Kidsline Poster Competition 2008

Overall Winner - up to 10 Category

Isaac Sushames
Age 10

Titahi Bay School
Titahi Bay, Wellington

Judges comments:

Isaac’s winning poster is universally appealing and aesthetically pleasing.

Isaac took the simple concept of a child holding a phone and produced a poster notable for its bold use of colour, incredible technical precision and photorealistic qualities. The handling of the hand and phone details goes to a level that rivals professional illustrators.

The use of coloured rainbow bands in the background is not just decorative – through the perspective of the words they draw the caller’s eye towards the phone and ‘0800 Kidsline’ at the centre of the frame.

The composition cleverly places the viewer of the poster in the frame – as if it is his or her hand holding the phone – and made this entry a powerful choice for a Kidsline poster.

Overall Winner - 11 to 14 Category

Lisa Toft
Age 11

Broadgreen Intermediate
Stoke, Nelson

Judges comments:

Lisa's winning poster is immediately striking and deceptively simple. Lisa drew inspiration from the themes of last year's winning posters, but came up with a different approach with universal appeal.

The judges were struck by the fresh, quirky drawing style, capturing a 'real life' caller with real emotions showing especially in the eyes.

The attention to composition and detail is demonstrated well in the thought bubble around the main figure - in a few simple strokes, each bottled 'trouble' has been given a character of it's own.

The moment captured in the poster - a child who is distracted from homework because she is holding in her worries - strongly reinforces Kidsline's motto and key message: it helps to talk / he pai ake te korero.

Highly Commended Winners

Each runner up wins a Nintendo DS game system and a Nestle winners pack. Their school receives $300 of Whitcoulls vouchers and a $150 artsupplies.co.nz voucher.
Phum and James will have their artwork featured in interactive content on Kidsline's website www.kidsline.org.nz in 2009.

Highly Commended (Runner Up) - up to 10 Category

James Brown
Age 10

Three Kings School
Mt Roskill, Auckland

Judges comments:
James’ highly commended entry is a totally original concept expertly designed and illustrated.

The metaphor of a conveyor belt that helps kids ‘unpack’ problems appealed to Kidsline Buddies as a very appropriate analogy for what Kidsline does.

This poster reveals a full range of meanings – with every repeated viewing, we get a deeper understanding.

The stylised illustrations had both complexity and simplicity (not unlike a young Quentin Blake).

The stylised hieroglyphic symbols on the sides of the boxes elegantly explain the concept with as few words as possible, while the scale of the oversized phone ensures that the purpose of the poster remains clear.

Highly Commended (Runner Up) - 11 to 14 Category

Phum Siritip
Age 12

Berkley Normal Middle School
Hillcrest, Hamilton

Judges comments:
Phum's highly commended entry is a straightforward idea carried out in a sophisticated way.

The visual device of a split face showing two sides of one potential caller to Kidsline took the 'before-and-after' theme seen in many entries to a new level with a sharp colour palette and composition.

He echoed the sad and happy face in Kidsline's logo with clear yet subtle shifts between the two sides of the face.

The words used are well chosen and carefully positioned to read across as well as down the page.

As with Lisa's entry, Phum's attention to the expression, posture and details (like grazes and sticking plasters) helped make this entry stand out.