2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

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Arano
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2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Arano »

Q1 went pretty quick! If you'd like to design a banner for the board, below are the themes for the 2nd quarter of 2020 for you to choose from! For inspiration, see our banner design archive.

There is no competition, so all banners submitted will be used in random rotation as per the current ones in their designated month. You can create as many banners as you like and if you want to make a banner for all 3 rounds you are of course free to do so :)

Design instructions and how to submit your banners are below the theme details.

April Fool Theme: Ginga Bomb images/memes/bootleg merchandise!
Last years banners were so good for this month so of course we need to do it again! This month is exclusively for anime/manga bombs, ginga memes and bootleg merchandise. The sillier the better, have fun :KRUMP: For this theme you can choose to leave the logo out of your design entirely (or make your own).

May Theme Choices:
Noah vs Hyena: A showcase of the old vs new character
Ginga Densetsu Weed Anime challenge: Create a banner using only anime images from GDW.

June Theme Choices: Deadline end of May
Summer theme: Open theme, just make it bright and summery!
Faction theme: Choose your favourite faction/clan to make a banner about.
Unseen Mothers Theme: Plenty of characters have a Father, but where are all the Mothers?? This is your chance to design what you think a characters mother would look like.


Last minute PRIDE Submissions:
I forgot it was pride month when I originally wrote the themes for June, so please feel free to create a pride themed banner - or re-submit a pride banner you did from last year - by the end of this week and I will add them into the rotation!


Banner Creation info/rules:

Design your banner(s) at 1,800px wide by 394px tall at 72dpi.
  • If you have photoshop/GIMP, you can download a template here.
  • If you use any other program click here to download the Ginga Board Logo.
  • The logo does not have to be centered horizontally, it can go anywhere in the space as long as the size stays the same. You are allowed to alter the colour.
  • There will be a credit box added with your name to either end of the banner where space allows (as the current banners show). Please be mindful of this and make sure you leave space at one end.
  • You can use images from the Free Image Gallery/scans of your own or draw the characters yourself. If you draw it yourself, you may include your artist signature in the corner, but otherwise please design the banner free of any text.
How to submit your banner design:

Submit your banner design by uploading it to a hosting site like imgur and posting it in a reply in this topic.
Please save your file as a high res JPEG or a PNG.
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Spirit Tree »

Since we’re doing April fool themes, I do have an idea for one. In GDW, you know the part where Kotetsu tricks Koyuki into thinking that there are fish in a pond and then he pushes her into the water? I wonder if that’s valid for April because I would like to create a banner based off of that.

However, I have never created a banner before and I only got little experience with photoshop during college, though I was using InDesign more for journalism classes instead.

I have some questions for anyone who has created banners in the past:

1) Which program is the best to use: photoshop or another?

2) What tools do you use to bring your desired colors or images onto the program?

3) How long does it take to complete a banner?

4) Do you draw by hand or digitally before bringing it to the program?

5) If you design something digitally, what do you use for digital designing?

6) Is it okay if I ask for any guidance with a banner creation? Or ask for a little help?
:mangariki: :fuji: :gin: :smith: :sakura: :ben: :hyena: :noah: :weed: :gb: :koyuki: :kotetsu: :jerome: :lydia: :aram: :sasuke: :yukimura: :orion: :rigel: :bella: :bon:
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Shining Sirius »

Loving the sound of the May themes. :heart: Can't wait to see what you lovely artists come up with for Q2! :tfw_bella2:
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Arano »

Spirit Tree wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:36 am Since we’re doing April fool themes, I do have an idea for one. In GDW, you know the part where Kotetsu tricks Koyuki into thinking that there are fish in a pond and then he pushes her into the water? I wonder if that’s valid for April because I would like to create a banner based off of that.

However, I have never created a banner before and I only got little experience with photoshop during college, though I was using InDesign more for journalism classes instead.

I have some questions for anyone who has created banners in the past:

1) Which program is the best to use: photoshop or another?

2) What tools do you use to bring your desired colors or images onto the program?

3) How long does it take to complete a banner?

4) Do you draw by hand or digitally before bringing it to the program?

5) If you design something digitally, what do you use for digital designing?

6) Is it okay if I ask for any guidance with a banner creation? Or ask for a little help?
I like that idea for an April banner!

