We are happy to announce our first International Comic/Manga Schools Contest for students enrolled in an art school or extracurricular art programs studying illustration, comic art, design, fine art, or other similar subjects.
This year, we are opening our contest to applicants from all over the world for the first time. The theme of the contest is “gift,” and we look forward to receiving many illustrations and comic submissions.
▼ For the rules on the International Comic/Manga Schools Contest, click here. The rest of the contest information can be found below.
This contest aims to support young creators around the world and encourage more artists to create comics and manga.
Contest winners will receive prize money as well as Wacom pen displays and Clip Studio Paint software to support their art creation, and a chance for their winning artwork to be featured in Japanese media.
Building on last year’s European Comic Schools Contest, we are expanding the scope this year to accept applicants from anywhere in the world, and submissions to the Comic Category can be in any language. The winning entry in the Comic Category will be translated into English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean so that it can be enjoyed by readers all over the world.
Judging the competition will be DC Comics’ Batman’s Javier Fernández and award-winning creators Cameron Stewart, Ken Niimura, and Yoshiyasu Tamura. With their diverse experiences and backgrounds, they will judge the entries to find winners with international appeal.
With this and future contests, Celsys will continue providing opportunities and tools that support digital artists in their creative endeavors.
Categories – Comic & Illustration
Comic
An original color or black-and-white comic of 8～48 pages.
Webtoon style comics are also accepted (min. 30 panels, max. 690 x 20,000 pixels in size).
Works submitted to the comic category can be in any language. The organizer may translate the comic into other languages for judging and announcing the results.
Illustration
An original color illustration.
Theme
Gift (comic category & illustration category).
Timing
Submission period: January 30～May 9, 2019.
Results announcement: End of June.
How to enter
After registration by a teacher or leader of an art department/program, students can submit their entries via the submission form.
See the official contest site for more details.
Prizes
Comic Category
- Grand Prix (1 winner)
US$3,300/ €3,000 cash prize
Clip Studio Paint EX*
Wacom Cintiq Pro 13 - Silver Prize (2 winners)
US$1,100 / €1,000 cash prize
Clip Studio Paint EX*
Wacom Cintiq 16 - Bronze Prize (3–5 winners)
Clip Studio Paint EX*
Illustration Category
- Grand Prize (1 winner)
US$550 / €500 cash prize
Clip Studio Paint PRO*
Wacom Cintiq 16 - Silver Prize (2 winners)
US$220 / €200 cash prize
Clip Studio Paint PRO*
Wacom Cintiq 16 - Bronze Prize (3–5 winners)
Clip Studio Paint PRO*
* For those who already have a copy of Clip Studio Paint, points for Clip Studio ASSETS will be awarded to purchase materials and brushes for use in Clip Studio Paint.
Judging panel
Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart is an award-winning comic book writer and artist best known for his work on DC Comics’ Batgirl and Fight Club 2, currently living and working in Toronto, Canada.
Javier Fernández
Javier Fernández is DC’s exclusive comic book artist. Nightwing, Detective Comics or Green Arrow are some of their most recent titles.
Ken Niimura
Cartoonist and illustrator Ken Niimura´s graphic novel “I Kill Giants” was adapted into a live-action feature film in 2017.
Yoshiyasu Tamura
Yoshiyasu´s manga, “DEVIL’s RELICS” is currently under publication through Glénat Manga in collaboration with Maître GIMS.
Sponsors
Wacom
Wacom is the pioneer of creative pen tablets and displays which are being used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world.
Comico (NHN comico Corp.)
Comico（NHN comico Corp.）is a comic/novel platform service optimized for smartphones with its vertical interface and fully-colored features. Comico was launched on 31 Oct. 2013. It has over 200 serialized original works, as well as renowned works from other publishers.
XFLAG
XFLAG Studio is dedicated to creating thrilling and extraordinary battle-fueled entertainment that unites friends and families. As part of the mixi Inc. group, their business encompasses games, sports, anime, films, and live events.
Solmare Publishing (NTT Solmare Corp.)
NTT Solmare is the company that runs “Comic C’moa”, one of the largest e-book websites in Japan. NTT Solmare’s manga editorial department “Solmare Publishing” creates a variety of manga titles which appeal to foreign and domestic readers.
Coolmic (WWWave Corporation)
Coolmic is an online service run by WWWave Corporation. They deliver original comics and anime in digital format. They also accept posts from people who want to become comic artists.
No9 Inc.
With the mission of enriching people’s lives through manga, No9 Inc. is a digital comic agency that strives to maximize the manga market and sales in the digital age through four business pillars: manga agency services, manga app development, crowdfunding, and tax return services.
eBOOK Initiative Japan Co.,Ltd.
“MangaMon” is an Indonesian e-book distribution service specializing in Japanese manga. They also provide other entertainment such as event planning and the latest in Japanese pop culture news.
More about Celsys
Celsys supports creators globally in the production, browsing, and distribution of digital art utilizing IT technology. They provide solutions for content creation, distribution, and browsing, including support of creative activities through our illustration, manga, and animation production software “Clip Studio Paint” and web service “Clip Studio”, as well as the e-book solution, “Clip Studio Reader”.
Corporate site – Clip Studio Paint site – Twitter – Facebook
