The Pokémon TCG is holding a contest where fans can illustrate a trading card with their own unique Pokémon design.
With a choice between eight popular Pokémon, competitors must draw their chosen Pokémon going about its daily life. The choice of Pokémon to draw ranges from the classics – such as Pikachu and Charizard – to more recent additions like the ethereal Galarian Rapidash from 2019’s Pokémon Sword and Shield game. The full selection includes Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Arcanine, Galarian Rapidash, Scizor, Greninja, or Cramorant.
There are twenty cash prizes up for grabs, with the Grand Prize offering $5000 alongside the opportunity to have your card made into an official trading promo card.
When To Enter
The contest opens for entries on October 13, 2021, and closes on January 31, 2022. It will accommodate entries from the US for the first time, allowing any budding American artists to try their hand. Those residing in Japan can also enter, but the competition is unfortunately still closed to Europe.
Contest Rules
The opportunity for creativity is vast in this competition, as the key instruction is to draw these Pokémon performing their daily activities. Ideas could range from Pikachu turning on the kitchen hob with his electric tail, to Greninja catching a fly with his tongue. However, the contest specifies that the drawing must feature one of the eight choices of Pokémon, and a background.
Entrants can submit up to three unique drawings. While it is recommended to feature one Pokémon in the drawing, the TCG site permits artists to draw more than one Pokémon, as long as they are clearly in the background.
The results of the competition will be posted on the Pokémon TCG Illustration Contest page on June 2022.
Draw to win in the #PokemonTCGIllustrationContest2022! ??️
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) September 15, 2021
Submit illustrations of Pokémon for a chance to win cash and your very own art featured in a special TCG promo card.
More info here: https://t.co/ppBSCYTI3B
US or Japan residents only.#PTCGIC2022 pic.twitter.com/uTitfFROpO
The Prizes
While the winner of the grand prize receives $5000 and their art as a promo card, two ‘first runner-ups’ will also have their art made official, along with $3000 each. Also, two ‘second runners-up’ will receive $1000, and 15 competitors can win the Judges’ Award, and receive $500 each.
The Judges
The contest will be judged by a host of major names, including the president of the Pokémon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara. Hirokazu Tanaka, President of a company sponsoring the contest, ‘Creatures, Inc’, will also be judging. Official Pokémon Card illustrators will also have a say in who will win each of the available prizes.
Pokémon’s Legacy
With Pokémon celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, it is no wonder that the competition is expanding to the USA, having only been open to entries from Japan in previous years. The franchise remains as popular as ever today, releasing new games almost ceaselessly. 2016’s mobile app ‘Pokémon GO’ made the brand a household name, with over 800 million downloads worldwide in 2018.
The winners’ entries from previous competitions can be found on the official contest page, as well as the entry form for this year’s competition. Information on who is eligible to partake in the competition and on what submissions must adhere to can be found here.
