Winning designs will be printed and created by local companies.
Wearing facemasks or face coverings is going to be expected for a while, and it's a big change for all of us. People across the state of Colorado have had some fun with it in recent weeks, and now, a new contest has launched and invited kids to get creative.
Governor Jared Polis, along with Colorado Creative Industries, announced a face mask design contest on Monday, saying that it's a great way for parents to have a conversation with their kids about facemasks and the coronavirus pandemic. The CDC has some helpful advice on this topic as well.
In a note to parents and educators, the contest guidelines state:
“Face masks can be scary for young children and those who may be experiencing anxiety about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Art and creativity can be a great way to talk to children about difficult subjects and emotions. Designing a face mask together can open up conversation and help children become more comfortable with this personal protective equipment. As prompts for this activity, you might ask your child to think about what they are hopeful for, to
imagine themselves as a superhero, or to think of silly faces that make them happy.”
The official guidelines for contest entry are as follows (directly from the website):
- Designs should be completed within the boundaries of the accompanying mask template.
- Use bold bright colors that will translate well into a digital scan. Materials like paint and markers work best. If using crayons, apply them thickly and fill in shapes as fully as possible.
- Create a digital scan of your design. On your scanner settings, select an output resolution of 300 dpi or higher. (Don’t have a scanner? No problem! You can still share your design with us by taking a digital photograph and submitting it to us following the same guidelines below. Hold onto your original design and we will reach out to you if it is selected for printing.)
- Accepted file types are jpegs or png files.
- Rename your file in the following format: child’s first name, child’s last name.jpg (eg. Jack_Smith.jpg)
- Submit your design through this form. Or email your design and accompanying submission form to [email protected] with the subject line “Colorado Face Mask Design Challenge”.
There's not a submission deadline listed anywhere on the contest site, but we encourage you (and your kiddos) to get those designs done and submitted as soon as possible!
We can’t wait to see all the creative ideas and designs for facemasks that the kids of Colorado come up with. Personally, the idea of a magical dragon or daring pirate covering our face has a certain charm to it. Share your ideas for the contest and pictures with us the comments!
