Challenge Summary
Welcome to the "Topcoder Animated Logo Design Competition". Many of the world’s most iconic brands have a memorable animated logo. An animated logo is often a short animation paired with a Sonic Logo that you will see, as an example, at the end of a commercial or at the beginning of a boot-up screen of an application.
Animated logos are often paired with a Sonic Logo to create a “logo reveal” animation. Some great examples are from LG, Sony, Intel, and XBox.
We want to create one of these short animated logos for Topcoder. That's where you come in. We are looking for concepts and ideas based off of the inspiration and direction outlined below. As always, ask any questions in the forum and good luck!
In this challenge we want you to animate the Topcoder logo. We want you to focus on the animation and not the audio portion or ‘Sonic Logo’. You are not required to pair your animated design with any sound. Along with the above examples, here are also 99 other examples to get you thinking in the right direction.
Inspiration and Art Direction:
Have you ever seen a large flock of birds twisting and turning together in near unison in the sky? The flock is rhythmic, flowing, fluid, yet it retains a geometric shape throughout.
Watch this video for some vivid examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOGCSBh3kmM
Now imagine a flock of birds, with a bit more geometric shape individually. Something like this example
Now combine the two concepts (individual geometric shapes as part of a fluid swarm) and envision the Topcoder logo, changing, forming and morphing. At the end of this transformation will sit the Topcoder logo, clean and bright.
So, what can the animation look like? How can the geometric ‘birds’ or shapes flock and move together? How will the use of color, mixtures of color affect the final result? How will the geometric ‘birds’ or shapes form and settle into the Topcoder logo below?
Perhaps they aren’t birds at all? What other shapes or figures do you see working well? How big or small should the individual geometric shapes be that make up the swarm?
These are the questions we want you to explore and the types of design and art elements we want you to focus on in this challenge.
Characteristics of a successfully animated logo:
We encourage you to think deeply about the Topcoder brand and what matters to us.
Take that inspiration and put it into your Topcoder animated logo!
General Guidelines:
Branding Guidelines:
Additional Inspiration:
12 Basic Principles of Animation in Motion Design:
Basic Adobe After Effects tutorials:
Target Devices:
Target Audience:
Judging Criteria:
Your submission will be judged on the following criteria:
Submission & Source Files:
Preview Image
Please create your preview image as one (1) 1024x1024px JPG or PNG file in RGB color mode at 72dpi and place a screenshot of your submission within it.
Submission File
Final submission should be in Video and GIF format
Source Files
All source files of all graphics created in either Adobe After Effects / or any similar software should be saved as editable files.
Final Fixes
As part of the final fixes phase, you may be asked to modify your graphics (sizes or colors) or modify overall colors
Animated logos are often paired with a Sonic Logo to create a “logo reveal” animation. Some great examples are from LG, Sony, Intel, and XBox.
We want to create one of these short animated logos for Topcoder. That's where you come in. We are looking for concepts and ideas based off of the inspiration and direction outlined below. As always, ask any questions in the forum and good luck!
Round 1
Please submit your in-progress logo animation idea(s). There should be enough of an idea complete so that we can adequately review and give feedback and additional guidance.Round 2
Please submit your final submission(s) for final review. These should be completed concepts and ideas with checkpoint feedback and guidance incorporated.In this challenge we want you to animate the Topcoder logo. We want you to focus on the animation and not the audio portion or ‘Sonic Logo’. You are not required to pair your animated design with any sound. Along with the above examples, here are also 99 other examples to get you thinking in the right direction.
Inspiration and Art Direction:
Have you ever seen a large flock of birds twisting and turning together in near unison in the sky? The flock is rhythmic, flowing, fluid, yet it retains a geometric shape throughout.
Watch this video for some vivid examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOGCSBh3kmM
Now imagine a flock of birds, with a bit more geometric shape individually. Something like this example
Now combine the two concepts (individual geometric shapes as part of a fluid swarm) and envision the Topcoder logo, changing, forming and morphing. At the end of this transformation will sit the Topcoder logo, clean and bright.
