Craft & Art Stamp Design Team Calls

An annotated list of current opportunities for designers & cardmakers

by Judi Maddigan

To promote their products, many rubber stamp manufacturers work with freelance designers. The companies periodically issue announcements or "calls" for interested designers to submit their work for openings on the companies' design teams. This article discusses the typical requirements, qualifications, and compensation — all of which vary from company to company.

Check the next page for links to sites that maintain current lists of stamping design team calls.

What are the requirements for a design team?

Different companies will require different production quotas from their teams. There is often a requirement to produce a certain number of projects per month or on a set schedule. Photos are uploaded online, while the finished samples may be used for the companies' display boards or trade show booths.

Designers are usually asked to showcase their projects on their own blogs and in online galleries. Inbound links from the designers' blogs help promote the manufacturers' websites. In addition, designers may be expected to actively participate in the companies' online forums.

Publication by a designer in print magazines is a bonus but is normally not required. Since there are no set rules, see the next page for links to sites with individual listings that spell out exactly what is involved with each call.

What are the qualifications to serve on a team?

Some companies prefer to work with established designers, and they look for people with previous design team experience. Other companies look for fresh ideas, and they want new faces and original approaches. Still others combine both experience and new talent on their teams.

Depending on the company, there may be different terms within its design team. For example, the Senior Design Team might serve a full year term, while a Guest Designer might serve for a single month. Doing a stellar job as a Guest Designer can sometimes lead to a selection for a Senior Design Team.

For all experience levels, there are a few standards. As a given, a company will expect beautifully executed projects. More often than not, the designer will be expected to have a blog and to update it frequently. It's also important for designers to photograph their projects well and use appropriate photo editing software when necessary. The quality of the online images reflects on the quality of the manufacturers' products, so photos need to be topnotch.

What kind of compensation is offered?

Compensation varies. It can range from a few free stamps to a generous assortment from the manufacturer's full product line. Some manufacturers give store discounts. Less often, financial compensation is offered. A common practice is to provide a design team with a company's new releases so that interest is generated in the new products. Some companies also have incentive programs where, for instance, they pay endorsement fees for published books or magazine articles that mention their products.

Many talented designers choose to work on design teams with little or no monetary payment. Why? Because they love creating new projects with a particular company's stamps. A selection as a design team member validates a designer's skill and creativity. In return, the company builds excellent PR through its enthusiastic design team members, and consumers are inspired by the awesome finished samples. With the right fit between designer and manufacturer, it's a win-win arrangement for everyone.

Next Page: Lists of Current Rubber Stamp Design Team Calls  

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References

Strahl, Lisa. "Dreams of Designing Articles." Mona Lisa Moments. 05 Sept. 2007. <http://monalisamoments.typepad.com/mona_lisa_moments/dreams_of_designing_articles/>.