Art and design challenges can be a great opportunity to work with new companies or have your designs found by businesses you wouldn’t have otherwise contacted. They offer opportunities to connect with a community of designers, receive feedback, and support others and they increase your awareness of current trends!

However, if you’re not walking away with new contracts, it can also feel like a giant waste of time.

So, to make sure you’re making the most of your creative energy, here are a couple of tips to  help you to make the most of the design challenges you enter!

Firstly, you need to assess each challenge based on whether you feel inspired, and whether you have the time to commit. There’s no point rushing or entering a design you’re not happy with. It is a good idea to choose challenges that will push you creatively, help you to explore new themes or fill gaps in your portfolio.

Read the Guidelines:
If you decide that you’re going to jump in, you then need to make sure you understand the challenge guidelines. It’s crucial to carefully read and understand the guidelines, including parameters like size, color palettes, and themes.

Know your End Product:
Challenges sometimes focus on designing for specific products or categories, which can help you envision your work in different contexts. Think about scale, white space and the size of your motifs – are they appropriate for your end product?

Staying True to Your Voice:
It is important to maintain authenticity and let your unique style shine through, even within the confines of a challenge.

Benefits Beyond Winning:
While winning a challenge is desirable, there are other benefits like exposure, skill development, and potential future opportunities. Designs created for challenges can have broader applications beyond the specific contest, such as licensing or future projects.

Ultimately, the goal of participating in challenges is to enjoy the process, learn, grow creatively, and engage with others in the community.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to follow Design Briefs then check out our Monthly Creative Design Briefs. Each brief simulates real world client projects, is in line with market trends and supports your professional growth.  Come check our our Creative Design Brief Community!

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