Technical Art Competition

The technical art competition accepts two types of entries: physical media and online. Physical media includes products that are mounted for viewing or included in a paper-based publication. Physical media entries must be mounted. Online includes art in products that depend on an electronic medium for delivery. Please provide one proof of publication along with your entry.

The technical art competition has 16 categories (listed below).

1. Mechanical Illustration, Line. Composed entirely of lines, dots, and solid areas. Includes exploded views, cutaways, orthographic or isometric projections, schematics, diagrams, graphs, charts, and tables. Please provide one proof of publication.
   
   
2. Mechanical Illustration, Tone. Composed of continuous tones that graduate from one color (or shade of gray) to another. Requires precise description of the subject, including the positions or relationships of objects depicted or represented. Includes exploded views, cutaways, orthographic or isometric projections, schematics, diagrams, graphs, charts, and tables. Please provide one proof of publication.
   
   
3. Interpretative Illustration, Line. Composed entirely of lines, dots, and solid areas. While the subject is technical in nature, intended use permits artistic interpretation of features or physical arrangement. Includes illustrative views depicting arrangement or general configuration, cartoons, and conceptual visualizations (as for technical proposals).
   
   

4. Interpretative Illustration, Tone. Composed of continuous tones that graduate from one color (or shade of gray) to another. While the subject is technical in nature, intended use of the artwork permits artistic interpretation of features or physical arrangement. Includes illustrative views depicting arrangement or general configuration, cartoons, and conceptual visualizations (as for technical proposals).
   

5. Photograph. Contains technical content presented with innovative lighting or other effect.
   
   

6. Manual/Book Design. User and reference manuals designed for technical products, services, or organizations, and books on technical subjects. Design supports the flow of information and the ease with which the reader can locate and identify specific information.
   

7. Annual Report Design. Reports that summarize the activities or financial position of a corporation, governmental agency, or nonprofit community organization. Design supports the focus and projected image of the entity and presents financial and technical information in a visual manner.
   
   
8. Catalog Design. Catalogs designed for technical products and services. Emphasis on the presentation of large amounts of data in a readable format and information on ordering the product or service.
   
   
9. Magazine Design. Regularly scheduled publications in a magazine format with a feature treatment, including the use of photographs and art, about an organization, technology, industry, or scientific field. May be intended for an internal or external audience, a special-interest audience, or the general public. Submit three consecutive issues as a single entry.
   
   
10. Cover Design. Includes published cover design, software product splash screens, and World Wide Web home pages. Design considers integration and placement of visual images and accompanying text. If only the visual image is presented, it will be recategorized into category 3 or 4. Physical media entries must be mounted.
    
    
11. Promotional Poster Design. Posters that support or market an employee campaign, a technical product, or organization, or an event. Entry description should include information on how the poster was used. Physical entries must be mounted.
    
    
12. Informational Poster Design. Posters that communicate educational information (as opposed to marketing) to the general public or to a particular audience about a technical or scientific subject, service or organization. Entry description should include information on how the poster was used. Physical entries must be mounted.
    
    
13. Packaging Design. Packaging for hardware, software, or multimedia end-user merchandise, and boxes containing two or more manuals. If the package includes software, do not include software media. If the package contains multiple manuals, remove all but a few representative pages to reduce shipping and handling problems.
    
    
14. Promotional Materials Design. Flyers, advertisements, product data sheets, single-unit promotional handouts, and multiple-page publications that market a technical product, service, or organization. Corporate and program identity materials (folders, stationery, logos, etc.) are acceptable if they communicate technical information or images visually.
    
    
15. Informational Materials Design. Multiple-page publications that provide information to the general public or a particular audience about a technical or scientific subject, product, service, or organization. Includes newsletters, technical reports, proceedings, and organizational manuals.
    
    
16. Quick Reference Design. Materials that provide concise reference to essential features of a technical product, service, or subject. Includes graphical devices, data reference tools, and other job aids.