A competition with work that is anything but flat.

There is something intoxicating about watching creative people work in super fast/high intensity situations while zipping through Photoshop and Illustrator. Something about it makes it hard to look away, and since Cut&Paste launched with the first Digital Design Tournament in 2005 it has grown an enthusiastic following. As in years past, eight designers will go head-to-head in a series of advancing 15-minute elimination rounds until one of these heads rises above the rest to earn the crown. For this year’s competition there will be two rounds. In the preliminary round, eight competitors will take the stage in two heats of four designers at a time. The two heats make up the preliminary round and both will feature the same theme and design constraints. A panel of judges will score the work, and the top two competitors from each heat will advance to the final round. From here the playing field is narrowed down to one winner to decide who will face off against the best the world has to offer in the Global Championship.

The 2D Design competition will focus on the idea of strong design over graphic art. Creative briefs will impose tougher design constraints while judges will place a greater focus on the function and communication of the theme, while maintaining high expectations of form. The length of rounds is set to only 15 minutes. Aspiring competitors, be prepared to cram more brainpower than ever into those lighting-quick rounds to really wow the crowd.

• Entries received during the Call For Competitors period will be reviewed by Cut&Paste.
• Top entrants will be invited to participate in Test Rounds, a weekend event where prospective competitors will perform in a simulated 15-minute design round for an audience of local Cut&Paste team members and peers.
• Eight (8) competitors will be selected per city and announced on the website in advance of the tournament event.

• Competitions consist of two (2) rounds, fifteen (15) minutes each.
• Finished work in this competition must be in the form of a digital still image constructed from scratch, except when stated otherwise. Animated images will not be accepted.
• Prior to the start of each round, competitors will be given time to set up their physical and digital workspaces.
• Tools provided to each competitor are as follows (Unless otherwise stated, the use of additional equipment or software not provided by is prohibited.):

• (workstation) Apple Mac Dual-Core
• (mouse) A standard mouse will be provided. Competitors may bring their own mice.
• (tablet) Currently a tablet will not be provided. Competitors may bring their own tablets to use in competition.
• (software) Adobe CS4 Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign; iPhoto for image captures from a digital camera.

• Digital cameras are NOT provided but are permitted for use in competition. Competitors wishing to incorporate external images into their designs must bring their own cameras and import cables/card readers (recommend card readers for speed). External images may be captured and used according to the following conditions:

• Art supplies and physical materials are fair game, as long as they do not have an inherent artistic value, such as graphics. Materials can be used to create sculpture.  All materials are subject to Cut&Paste approval.
• Non-artistic objects found in everyday life may be used. All such objects must be “checked in” ahead of time and are subject to approval by Cut&Paste.
• All supplies and objects brought in for use in the competition become community items and will be made available for other competitors to use.
• Competitors are responsible for procuring their own digital cameras.
• All photographs must be taken on site during the course of the competition round.

• Competitors may bring fonts and typefaces not included in the standard software provided. All such fonts must be provided by the competitor in advance and must be publicly available (free or by purchase). Proprietary and custom fonts are not allowed. Fonts brought in by any competitor become available for all competitors to use.
• No finished artwork, photographs, or premade digital elements may be brought for competition use. Unless stated otherwise, all work must be constructed from scratch.
• Competitors may not use stock footage/photography or other copyrighted materials in their work.
• Notes are permitted. Stencils, sketches, and other pictorial or graphical reference materials are prohibited.
• Competitors will be provided with themes for each round one week in advance.

See your City's Event Page.