Design Challenge: 1 Turtle, 10 Ways
Book covers, swimming laser GIFs, movie posters, and more — all using one free turtle photo.
Recently, we announced the winners for a contest using designs and creative assets from Envato Elements.
This competition encouraged members of our community to produce something with some of our free files from Envato Elements.
Throughout many of the entries there was one trend that caught the eye. More specifically, a turtle who was incorporated into different designs in a number of ways:
Here is a list of ten of the best and most creative ways our favourite underwater creature was used.
1. Discworld by Blerc
This brilliant entry won best submission by an Elements member. The amazing design is anchored by the use of the turtle. Blerc’s willingness to adjust the color of the original image pays off, as it truly is one of the heroes of the piece.
2. Chukwa’s Escape — New Hope by BlackNull
Every part of this is amazing. BlackNull has utilised the turtle brilliantly and his image is the prime example of a picture telling a thousand words. The city on the back of our escaping hero is in incredible detail and adds yet another slice of excellence to what was the winning entry of the competition.
3. May the Nature be with you by Mographstar
Put simply, this entry is awesome. How anyone would have came up with the idea to create a GIF like this I don’t know, but everyone is better off for seeing it. The ability to take a basic image of a turtle and turning it into a moving, laser-shooting underwater beast is brilliant. Cheers to you Mographstar!
4. Elements by EAMejia
This use of our special underwater friend is very subtle compared to many other designs on this list. As a whole, this image is spectacular, the color scheme is extremely well done, while the vibe makes you feel as though you’re about to venture to the lost city of Atlantis. Credit to EAMejia for delivering this classy design.
5. Wildlife Photography Magazine Cover by CodePassenger
The designer on this occasion did little to change the original image, however made it a crucial part of something very impressive. It is intended as the cover of a wildlife photography magazine and it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t nail it. The turtle and it’s underwater scenery being placed on the background image of the mountains provides a fantastic contrast that further adds to the image as a whole.
6. Broken by Themecop
Now this is a very different use of the turtle. First of all he might be hard to spot, check the top right corner. The reason this design makes the list is because of the intrigue it builds. How does the it fit into this mystery? Is it a killer turtle? What secrets does it have? Sadly I don’t think we’ll ever find out, however you have to appreciate Themecop’s ability to faultlessly slip the image of a sea turtle into what appears to be a poster for a psychological thriller.
7. Paint the Future of Earth by AscendDev
Another design that has again utilised the contrast in scenery well and produced a sophisticated way to use our scaly hero. Making it seem as though the people pictured have drawn these images is a very smart idea and promotes the message that is looking to be spread. This is another example of how one simple image can be used in so many excellent ways.
8. Love Them, Save Them, Save the Coral Reefs by Themecop
Not only is this an impressive image, but the message it sends is also very important. The hawksbill turtle is a critically endangered species, with humans using their shells as decoration, and in some areas, eating their eggs as a delicacy. Themecop has skilfully managed to edit the turtle so it appears to be naturally coming out of the water. The hand represents the care and kindness that we need to provide for these creatures if they are to survive. A fantastic design that represents an excellent cause.
9. Envato Elements: Love. Dream. Create. by FoxyPix
This is the lone video in the list, and our turtle makes an early appearance. The creator has managed to use the image and bring it to life. It appears as though it is wading through the water, which is impressive considering the origins of the image. It is clear that it is not live video of the creature, however it still has the desired affect. Yet another clever use of the turtle and one that comes from outside the box.
10. Envato Turtles by Celtano
This may not be the most complicated of designs, however it still makes the list due to its novelty. The turtle is quite clearly the hero of this image, with creator Celtanopicking up on the trend in the competition thread. This could quite easily qualify as a National Geographic show and would be one that I’d definitely tune into.
So there you have it, 10 brilliant creations all utilising one ordinary turtle. These illustrate the creativity and skill of the Envato community. Laser eyes, to television shows, to an image telling an epic story, this list covers it all.
