[Project Complete] Wordpress blog elements - $100

[JimNtexas]

Admin code added by Abby - (27W33320RU047414Y + 82N86542P35135004)

This contest is for graphical elements for my blog, Jim - In Texas, with the tag line "On the net since 1975". http://grayraven.com/JimNtexas

My blog uses a variation of the wordpress "Neat" theme: http://www.aamukaste.org/wpthemes/index.php?wptheme=Neat%21

The following graphical elements are requested for this contest:

1) header.jpg (existing placeholder is at http://grayraven.com/neat/header.jpg ). The existing image is strictly a placeholder, do not look to it for inspiration.

This is main graphical element of the blog.

Header.jpg should be 700 pixels wide and between 100 and 150 pixels high. It should include the name of the blog "Jim - In Texas!" and the tag line "On the net since 1975".

Color choice is up to the designer, but I'd like to keep the existing black and blue text colors, so try to be compatible with those.

My blog is a mix of politics, aviation, computer technology, and miscallious rants. I'm very proud to be a fifth generation Texan. I'd like header.jpg to reflect some or all of these concepts. I try not to take myself too seriously, so the header.jpg image can and should have a degree of whimsey.

Possible visual elements to include in the JimNtexas blog bitmap:

The Great Seal of Texas ( http://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/seal.shtml )
The Texas Flag
The American Flag
Small silhouettes of an F-4 Phantom ( http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/f4/f4.htm ) and/or an F-111 Aardvark ( http://www.f-111.net/ ) , I used to fly these planes for the U.S. Air Force.
An armadillo
A Texas Longhorn

These elements are listed in more or less a priority order. Let me emphasize that there is no requirement to include all, or indeed any of the above elements. We are trying to convey the idea that this is a personal blog of a right wing wacko Texan who likes politics, airplanes, technology, and ranting. These are just the images occur spring to my non-visual mind.

2) comment_arr.gif ( http://grayraven.com/neat/comment_arr.gif ) and h1.gif ( http://grayraven.com/neat/h1.gif ) are little decorations. If you can come up with something coordinated with youir header.jpg that would be great, or you can choose to leave them as they are.

3) h2.gif ( http://grayraven.com/neat/h2.gif ). I'd like to modify this image so that the little shape at the right end of the line is a gold 'Lone Star", as in the Texas State Seal.

4) The background of the blog is controlled by bg.jpg ( http://grayraven.com/neat/bg.jpg ). Designers should modify the background to match their header.jpg.

For purposes of this contest I think its ok if designers choose to submit just their proposed header.jpg intially. My hope is that after a few interations of the basic header.jpg design we can name two or three finalists who can propose the remaining elements.

Blogs with designs I like include:

http://opinionistas.blogspot.com/

http://www.instapundit.com/

http://www.batesline.com/

http://www.barking-moonbat.com/

http://powerlineblog.com

http://urbangrounds.com

http://mobyrebuttal.blogspot.com/

http://www.texasblogs.net/

http://grayraven.com/ec/ (winner of a prior Design Outpost contest)

Texas Star in Capital Rotunda (http://www.flickr.com/photos/citizenrob/56496139/in/set-1229248/)

The reward for this contest is <strike>$65</strike> $100, I'd like to finish it by November 20, 2006.

[JimNtexas]

I will be raising this reward to $100 as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

[JimNtexas]

If anyone is contemplating entering this contest please let me know.

:(

[pracus]

Hi Jim!
I'm considering it.
If I'll find enogh time I'll enter for sure! :)

[heathersmith]

Hello Jim,

I'm working on this project :)

Heather

[crimsondesigner]

Here is my entry. Let me know what you think.

Erika

[JimNtexas]

Pracus and Heather, thank you, I'm eagerly awaiting your entries.

Erikia, you're on the right track. Could you revise your image as follows:

1) Remove the upside down "on the net since 1975" and put the right side up tag line in that space.

