Hello fellow nerds!

We are planning to do something special for our tenth anniversary here at Nerd Nite Tokyo – a limited run of 32mm buttons (the kind you pin on a bag, not the kind you press)! They will be available for purchase starting at our tenth anniversary event in June, up until May 2027.

But an event like ours does not come this far without our volunteers, and especially not without you, our dear audience. So in the spirit of community, we would like to ask for your designs celebrating 10 great years of only-slightly-tipsy nerdery to feature on said buttons!

As a prize, the selected submission will earn its designer a copy of the printed button, as well as free entry to Nerd Nite Tokyo events for the rest of the calendar year 2026. The runner-up gets a free drink. Sorry we can’t offer much more, we are a volunteer-run event😅.

So unleash your love and creative fire, and help us commemorate a decade of inspiration, entertainment, and community!

Send them to: ! Submissions are accepted until the end of May (2026-05-31 23:59)! Don’t forget to write your name or how you would like to be called (including any preferred pronouns) in the email body.

Design Specifications

The design should be specific to NN Tokyo’s 10th anniversary, not a generic NN Tokyo-related design. Other than that, anything goes (within the bounds of reason and good taste, of course).

Submissions are accepted in major still image file formats, max 10MB.

Image size: at least 1040×1040 pixels

The canvas includes the bleed; i.e. background colors and design elements that will wrap around the edge of the button face.

Note that we are planning to print at 600dpi, so adjust visual details accordingly.

Actual design area: The primary design is limited to the central 29 / 44 of the canvas.

Assuming a square canvas of size 1040 pixels, that should be a circle of diameter 685 pixels centered vertically and horizontally.

Remember, the actual design space is circular! Any visual element you want to show up in the final piece should be no more than 685 pixels away from the center of the image, assuming a canvas size of 1040 pixels.

The ratio 29/44 includes a margin of 1.5mm (at 600dpi). This margin goes to the very edge of the button (i.e. central 32/44 of the canvas), but we advise against designing this margin beyond a color fill, unless you know what you’re doing.

If you need a template, download this zip file, which contains PNG, PSD, and XCF templates. The PSD and XCF files require either Photoshop or GIMP or some other compatible software, but the layers are separated for easier control.

The inner circle marks the design area.

The outer circle marks the very edge of the button.

If you are using a colored background, make sure it extends all the way to the edge of the canvas, not just the edges of the circles.

Final note: the buttons will be cut by hand (artisanal!), so there may be some slight shifts in the position. Please avoid placing design elements super close to the edge unless they will look fine minus a millimeter or two.

Regulations

  • No generative AI please.
  • No recognizable characters, objects, or typefaces from trademarked IPs.
  • Design rights of the chosen entry will be transferred to Nerd Nite Tokyo (i.e. you give us exclusive permission to distribute, reproduce, and modify the image, waiving your own rights to do so).