1) If you have photoshop, then I say stick with photoshop :) if you don't have it anymore, then GIMP I think is one of the top recommended free image editing programs. Though I will say after learning photoshop, I find GIMP hard to get along with personally because the way the tools are managed differs quite a lot.

2) Whether GIMP or Photoshop, there's lots of youtube tutorials that can help you. You can import any images into these programs, and both programs have a colour picker.

3) Too subjective for me to answer!

4) Some people like Akame do draw directly onto the computer. You could draw on paper and scan it into a design program to complete it. But drawing isn't a requirement for entering a banner design; most people edit anime and manga images.

5) I personally use photoshop.

6) I think it depends on what that help is - if you want someone to teach you how to use a program, then google is your friend! You will be better off using the resources available online to learn how to do the basics if you're learning from scratch; they all have official tutorials for run downs of the basics. Then of course youtube is best for specific things. If it's more general advice like you're stuck on how to do one specific thing, then sure someone might be able to help you :) It would be appropriate to ask for that kind of help in the general Fan Board:
https://www.gingaboard.com/viewforum.php?f=95

Hope this helps!
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Spirit Tree »

Arano wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:41 pm
Spirit Tree wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:36 am Since we’re doing April fool themes, I do have an idea for one. In GDW, you know the part where Kotetsu tricks Koyuki into thinking that there are fish in a pond and then he pushes her into the water? I wonder if that’s valid for April because I would like to create a banner based off of that.

However, I have never created a banner before and I only got little experience with photoshop during college, though I was using InDesign more for journalism classes instead.

I have some questions for anyone who has created banners in the past:

1) Which program is the best to use: photoshop or another?

2) What tools do you use to bring your desired colors or images onto the program?

3) How long does it take to complete a banner?

4) Do you draw by hand or digitally before bringing it to the program?

5) If you design something digitally, what do you use for digital designing?

6) Is it okay if I ask for any guidance with a banner creation? Or ask for a little help?
I like that idea for an April banner!

1) If you have photoshop, then I say stick with photoshop :) if you don't have it anymore, then GIMP I think is one of the top recommended free image editing programs. Though I will say after learning photoshop, I find GIMP hard to get along with personally because the way the tools are managed differs quite a lot.

2) Whether GIMP or Photoshop, there's lots of youtube tutorials that can help you. You can import any images into these programs, and both programs have a colour picker.

3) Too subjective for me to answer!

4) Some people like Akame do draw directly onto the computer. You could draw on paper and scan it into a design program to complete it. But drawing isn't a requirement for entering a banner design; most people edit anime and manga images.

5) I personally use photoshop.

6) I think it depends on what that help is - if you want someone to teach you how to use a program, then google is your friend! You will be better off using the resources available online to learn how to do the basics if you're learning from scratch; they all have official tutorials for run downs of the basics. Then of course youtube is best for specific things. If it's more general advice like you're stuck on how to do one specific thing, then sure someone might be able to help you :) It would be appropriate to ask for that kind of help in the general Fan Board:
https://www.gingaboard.com/viewforum.php?f=95

Hope this helps!
Thanks for the answer!

So first I did try GIMP. I played around with it a little bit to try to get used to the tools before downloading the template with the GB logo. But...nothing seems to be working well for me on GIMP. You're right, Arano. GIMP is not quite good to deal with. Even after I looked at a long tutorial video.

I would like to go with photoshop, but I'd have to purchase it, which I cannot do at this time because I still need to create income and because I don't have the money for it yet. But I heard before that photoshop is better. So I can download it whenever I'm ready to have it.

I'm sad to say it, but after going through that little disaster with GIMP, I realize that I don't feel ready to create a banner yet. I'll be ready if I get photoshop. Until then, I can't do anything.

If anyone wants to take my April Fools idea, go ahead. It's in this spoiler tab:
SPOILER
:mangariki: :fuji: :gin: :smith: :sakura: :ben: :hyena: :noah: :weed: :gb: :koyuki: :kotetsu: :jerome: :lydia: :aram: :sasuke: :yukimura: :orion: :rigel: :bella: :bon:
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Regnant »

Spirit Tree wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:49 pm I would like to go with photoshop, but I'd have to purchase it, which I cannot do at this time because I still need to create income and because I don't have the money for it yet. But I heard before that photoshop is better. So I can download it whenever I'm ready to have it.

