Pokemon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022
Got a knack for art and a passion for all things Pokemon? You’re in luck—the Pokemon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022 has your name written all over it.
And, if you’re really lucky, so might a $5,000 check and the newest addition to the Pokemon TCG lineup.
The Pokemon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022 is an evolution of the Pokemon Trading Card Game Illustration Grand Prix, an annual art competition that’s taken place every year since 2019. Hosted by Creatures, Inc.—the developers of the original Pokemon trading card game—and sponsored by The Pokemon Company International, the contest aims to give talented unknown artists a chance to put their stamp on the Pokemon legacy.
This year, the contest is being opened to applicants from both Japan and the U.S., marking the first time American artists have been eligible to enter. For the theme, the contest’s organizers have chosen “a moment in a Pokemon’s daily life.”
How to Enter
The rules couldn’t be simpler. Here’s how it works:
Step One: Pick Your Pokemon
This year’s list of Pokemon includes:
Step Two: Draw Them Doing Something
It could be training, cooking, napping, skateboarding, sunbathing, you name it. Get creative! Make sure the activity in the scene is consistent with the theme of the contest, “The Daily Life of Pokemon, ” and that you draw a background along with the Pokemon you select.
Step Three: Send in Your Drawing
Once you’ve put the finishing touches on your masterpiece, upload it using the entry form on the contest’s website, along with your info.
Each participant can enter up to three submissions featuring any of the eight Pokemon from the list above. You could make a different Pokemon the star of each drawing or do three separate drawings of the same Pokemon. The choice is yours.
Who’s Eligible to Enter?
You must be a legal resident of the U.S. or Japan and be at least 18 years of age (the minimum required age is 19 in Alabama and Nebraska and 20 in Mississippi). Japanese entrants must be at least 20 years old.
What Are the Prizes?
One lucky first-place winner will earn a $5,000 cash prize and the honor of having their artwork featured on a special Pokèmon promo card. Not bad for putting your love of Pokemon down on paper!
But the payoffs don’t end there.
Two first runners-up, one from Japan and the U.S., will get a $3,000 cash prize and see their drawings brought to life in card form. Two-second runners-up, again from Japan and the U.S., respectively, will score $1,000 in cash. Finally, 15 contestants from either country will receive the esteemed Judges’ Award, with a not-inconsiderable payout of $500.
All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges, which includes such illustrious figures as Satoru Nagaya, art director for Creatures, Inc., and Tzunekazu Ishihara, president of The Pokemon Company!
What Are You Waiting For?
This could be your opportunity to share your artistic vision with the world and become a part of Pokemon history.
You’ll need to act fast, though—the Pokemon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022 runs from October 13th, 2021, to January 31st, 2022, which means you only have until the end of the month to show off your skills.
Good luck, and happy illustrating!