Merch Templates and Guidelines
Content:
Main Zine:
The main zine is rated Teen/16+. It will be available for purchase to all ages, but with a parental content guideline of 16+. This means that pieces created for the main zine can include content such as swear words, kissing/romance, lightly implied sexual relationships (flirting, innuendo etc.), canon-typical levels of dark themes and sensitive content (mental illness, PTSD, violence, death, brainwashing, body modification). Pieces for this zine cannot contain any graphic or overt sexual content, or intensely graphic violence, or implied sexual relationships between characters under 18 years of age and characters over 18 years of age.
We understand that the level of graphicness can be hard to judge, and that different canons have different degrees of canon-typical violence and graphic content, so if you’re ever not sure, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the mod team and ask. We’d be happy to help!
All merch should be no stronger than Teen/16+. We’re hoping to end up with a mix of overtly shippy items, and more stealthily Winteriron options too, as not everyone has the freedom to be out and proud about queer content.
Merch Types:
We want to make sure our merch team is getting to make something they’re excited about, so we’re going to be basing merch types on idea submission forms.
We do want to be sure there’s a variety, so you might not get your first choice, but we’ll do our best to balance both artists’ wishes and making sure it’s not just a big book with seven sticker sheets!
Once all the merch types have been settled, we’ll be providing more specific templates and format requirements for your particular assignment, as different manufacturers might have different specifications. Merch admin might take a little longer than the other categories, so if you’re concerned about time, please get in touch and let us know.
Feedback
If at any point between check-ins you feel like you need feedback on your piece, please don’t hesitate to share your WIP in the appropriate Discord channels and ask for the kind of feedback you’d like. If you’re not comfortable sharing in that manner, you can also reach out to the mod team, who will provide whatever support we can.
Check-Ins
Each piece will be reviewed by a member of the mod team after each check-in, however feedback will be provided as desired. At minimum, you will receive notice that your piece is in line with content restrictions and you are good to continue working. If you’d prefer more in-depth feedback, you will have the opportunity to indicate as such on your check-in form, and a mod will be in touch about details. If you prefer not to receive feedback during the creation process, we will only alert you if there is content in your piece that violates the content guidelines and will need to be altered.
Final Submission
Each piece will be reviewed by a member of the mod team after final submission and receiving feedback will not be optional, however you will be able to indicate the depth of feedback you wish to receive. Every piece of art will be checked for adherence to the templates: size, resolution, format, bleed etc. You will also have the option of requesting more in-depth review re: anatomy, shading, layout, background etc. if you wish, though any changes of that nature will be ultimately under your discretion.
