new outdoor card ugly!

[blasted_saber]

Anything is way better then paying for an artist to do a picture
put the money into the resources that we pay into

Dan

Ding ding winner.

Saves money. Who gives a crap what it looks like

[The Wife]

Ding ding winner.

Saves money. Who gives a crap what it looks like

I would not be so sure about that. When the govt pays an artist, they pay a flat rate for an artwork or photo regardless if that image is commissioned directly from the artist or if it comes from a stock art or photo supplier. That flat rate includes the artist giving up their copyright which means the government can reuse that image on anything they want, whenever they want, for as long as they want. As long as they have a competent graphic designer (or even a desktop publishing person) on staff, that image can be reused on anything they need it to be on. They would have simply passed on the turkey image to the company hired to make the physical cards to use.

As for the new card, the government likely went to an outside advertising agency and paid an inflated hourly rate to pay for the bricks & mortar and the salaries for the graphic designer, the art director, the creative director, the account manager and executive in addition to the fee they would have paid for the outside company to make the actual cards. Also, ad agencies usually have contracts that allow them to keep copyright on any designs that come out of their firms meaning that royalties often have to be paid or that any other asset required to promote the initially designed piece is done in their firm (ie: web site or posters for ServiceOntario walls). Designs that are text based like the new cards often have to be revised to fit on other assets in order to look good so it pretty much ensures that more work is going to be contracted out.

So, in a nutshell, the new card LOOKS cheaper but I am willing to bet that it actually cost more at the design stage than the one with the turkeys. All that said, you also have to consider the cost of doing business as well as the rights of people to earn a living. Artists AND the people working in ad agencies deserve to be paid for the work that they do. Given the number of corporations already providing business to ad agencies in general, I would prefer if the government spent money paying artists directly for something more unique, aesthetically pleasing and that which could provide a boon to the artist portfolio for future business. They are a local, tax paying, small business after all.

[The Wife]

Although, since they still run the kids' fish art contest for the "young angler's license" whatever that is, why not put the kiddies' pictures on the actual outdoors cards, just to sweeten the prize a bit?

I think that would be a great idea (even though I have not seen these young angler cards but it sounds like a great idea). Of course, I bet people would then complain that the cards are too childish or not cool enough. Just no pleasing some folks.

[rackman]

who cares it sits in my wallet only to be pulled out may- be once a year to show a co

[GrouseGuy]

The last Outdoors card featuring the turkey was selected (judged) through a competition much like the Federal Duck Stamp competition in the US. The subject of the image had to be the wild turkey and the image had to made at a certain size and proportion so that it would fit into the outdoors card format. I can't remember the exact details, but the award for the winner was not outrageous, especially considering the copyright was forfeited to the government to use however they wanted. This was an interesting way to be able to have numerous options to choose from for the card design and I wish they continued that.

Here is a mock up of the card design based on my entry in the competition. Obviously it did not win or you would have already seen it.

outdoorscard2 copy.jpg

[odm2]

Just got mine as well and I agree its fugly! Its going to the back of my wallet now!!!

[jaycee]

You wanna see ugly! take a look at your drivers license.

[MikePal]

You wanna see ugly! take a look at your drivers license.

I tried that joke....no-one caught it...LOL..

Not as ugly as what on the front of your PAL....

[Hawkman]

.... Here is a mock up of the card design based on my entry in the competition. Obviously it did not win or you would have already seen it.

outdoorscard2 copy.jpg

Very impressive GG.

I wish they had picked your art for the second term at least, as I wasn't too pleased to have the same design for six years on two consecutive outdoors cards.
Aside from fantastic art, it would be almost an easier option to choose a photograph from the works of someone like our own JBen.

[The Wife]

The last Outdoors card featuring the turkey was selected (judged) through a competition much like the Federal Duck Stamp competition in the US. The subject of the image had to be the wild turkey and the image had to made at a certain size and proportion so that it would fit into the outdoors card format. I can't remember the exact details, but the award for the winner was not outrageous, especially considering the copyright was forfeited to the government to use however they wanted. This was an interesting way to be able to have numerous options to choose from for the card design and I wish they continued that.

Here is a mock up of the card design based on my entry in the competition. Obviously it did not win or you would have already seen it.

outdoorscard2 copy.jpg

That's a lovely design!

I didn't know they had a contest for the card. And, yes, since it WAS a contest, the payment would have been minimal. Definitely the most cost effective way to obtain a great image for the card. I would have loved to see this repeated every year, perhaps changing the theme/type of animal.