Edit BF: Bumped for new contest - see post #32.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/17.../#post25017399

Now for the contest...

I'm looking for someone to design banner ads for us that will be run here on 2+2, much like you may already see for other forums like The Lounge, POG, etc.

We have 4 banner sizes here on 2+2:

• 728 x 90 Leaderboard (Banner across the top)
• 120 x 600 Skyscraper (Tall vertical banner on the right side)
• 120 x 240 Tall Banner (Vertical banner on the left side)
• 120 x 60 Button (Small banner on the right side)

Up for grabs are 3 free months in the Commercial Marketplace. Use them yourself to advertise your awesome banner making skills or some other Commercial goods or services you'd like to offer, or pass them along to someone else you know. I'll be awarding 1 month for the Leaderboard, 1 month for the Skyscraper, and 1 month for the Tall Banner and Button combined. One person could win all 3, or it might be 2 or 3 different people.

What should they look like? I have no idea, sorry. That's where you come in. Be creative. There's no need for them all to look the same; very different looks might be better. The only firm requirements are the dimensions above, the file size of each banner has to be <40 K, and they need to be .jpg or .gif files.

I'm hoping to wrap this contest up this Sunday, May 16, but I reserve the right to extend that in a few days if it looks like I won't have enough decent entries by then. I'll probably get my fellow Marketplace mods to help me decide the winners, and if we're having trouble agreeing, we might ask for opinions in the forum. You can post your entries ITT or PM them to me.

Good luck!

120 x 240 Tall Banner


728 x 90 Leaderboard

File size is a little over 40 K, but i can get it down

OMGurabot what do you make those in? I've done some in PShop but they are large files

How big are the files?

Reducing the number of frames will make the biggest difference.

You can also adjust some of these settings when you save.



Reducing the colors will decrease the size, but you might lose details if you reduce it too much.

Increasing lossy will also reduce the size, but the higher it is the more grainy it will look.

TBH, im not sure what the other options really do but just play around with them.

Still looking for more banners. OMG may end up with 3 months in the Commercial Marketplace all to himself if nothing else comes in (and if he is able to do the other two sizes).

I said I might extend the deadline if nothing much comes in, but I'd like to get them up, and what I see so far might be good enough.

I should add - One thing I like about the leaderboard is that it explains a bit about what/who the forum is for.

Will be posting ITT real soon w/ an entry

120 x 60 Button

Omguru- stick with the first 2, your 3rd one is proving your on the downhill

I think the first 2 should be good enough to win

I actually like the third one..

But don't forget, I'm looking for all 4, so even if those were good enough there's still another month in CM up for grabs.

Excuse my last attempt, it's terrible

you spelled commercial wrong.

Thank you sir, it was a typo.

I'm seeing some stuff here that will work well enough. Just hoping for another skyscraper entry at least.

Whoops, forgot about file size.

Got this down to 54k, can't get it down any less..



If theres one in particular you want post in here or PM me and I'll try get it done.

My .02:

I like everything but the backdrop colors on the last 2 skyscrapers -Gonso

Heh, was going to try my hand at something, but there's just way too much talent itt.

gg Joe

OK, I'm off to bed so I'll just make some brief comments.

It looks like OMG and Joe will be snagging prizes, although we might have room for one more winner if something came through in the next 12 hours or so.

OMG, we'll probably use all 3 of yours. I like Joe's button better, but I wouldn't mind having yours for some variety. They definitely need to be under 40K.

Joe, love those buttons. Whatever you can do to get under 40K would be great. Although I like all the text, would getting rid of the "Now Open" be enough? As for the skyscraper, I like the first one, but I see you had to lose all the animation, etc for file size. The second one is quite a bit under 40K; is there a happy medium between the two? It would also be good to get a second version without the 2 month intro offer bit, because we'll probably use these after that's over. I think Gonso's right about the background, but I can't decide what it should be - I've asked him for his input.

Nice work, gentlemen!

Thanks for the kind words. I'm working on them at the moment, though I have to leave for the next 3 hours soon so I'll finish them off tonight. I'll be back to do more later though so you can input in real time if you want then.

What do you think of these? If you want I'll PM you the photoshop files so you can have a play around yourself whilst I'm out.

Managed to get a button under 40k



edit:

possible skyscraper idea, exactly 40k... is quality too low though?