2) Remove "wordpress"

3) remove the horns

4) I'd like some gold color on the State seal. How would it look if the whole state seal were gold, and if just the inner star were gold?

thanks

Jim H

[heathersmith]

Jim, here is my idea.
Let me know what you think! :)

Heather

[heathersmith]

What it would look like in your blog:

[JimNtexas]

Heather, your image is terrific. I've sent an email to f-111.net to ask permission to use the picture of the red F-111 on my blog. Generally the webmaster there is pretty prompt about replys, so I hope to back from him soon.

That image is photoshoped, there are no red F-111s in the physical world.

I don't want to use so distincitive an image unless I have permission of the creator. For that reason you might want to work up a "plan-b" that doesn't include the red F-111.

I do like your header.jpg a lot.

[heathersmith]

Hello Jim,

I'm happy that you like the header :)
I will work on a second version just in case.

Should I start working on the other elements?

Thanks!

Heather

(I had no idea that the image of the F-111 was edited - they did a good job!)

[JimNtexas]

Heather, I went back to the f-111.net site and noticed that they say:

These images are Crown Copyright, meaning that they may be reproduced but not for third party monetary gain...Copyright F-111.net™ F-111 Aardvark'. 1999-2004
Links to, and reviews of this site are welcome. Feel free to use images from this website, but please indicate credit to F-111.net

I had not noticed that before, so I'm going to change my plan a little and assume we can use the red f-111 image unless the f-111.net guy replies saying I can't.

I still would like to see your version of 'plan-b' in case the f-111.net guy has reservations, but I think you can hold off on the other elements for a few days until we see what the f-111.net webmaster says and what other designers may propose.

thanks

[JimNtexas]

Designers I just realized I left a requirement out of my specs.

I would like very much to have a small 100x100pixel icon that says "JimNtexas" on it somehow. This is for identifying the blog on different feeds, and also to include in podcasts. Don't dont do anything real fancy or time-consuming.

No need for anyone to do anything with that now, but I hope the winner will be kind enough to include this icon even though it represents a spec change after work has commenced.

[Christian]

Will have mine in shortly!

[JimNtexas]

Will have mine in shortly!

Thanks Christian, I'm looking forward to your design.

Jim

[Christian]

Here's my first go at it :)

[JimNtexas]

Christan, you're on the right track. Would you please do a verison that does not include the catus?

I live in central the green central Texas hill country. To see a catus like that I have to drive 8 to 10 hours out to West Texas.

[JimNtexas]

Heather, on future interarations would you change "Entries on Politics, Aviation...." to

"Rants on Politics, Aviation, Computer Technology and more!"

[heathersmith]

:)

[Christian]

Here's the next go at it :)

[JimNtexas]

Heather and Christian ya'll are my finalists.

Christian, you can drop the ' in the star, Just "Jim N Texas" is enough. Also your header is a bit on the dark side, would it be possible to lighten up the Texas seal, perhaps with a shade of gold to give a little color on the viewer's right ?

Heather, I like your design as it is, but I'm just a little parinoid about using that red F-111 image. I've not heard back from the f-111.net webmaster. I'd appreciate a backup version without the borrowed image if you have time to do one.

thanks

PS: I'm going to focus group these images with some of my friends and family over the next day or so.

[heathersmith]

Hello Jim!

Here is another idea. I was trying to incorporate computers/technology into the design.

Let me know what you think.

Heather :)

[JimNtexas]

Thank you designers, I appreciate all the entries.

I am going to declare Heather's design with the red airplane as the winner.

Heather, if you could provide the other elements that would be great.

I'm going to be traveling for Thanksgiving so I'll have only limited computer access for the next few days, but I hope to have your graphics incorporated by around the first of December.

[heathersmith]

Thanks Jim! :)

I will get to work on the other elements right away!

Thanks again.

Heather

[heathersmith]

Blog elements :)

[JimNtexas]

Those look good Heather, can I get them as seperate files?

thanks

Jim

[JimNtexas]

One more thing. Heather do you have a link you'd like me to put on my page back to your web site?

[heathersmith]

I've send you a Private Message with a link to the files.

Let me know if everything is okay!

Thanks

Heather :)