FAQ
Answers to the most, and least, pressing questions that you might ask.
About the Awards
How are the awards different from being featured on FPO?
FPO, the blog, has a wider threshold of acceptance, including a variety of projects that range from exceptionally designed and produced to moderately well designed and produced but always with one or two key ingredients in either design or production that are worth sharing with readers. The Awards, in contrast, will be a highly scrutinized selection that represents the very best.
Why should I enter the FPO Awards and not some other awards?
The FPO Awards are one of the few — if not the only — competition to focus on design and production with an even 50/50 emphasis, celebrating the work of not just the designers but of the printers, binders and even paper manufacturers. Our judges represent this broader view by having three designer judges and two printer judges. By accepting only actual samples (no renderings or photographs) the FPO Awards ensure that the work selected is real and has been subject to the challenges of production.
About the Judges
Is the judging online or in person?
All five judges will convene in Austin, TX to collectively select the winning work.
About the Categories
I have a project that has, for example, a letterpress cover and an offset body, what do I do?
You may enter it either as a Mix (category 14) or enter it in multiple categories for each method to be judged individually (separate fees apply).
About the Fees
I'm submitting a book with more than 24 pages but I only want it to be judged for the cover, do I need to pay $80 (Cover + 28 pages or more) or $40 (Flat)?
$40. Our judges then only have to look at a single page of the project.
I'm submitting a wine label but I only want to send the label without the bottle, do I need to pay $60 (Packaging) or $40 (Flat)?
$60. You must submit the actual sample so, in the case of a wine label, it’s imperative to judge the label in the context of the bottle.
My business card folds once, do I need to pay $40 (Single Fold) or $20 (Business Card)?
$20. Business card trumps fold.
About Eligibility
I am a print broker, binder, or fulfiller that had a hand in the project. Can I submit a project we worked on?
Yes, as long as you credit the designer and printer and can answer all the necessary questions in the submission form.
I am not a designer, design firm, or printer, I am a client. Can I submit a project we commissioned?
Yes, as long as you credit the designer and printer and can answer all the necessary questions in the submission form.
Are self-promotional projects eligible?
Yes, they are.
I created this awesome print project in 2005, can I submit it?
No. Only work produced in 2010 and 2011 is eligible.
I created this awesome print project but I only produced 5 (or 20, or 35, or 49) samples, can I submit it?
No, 50 is the absolute minimum quantity.
About Sending Materials
Posters: Should I send them flat or in a tube?
Either way works for us, whatever is most affordable to ship.
Limited edition projects: If I have a project that is numbered and/or signed, representing the best prints, can I send a sample from the non-über-perfect batch that is not numbered and/or signed?
Yes, you may. Make sure to note under “Quantity Produced” that it is a limited edition.
About the Winners
Do winners get a copy of the book?
Yes.
Do winners get access to the website?
Yes.
Anything else?
No.
Not even a certificate?
No. We prefer to use those dead trees for the book.
When will winners be notified?
Shortly after judging is complete, currently scheduled for June 21, 2013.
E-mail us if we have left something unanswered.
