vs horizontal, or vice versa.
Here is a good example of a card by GCU artist Trudy Wilkerson.
Reviewer’s request:
This is not meeting marketability standards, we don’t see this being a very competitive design. Additionally, the text and the center art seem a little crowded into the landscape orientation, with much blank space to the left and right and we wonder if a portrait orientation might work better. Also, please note the two custom fonts are two different font styles on the card front.
We are returning it to give you the opportunity to make some edits of you wish.
Original Image:
Trudy’s response:
I have no idea what I was thinking doing this card horizontally instead of vertically…;-( LOL, I’m hoping you will like this one better. Happy Wednesday! FYI: The plan is to do almost the same for Renewing Vows except the Silhouette bride’s dress will not be flowing and will have a shorter veil. Also, I plan on doing one matching this as a thank you card, saying We Tied the Knot and opening will allow them to place their wedding photo inside the knot circle.
Revised Image:
See here for other examples and tips on orientation considerations.
Thank you to Trudy for trying a new perspective that resulted in a more balanced design which also resulted in a wonderful photo card variation.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
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Wanted New Cards: Congratulations Contact Lenses
Wanted Cards – Congratulations Contact Lenses
There may be one day better than getting glasses and that is getting contact lenses. The joy and ease of going frameless can be quite liberating!
Please consider creating new cards here:
Occasions >> Congratulations >> Getting Glasses / Eyeglasses / Contacts
To expedite the review of these cards, please check Fast Track Review on the card image details page when you create your card and add a Note for Reviewers like “for BLOG– Wanted Cards”.
Consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track. Remember, when you’re submitting your new stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.
Be inventive, be clever, be creative. Go for it!
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Freebie Wednesday: Mothers Day Collection
Mothers Day is coming! So here’s a FREE Huge Mothers Day Collection as our FREEBIE of the WEEK that is all about moms!
In this set you will find trendy pastel colors and graphics in a modern, abstract style. All items come in AI, EPS, PNG & JPEG formats!
This wonderful freebie is brought to you by Pati Paints! Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 Days.
This product comes with a commercial license.
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Get inspired by Pattern Curator‘s color and pattern mood boards.
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Dash of Inspiration: May 2022 Design Challenge
Time to get the imagination going and be inspired for a another Design Challenge!
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Theme: Baby
Requirements:
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Create a brand new design that is baby themed for any ‘baby’ category, like: New Baby Congratulations, Christenings, etc.
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Write your own verse/message, be creative and write a message that clearly speaks to your imagery, occasion and recipient.
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Blank verse will not be considered for entry in this challenge.
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Entry Deadline: Tuesday, May 31st
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How to Enter: Post the PID (card number) and the URL (public storefront link – please WAIT for the card to be available in the public marketplace, please DO NOT post a link to your Manage Cards area) as a post in the challenge blog. We’ll forward your entry to the jury.
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Category:
Any baby category – Search Baby Categories
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Rules:
- Submission must meet GCU’s Submission Guidelines and be Approved through the usual Review Cycle– Fast Track your submission with this in the Notes to Reviewer: May Design Challenge Submission here is the link to the blog post: (include THIS blog post URL)
- Only ONE card per artist per challenge.
- Submissions must be NEW, no existing designs.
- Your entry must meet the Challenge Requirements and Theme or it will not be included in the challenge.
- Stock Card Creations entries will not be accepted.
- Your designs should differ from those already offered in the category of your choice to offer shoppers a variety of choices, not more of the same.
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BLIND Judging: We hope each of you enters every month. Entries are submitted anonymously for judging by the GCU Challenge Jury which means that before and during the challenge, judges do not have any way of knowing what artist is behind each entry. This eliminates any and all concerns with ‘favoritism’. Results will post on the Community Blog. The jury will judge the entries on the following criteria:
- How well the card meets the Challenge Requirements and Theme.
- How well the card speaks to the Category the artist chooses for the card submission.
- Creativity, Execution and Marketability.
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Winners: 1st Place:
- The winning designer’s card and store will be featured on the GCU Public Blog – the blog which customers view and follow.
- As well as featured on the GCU Public Facebook Page – nearly 58,000 followers, now THAT’S exposure!
- The winning card will be Design of the Day following the announcement of the winners (within 48-hours).
EXCEPTION: Horizontal (landscape) cards may not be featured as DOD due to GCU Home Page space restrictions. In these cases, GCU will choose a different vertically oriented card from your store to feature as DOD. Thank you for your understanding and apologies for this limitation.
- The winning card will be added to the Greeting Card Universe Design Challenge Winners Pinterest Board – currently GCU’s Pinterest Page followers: 5.36K!
- The winning card, should the artist choose, may be referenced in a new series by the winning artist and he/she may Fast Track all cards in the new series (being sure to give the Challenge URL and winning card PID in your Notes to Reviewer for each card in this series).
- Winning card will be included in a marketing email to over 100,000 customers!
- GCU will create a Meet the Team board for the winning artist under the Pinterest GCU account where the winning artist will be able to pin and promote her own storefront and all that makes them a unique card designer and one of GCU’s artistic community team member.
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Winning card will be posted on GCU’s Instagram with 2,000 followers and counting!
- GCU will create a Meet the Team board for the winning artist under the Pinterest GCU account where the winning artist will be able to pin and promote her own storefront and all that makes them a unique card designer and one of GCU’s artistic community team member.
- 10 free greeting card credits added to your GCU account. Apply them at checkout and they never expire.
- A Design Challenge GCU digital award for 2022!
2nd Place:
- Your submission will be Design of the Day the following week of announcing the Challenge winners (within 7-days).
EXCEPTION: Horizontal (landscape) cards may not be featured as DOD due to GCU Home Page space restrictions. In these cases, GCU will choose a different vertically oriented card from your store to feature as DOD. Thank you for your understanding and apologies for this limitation.
- Your card will be added to the Greeting Card Universe Design Challenge Winners Pinterest Board.
- Winning card will be included in a marketing email to over 100,000 customers!
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Winning card will be posted on GCU’s Instagram with 2,000 followers and counting!
- 5 free greeting card credits added to your GCU account. Apply them at checkout and they never expire.
- A Design Challenge GCU digital award for 2022!
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Tips:
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Be inspired to create and learn something new!
Doreen Erhardt / Salon Of Art©
GCU Community 