Continuing our tradition from the past several conventions, we once again plan to produce a round of exclusive enamel pins for Mysterium 2024. We invite you to submit your designs.
Pins will be either soft or hard enamel (please specify in your submission if you have a preference). They will be available to all attendees, and we may make extras available for purchase after the con.
General Submission Rules
- Entries must be submitted to art@mysterium.net by March 31, 2024, unless special arrangements are made beforehand. Please use the subject “Pin design”.
- Please let us know how you would like to be credited
- Entries not meeting submission guidelines will be rejected, and the submitter notified
- Entries are to be kept confidential until after the winners are announced. Entries found posted in any public format prior to that date will be disqualified. (This includes publicly asking people to look at your entry elsewhere, but does not include privately asking people for help.)
- Direct screenshots from any of the games are not allowed
- The Committee reserves the right to make design adjustments as needed to facilitate manufacturing
- All submissions we receive are considered to be licensed for our use as described in our submissions policy
- You may submit as many designs as you like
- If your entry is selected, you will receive a free pin with your design
File Formats
Our preferred file formats are: .ai, .psd, .ps, .eps, .svg
We will also accept: .png, .pdf, .xcf
Other formats will not be accepted
Design Requirements
- Vector art is greatly preferred over raster art
- Size – We are targeting 1.25″ pins (meaning the largest size in any dimension is 1.25″)
- Metal Finish – Select from black, gold, or silver for your metal lines
- Enamel Colors – Designs should have no more than 4 enamel colors
- If you have preferred Pantone colors, be sure to send us the numbers with your submission
- Avoid specialized processes. If you have a really-super-great idea that requires them, please talk to us first. Examples of specialized processes include
- Glitter, pearl, or glow-in-the-dark enamel
- Fine edge detail or internal cutouts
- Screen-printed super-fine details
- More than 4 colors
- 3D/contoured metal
Pin designs do not have to match the convention theme. Feel free to use any (family friendly) imagery from the fandom or Cyan’s games!
Here are examples of previous pins, and their original artwork:
The Hunrath pin (2019) is a hard-enamel pin, giving it a crisp and flat look
The Quab pin (2018) is a soft-enamel pin, giving it a bumpy appearance and feel. Soft-enamel is the only option if you want very small details such as sharp corners
Additional Design Tips
- Individual colored areas must be fully separated by lines of metal, creating “pools” of enamel
- This includes a line of metal along the edge of the pin
- Metal lines should be at least 1mm thick, though thicker lines are better
- Enamel areas should be at least 2mm wide
- Avoid designs that rely on very sharp bends on edges. They will not come out as sharp as designed
- Avoid complicated edge designs and internal cutouts
- If in doubt, ask! This page is far from exhaustive, and we’re still learning about pin design ourselves
- That said, if you have a question please ask well in advance of the submission deadline!