What is the NKOTB contest?

**Emma** · 01-19-2008, 11:15 AM

What is NKOTB?

Okay - you know you're a newbie, so you're thinking about signing up for the New Kids on the Block contest.

But what exactly are you getting yourself into?

Contest Info
NKOTB runs every 3 months: January, May, July, and October, and is a 3 week contest consisting of 3 rounds, 1 challenge layout per round. Practice versions receive help and feedback, and your final layout each round is optionally judged and scored. There are no eliminations if a layout is submitted to either the practice or judging galleries for that round; if you choose not to submit a layout for judging, you may still proceed to the next round; incomplete rounds (no layout submitted in the practice or judging galleries) will not be permitted to continue on. If only Round 1 is completed, you are eligible to try the contest once more as long as the general eligibility requirements are still met.

Eligibility
• fewer than 20 layouts posted in the gallery (plain photos, Ploppers, blinkies, class samples, and duplicates such as the 2nd and 3rd versions of the same layout as you make changes, don't count)
• never won a contest where your layout was chosen by judges (drawings and random prizes don't count and neither does coming in second)
• never had a scrapbook layout published in a book or magazine (print or online)
• no professional experience or higher education degrees with graphic design software
• never participated in the New Kids contest. You're only a New Kid once.
• this contest is for true newcomers with little to no experience in digital scrapbooking, but does not exclude those with prior amateur experience in other fields of design, graphic software, photography, or paper scrapbooking. Eligibility is by the honor system, so ask yourself if you are truly suitable for this contest and on par with others who have just started digitally scrapping.

Sign up
Email emma@digitalscrapbookplace.com with NKOTB in the subject. Include your DSP username, real First and Last name and Email you used to register in the STORE at www.store.digitalscrapbookplace.com for prize awards and challenge kits distribution.
You will be notified prior to the start of the contest that your sign up info has been received, but not immediately. If you do not receive notification prior to Round 1, please still participate, and we will ensure your information is added ASAP.

After signing up, post in the main thread for that round of NKOTB to introduce yourselves and receive announcements when posted there.

You can sign up anytime between when dates are announced until the end of Round 1. You must post at least one layout for Round 1 in the NKOTB gallery to continue on. Missed rounds cannot be done later, and no challenge kits will be supplied after the end of its given round.

Challenges
New Kids consists of 3 weekly challenges. Each week you'll be given the requirements that focus on scrapbooking skills with extra challenges designed to help you get around DSP and encourage commenting on others' layouts.

You then have a week to create your layout. You are greatly encouraged to post consecutive versions of your layout, asking for constructive criticism and making changes as you go. This is the most important part of New Kids, receiving and building on constructive feedback. Don't be shy about commenting on other layouts. You can always pass on useful advice you've been given, and the process of analyzing someone else's layout will sharpen your eye for your own work.

Post all versions of your layout for each round in that round's gallery. Optional: at the end of all 3 rounds, move your ONE best layout from any version in any round to the judging gallery.
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com...y.php?cat=1245

Scoring
By the end of the contest, you may opt to move the ONE best layout from any version of any round into the judging gallery. After that, the judging is done by designers, moderators, and advanced scrappers. If you choose not to advance to judging, you may still benefit from the CC received on practice versions and may continue to the next round.

Each judge awards points to only 10 layouts, high score wins: 1st is 5.5, 2nd is 4, 3rd is 3, and the rest of the Top 10 receives 2. Everyone else receives 1. All the scores from all the judges are added up and divided by the total number of judges. The reason for 1/2 point is to break ties (1st + 4th = 7.5 and 2nd + 3rd = 7 so anyone awarded a 1st place by any judge has an advantage)

The Overall Winners Top 3 and Top 10 winners are calculated and we announce at a chat. Thrown in along the way are extra challenges - write a review, post a signature blinkie, add keywords and links to the donated kits, comment like crazy, etc - that will award prizes at random to those who participate.

This really is for newcomers, so we expect all sorts of questions. If you get stuck on something, don't hesitate to ask. There'll be a message thread for each weekly challenge. Remember to include your software and version when you post a question.

debbi425 · 01-23-2008, 01:31 PM

Hi, I'm also brand new, trying to make my first page. I don't have any small children but my youngest son (age 12) is an extra in movies/tv, so we never know when he'll be working. If he gets called in to work, I can't use my laptop on set since photoshop seems to make it crash. I tried installing more RAM but they've discovered my laptop won't accept it. So I can only work on LOs using the desktop at home when my older boys aren't using it. <sigh> Would I still be able to join the New Kids group?

Thanks,
Debbi

nkeevers · 01-23-2008, 01:44 PM

Which is the main thread for NKOTB or is it up yet? Want to introduce myself but I'm not sure which one it is.

**Christine** · 01-24-2008, 12:29 PM

Yay, I am seeing lots of our new friends getting ready for this. You are all going to be amazed at how much you learn! Wow!

**Christine** · 01-24-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by debbi425

Hi, I'm also brand new, trying to make my first page. I don't have any small children but my youngest son (age 12) is an extra in movies/tv, so we never know when he'll be working. If he gets called in to work, I can't use my laptop on set since photoshop seems to make it crash. I tried installing more RAM but they've discovered my laptop won't accept it. So I can only work on LOs using the desktop at home when my older boys aren't using it. <sigh> Would I still be able to join the New Kids group?

Thanks,
Debbi

Since you have a week, you should be ok. The big thing is to try to get your first version in, early in the week, so you have plenty of time for comments, and tweaking. It is so much fun to see the different versions and to find one that you totally LOVE!

Naala · 01-26-2008, 03:47 AM

Hi, I just signed in today and I only fund out about digiScrapping two days ago. I would love to join, I just wonder when does it begin? I wouldnt want to miss the start.
Thanks.

**Emma** · 01-26-2008, 10:06 AM

this round runs Feb 9-29, so just shoot me an email with your real info, and I'll add you to the list!

littlekiwi · 01-26-2008, 04:53 PM

I missed week 3 of NKOTB 8 and am wondering whether I can reapply or is it just not worth my time to do so. At the time I didn't realise that you could re enter if you missed out a week.

**Emma** · 01-26-2008, 07:30 PM

I'm waffling about how MANY rounds one can miss...two rounds, for sure, try again. One round...maybe this time I'll say sure, and then next time I'll choose an official number

littlekiwi · 01-27-2008, 07:10 PM

I actually think I might be too advanced for it since I already have a mentor.

Naala · 01-28-2008, 04:10 PM

@Emma - Thanks for the answer, I'm writing the mail right now.

**Emma** · 01-28-2008, 08:26 PM

little kiwi, you're probably on the cusp of needing a contest like this, but I would still encourage you to participate because you are not only completely ELIGIBLE, you will still learn a LOT and make some great online friends! But since you've done this before you're the best judge of how much you'll get out of it (isn't that great?!)

littlekiwi · 01-28-2008, 08:40 PM

OK I will give it one more go - Thanks Emma for letting me do this.

LadyCarolyn · 01-29-2008, 12:37 AM

Hi there all . . . I am such a newbie that I can't tell if I have signed up yet or not!!! At any rate, I am going to leap in with both feet. I just found out about this 2 weeks ago and have been madly practicing ever since. Have posted a few layouts and see a difference already from my first to my last post. I am really excited to learn more about this art form. Recently retired and a Canadian.

Randi_01 · 01-29-2008, 01:35 PM

Hey all! I think I am signed up but I haven't received anything back...I just thought I would post in this thread to make sure I don't get forgotten about! I am very excited for this to start!