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Blurb's Killed Ideas competition and sharing rejected designs on the web permalink

Source: killedideas.com

Karen Horton / (1) / posted about 4 years ago / flag this / read more



Lately rejected/killed designs have been a hot subject on the blogosphere. Following this trend, blurb, has launched their "Killed Ideas" competition. "This is where great ideas come to play. You nailed it the first time and you know it. — Now it's time to bring your best work back, and let it stand on its own."

It's really interesting to see how designs that used to never have the chance to see the light of day outside the office, are getting some air time with the general public.

Many designers have sections on their websites dedicated to their personal favorites that didn't make it. There is a Rejected Designs pool on flickr. And book cover designer Kimberly Glyder just launched her Shelved Books blog.

I get a kick out of looking through rejected comps of designers I admire (and often find ones that I am shocked didn't make the cut). But when it comes to sharing my own, I feel squirmish about this. Usually I place an incredible amount of trust in the final judgment of art directors, editors, authors, publishers, marketing people, etc. There are educated reasons why certain comps are killed (even if I struggle internally to agree), and I worry that presenting these designs on the web could be seen as disrespectful. What do you think? Am I just too old fashioned?


Add your dialogue below. Simple html (‹b›‹i›‹em›‹strong›) is OK, but make sure to preview your comment first! Oh, and please be nice!


 
 

Catherine Casalino said on March 05, 2009

I agree! I think it's great to share killed designs with colleagues or to use them to show your process, but it would also make me nervous to enter a killed design in a contest where it would be released to the world. Can you imagine an author coming across a killed design (that they didn't see because it got rejected in-house) and liking it better than the final? You could get in a lot of trouble... Or, what if someone else ended up designing the final? Also dicey. I think a good rule is to ask the art directors, illustrators, and photographers involved before including killed work in your portfolio and to make sure the project is resolved before you do so. - C
 

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