
The Pokemon Company has announced a brand new TCG illustration contest open to residents of the United States for the first time since 2015.
Artists from the United States and Japan will be crowned as illustration contest winners and have their artwork turned into promo cards like 2019’s Illustrator Charizard by Jiro Sasumo.

The prizes are as followed:
- One Grand Prize Winner (JP or US contestant): $5,000 cash prize and TCG promo card
- Two 1st Runner-Up selections (1 winner from JP, 1 winner from the US): $3,000 cash prize and TCG promo card
- Two 2nd Runner-Up selections (JP or US contestant) : $1,000 cash prize
- 15 Judges Award selections (JP or US contestants): $500 cash prize
“To be eligible to compete, artists must reside in Japan or the United States, be 18 years old or older, and be capable of communicating in English or Japanese. Review all contest rules and conditions before submitting artwork.
Entrants are tasked with selecting one of eight Pokemon and depicting them in their daily life. The eight Pokemon available to draw are Bulbasaur, Charizard, Pikachu, Arcanine, Galarian Rapidash, Scizor, Greninja, and Cramorant. Entrants can start submitting their artwork from October 12th 2021 and applications will close on January 31st 2022.”
Further information on application requirements can be found on the official Pokemon Illustration Contest 2022 website here.
If you’re a talented artist and love Pokemon, this could be the perfect opportunity to start a career in Pokemon TCG freelance illustration!
Tomorrow, I’ll be creating a list of the best Illustration Contest cards since the first Pokemon TCG contest in 1997 thanks to your input on our Instagram. If you have a favourite Illustration Contest card, let us know here!
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John-Anthony Disotto – Ludkins Media Editor-in-Chief
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