As with other aspects of the Mockingbird book project, we are soliciting the participation of fans to submit artwork, photographs and other graphics for possible inclusion. We would offer the following, hopefully helpful, guidelines for concepts and submissions.

While "two or three color" within the inside of the book is certainly a possibility, the inside of the book is currently spec-ed for the more probable one-color, black and white. Although the gamut of Phish-related subjects in the "working table of contents" at this time is wide, this will be mostly a text-based book, and the centerpiece of the book will be the most comprehensive and accurate compilation of Phish's setlists existing, followed by related statistics, then other chapters.

The format of this book will thus essentially be a reference book, with ease of readability and reference the key. In-column art, photos and mail order ticket stubs may be used in these largely text sections to liven up some of the "rivers of grey" text which the book will mostly involve.

But because of the extensive volume of text information which needs to be covered and presented in the book, which could run to hundreds of pages of text alone, the pictures and artwork will likely need to be a complimentary and subordinate design element to the text. Although it may be a large size book up to 8 1/2" x 11", the format will not be primarily that of a "photo book", nor will photos or art probably be able to run much larger than a quarter of a page in size. There are no plans for any "photo only" pictorial sections for the book; all photos and art will run along with text.

Of course, these initial concepts are subject to change as the book's text manuscript is completed, but this is our current working concept as to what the overall "look" of the book is likely to be.

Based on the foregoing concepts, what we're looking for is drawings or graphics which will reproduce well in black and white, and would reproduce well in small sizes. Phishy "pen and ink" style drawings, like the little drawings on the text pagesof "The New Yorker" magazine would be great. Black and white photos with good contrast and strong design would be most welcome as well. Concerning photographs, we also would prefer photographs of fans and fan activities, rather than stage photos of the band.

There are several reasons for this. First, ours is a fan-based effort, like the Phish.Net from which many of our volunteers on the "Mockingbird Book Project" have sprung, and it would be fun to document the energy and fun which spills over in to the Phish scene from gatherings at concerts and special events.

Second, part of the overriding ethic of the Mockingbird Project is to respect the copyrights and intellectual property of the band itself and its related interests. While the band graciously allows the Phish and taping community access to tape record concerts, it has also clearly expressed its wishes that photography and videotaping are generally prohibited by concert audiences. Very few "on stage" photographs are taken by band-authorized photographers. Indeed, unauthorized photography is distinctly prohibited on the face of most concert admission tickets. We therefore wish to respect the band's wishes and directives regarding avoiding the solicitation and printing of (presumably) unauthorized "on stage" photos of the band.

Therefore unless you're a band-authorized photographer (i.e. laminate pass-holding photographer) who wishes to donate "on-stage" photos to our effort, we won't solicit or print photos which are assumed to be unauthorized shots.

On a more positive and encouraging note, we'd much rather have interesting and funny shots of fans and "the scene," similar to the photographs of Deadheads and their scene in "Book of the Deadheads". Stuff like strange Phishy license plates. Cars with funny fan-based bumper stickers. Happy gatherings at concerts. And certainly, especially, wonderful photos of the happenings at
The Clifford Ball and The Great Went.

If you have any questions about these guidelines for submission, please feel free to e-mail Kat and/or I at jackl@lemerymackrell.com (best) or the snail mail address below.

As far as the physical aspect of submissions, here are a few additional suggestions to preserve our collective sanity:

1. Submissions may be made in hardcopy to our snail address below or e-mailed to my address, jackl@lemerymackrell.com as MIME-encoded jpeg files attached to an e-mail message. If you aren't real facile with the e-mail attachment stuff, or if the graphics attachment files are larger than ~0.5 megabytes (500 kilobytes), please don't attempt to do it the new-fangled way and maybe also rile up our Internet connection; please just send the stuff to us on paper by snail mail, as in the olden days!

2. Please make sure you physically identify each separate piece of artwork or photo submitted with your name andother necessary reference info (your address, photo date, title, etc.). For photos and other artwork, please put the identification stuff on the back in the margin area with soft pencil, indelible (non-smear) felt tip pen, rubber stamp, adhesive label or similar methods which can't easily be separated from the work.

3. We will return any originals to you if (and only if) you include return postage and a self-addressed envelope. We will attempt to exercise reasonable care of all submissions which you want returned, but we must in good conscience warn you that we are just two volunteer carbon-based life forms just like you with way too much "stuff" in our house, two teenaged kids and four cats...even our stuff gets lost in some messy piles here sometimes. That's OK if it took me five minutes to find my Birkies in my bedroom this morning (true), but if it were your priceless original artwork you wanted back, we'd be stressed too if we couldn't lay our hands on it...

So if you have any concerns about your irreplaceable original artwork, we would heartily encourage you to please send copies of all submissions, not your only originals. Submitting just "layout quality" Xerox photocopies of line art rather than your originals, for instance, would work well for our current evaluation and "comp" level layout work. If we or the publisher needs your only "camera ready" original later for final pre-press work, we'll be able to ask you for it then (if you've identified as per request #2 above!).

4. Our snail mail address is:


Jack Lebowitz and/or Kathleen Griffin
39 Garrison Rd
Queensbury, New York
12804-2002

5. Our e-mail address, as noted above, is jackl@lemerymackrell.com.

Questions, thoughts? Please e-mail us!

Cordially,

Jack Lebowitz & Kathleen ("Kat") Griffin
Mockingbird Project Art and Photo Honchos