Feedback on 100 tshirts competition

Last week I send a feeback from to the people who ran the 100 t-shirts competition http://www.p-ornithology.com/100/main.htm telling them why I didn't enter - they wanted the entries created in Illustrator, software that I haven't got at present. This is their resonse and my reply.


Hi Bob,
I'm glad that you've taken my feedback on board. I don't want to be negative and I think the competition was a great idea. I feel that is is just as important to say why I didn't enter in terms of improving things next time.

I am unaware of any public access mac or pcs that have high end graphic
software on and are available for (all the) public's use. I've certainly never
seen anything advanced as illustrator in the library - its pretty much the internet and that yer lot! But if you know of such resources please pass on the details to Ian Jackson who runs the art in Liverpool blog as I'm sure that there's more people than just me who would love to know about them.

Thanks

Pam
>
> From: The100Shirts@aol.com
> Date: 2006/03/03 Fri PM 03:42:48 GMT
> To:
> Subject: Thank you for your feedback
>
Hi Pamela,
Thank you for your feedback - Much appreciated.
I'm sorry you felt all the designs looked similar, this was not actually a widespread view I'm pleased to say. It's a pity you didn't enter the competition or come and visit the exhibition as I think you'd have found all of the designs quite different from each other in 3D.

Unfortunately we couldn't accept .jpeg format for entries into the 100Shirts Competition as the method of transfer we were using for production of the shirts was screenprinting. The quality and types of print, as well as the timescales we had for choosing the 100 and beginning the exhibition was extremely tight - a situation which was actually out of our control. Due to these constraints, we therefore had to set the brief for submissions to be in either .AI or .EPS format as these formats already separate the layers of the artwork, allowing us to turn around production quickly for the exhibition. We understand jpeg could be an easier format for some artists but jpegs simply do not allow for the quality of prints we were after either. AI is an (adobe) illustrator programme specifially designed for artwork and graphics.

We aimed to make the competition and exhibition as accessible for every one as possible and are sorry if you felt excluded in any way. These programmes can be quite expensive and we understand that not everyone will have these illustrator programmes on their home computer. Perhaps next year you might like to visit your local resources and get involved that way? The programmes and use of the programmes are usually free in local libraries and adult learning centres as well is in the FACT building (as far as I am aware - they have the media library there). I know of one lovely gentleman who took part in this year's competition who didn't even have a computer, let alone know how to use an email!

Thanks once again for your feedback - I hope that this has helped clarify a few bits for you. It would have been lovely to have you enter and I'm sorry you've missed out - The 100Shirts has been a great success!

Take care and hopefully, we will be able to come to you in the summer with the next competition!

Best regards,
Bob :-)