I'm sad to say it, but after going through that little disaster with GIMP, I realize that I don't feel ready to create a banner yet. I'll be ready if I get photoshop. Until then, I can't do anything.
Give https://www.photopea.com/ a try! It's a free online Photoshop clone.

Krita and FireAlpaca are also good free programs
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Arano »

I totally forgot about Photopea! Definitely give that a go Spirit Tree :)
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Tenrou24 »

Image

or https://66.media.tumblr.com/1bab873cb86 ... 381764.png

Here's multicoloured rocket for april!! I have 2 more ideas, 1 of which works better in meme format and idk how to translate the other one, Haha. Maybe I'll get to them later this month.
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Troll Berserker »

Here's my April entry:
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The Jinputi banwagon. All characters (c) to me
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Raki »

Woah awesome banners!
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Banner made by Akame, thank you <3

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Made by GSDJohn
Thank you!<3


Avatar made by Dragon!
Thank you <3
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Spirit Tree »

Arano wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 4:43 pm I totally forgot about Photopea! Definitely give that a go Spirit Tree :)
Image

So...as I was taking my time working on this thing, I learned a few things:

1) It’s probably best to start at a beginner’s level.

2) If you can’t figure out a way to do digitally, why not do the old fashioned way?

3) If you can’t get any help or guide from some other member that did this before, then you got no choice but to just do it yourself in your own way.

4) Eventually you’ll make it to a higher level if you get more experience, which I want to have but can’t because I don’t have Wi-Fi at my house and I don’t want to spend lots of money on a program like photoshop until I have the income.

5) Photopea is free and is so much better than GIMP.

And now here is my first and probably only banner that I’ll make. I’m not that great at drawing by hand but I did my best. But I should be proud for making this April Fools banner.

I really hope this was all worth it.
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Arano »

Spirit Tree wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:50 pm
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I think this is our first ever banner that's been made traditionally! Well done! I'm glad you went through with it :tfw_bella2: I like how instead of drawing speech bubbles you coloured around the words, it works really well.
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Akame »

Spirit Tree wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:50 pmImage
you did a totally amazing job on this! I definitely want to try out the program you mentioned, I used to use GIMP! I am so sorry I have been inactive here, I would have tried to give you advice if I was :tfw_sirius5: you did outstanding work on banner especially all this considered, I especially love Kotetsu here!

I'd love to see more of your work, even if you feel you're missing out drawing traditionally versus digitally, you will still grow as an artist as long as you keep drawing :^)
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by frisbee »

I'm loving all of these! <3
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Digsu »

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(large)

Bombs + video game glitch aesthetic = WELCOME TO ⏸N▓A █O⌸RD
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Wolpard »

omg that Glitch Board banner is perfect Digsu lol
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Arano »

Digsu wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 3:09 pm Image
(large)

Bombs + video game glitch aesthetic = WELCOME TO ⏸N▓A █O⌸RD
HAH!

So, as we don't have as many submissions this time (I get it, this kind of stress isn't good for creativity), I'll also be recycling some of the april submissions last year as well to make up numbers :)

Thank you Tenrou (omg yours is so colourful), Troll, Spirit and Digsu for submitting!

If anyone does still want to submit a banner today, please do :)
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Regnant »

Last year on April 1st Ohu Dogs had it's first ever "Free For All". Basically an anything-goes upload day. Most people uploaded their own art and OCs and such, but one brilliant person uploaded a La Croix can. No joke, a straight up cropped out image of a La Croix can (you can see it here). It's been a bit of a running joke/meme now, so I decided for GB's April Fools I'd pay homage to it and make a La Croix dog banner for those who play Ohu Dogs!

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Last edited by Regnant on Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Tenrou24 »

Here's my other banner, based on a meme. I don't really like it as much as the other one but you said you were low on submissions so why not.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/3fcb0f19d08 ... 085bd7.png

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Based on this meme
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Re: 2020 Q2 Banner Submission Themes

Post by Arano »

Regnant wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:00 pm Last year on April 1st Ohu Dogs had it's first ever "Free For All". Basically an anything-goes upload day. Most people uploaded their own art and OCs and such, but one brilliant person uploaded a La Croix can. No joke, a straight up cropped out image of a La Croix can (you can see it here). It's been a bit of a running joke/meme now, so I decided for GB's April Fools I'd pay homage to it and make a La Croix dog banner for those who play Ohu Dogs!

Image
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