So, what can the animation look like? How can the geometric ‘birds’ or shapes flock and move together? How will the use of color, mixtures of color affect the final result? How will the geometric ‘birds’ or shapes form and settle into the Topcoder logo below?
Perhaps they aren’t birds at all? What other shapes or figures do you see working well? How big or small should the individual geometric shapes be that make up the swarm?
These are the questions we want you to explore and the types of design and art elements we want you to focus on in this challenge.
Characteristics of a successfully animated logo:
- Concise: 5 to 10 seconds in length (no longer than 15 seconds)
- Great use of brand colors
- Movement brings the viewer along. The eyes notice and are drawn to the movement
- There is some finish. When the animation ‘settles’ and finishes, there can be a moment that evokes a sense of completion or pride. Some animated logos might use a little visual shine, or some lighting shift, or a final ‘piece’ forming into place
- Memorable
We encourage you to think deeply about the Topcoder brand and what matters to us.
- We are a global community
- We use bright colors, with an artful mix of primary and secondary colors (how can those colors translate into movement and beauty
- We are bold and groundbreaking. We lift people and companies up
Take that inspiration and put it into your Topcoder animated logo!
General Guidelines:
- Your submission should be unique, fresh, and creative
- Video and GIF animation Length should not exceed 15 secs
- You can create additional assets that support your concepts
- Project Video Screen size should be 1920X1080 with a frame rate of 29.97
- Final Deliverable Export Resolution: Quicktime 1920x1080 29.97, lossless Animation
- Any 3rd party effects must be included and declared
- You can use royalty free sound effects or music (if required) and must be declared
- Fonts used should either be Proxima Nova or Roboto
- Multiple submissions/ ideas are accepted!
- We would prefer your animation be created in Adobe After Effects, but we're open to other software/ source file types as well
Branding Guidelines:
- Designers can use any colors that are a complement to Topcoder branding and its logo
- You can download assets here: https://www.topcoder.com/about-topcoder/brand-guidelines/
- DO NOT distort or change the logo in any way. This includes changing colors and/ or fonts
Additional Inspiration:
- https://digitalsynopsis.com/design/creative-logo-animations/
- https://dribbble.com/shots/2229911-Google-Brand-System-Motion
- https://dribbble.com/shots/2649140-Android-Marshmallow-Boot-Sequence
- https://dribbble.com/shots/2487892-Design-Animation
- https://dribbble.com/shots/3604443--Logitech-Logo-animation
12 Basic Principles of Animation in Motion Design:
Basic Adobe After Effects tutorials:
- http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/adobe-after-effect-tutorials-beginners-intermediate-advanced-users/
- http://layersmagazine.com/category/aftereffects
- http://ae.tutsplus.com/
- http://www.noupe.com/tutorial/50-excellent-adobe-after-effects-tutorials.html
- http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/
Target Devices:
- High-Resolution Displays
- Website Screens
- Mobile Screens
- Your submission should be created at 1920x1080
Target Audience:
- Company Employee
- Community Members
- Event Sponsors
- General Public
Judging Criteria:
Your submission will be judged on the following criteria:
- Overall creativity and idea
- How well the final motion graphics/ animation aligns to the overall idea
- Execution of the motion graphics/ animation
- How well does the final motion graphics/ animation align with the Topcoder brand and its target audiences
Submission & Source Files:
Preview Image
Please create your preview image as one (1) 1024x1024px JPG or PNG file in RGB color mode at 72dpi and place a screenshot of your submission within it.
Submission File
Final submission should be in Video and GIF format
Source Files
All source files of all graphics created in either Adobe After Effects / or any similar software should be saved as editable files.
Final Fixes
As part of the final fixes phase, you may be asked to modify your graphics (sizes or colors) or modify overall colors
Please read the challenge specification carefully and watch the forums for any questions or feedback concerning this challenge. It is important that you monitor any updates provided by the client or Studio Admins in the forums. Please post any questions you might have for the client in the forums.