– WINNERS –
BEST OF SHOW
“Irish Coffee” 15.5×21″
Kiki Mullen
Judge’s Notes: “Every part of this piece shows a profound effort to create the most believable and realistic textures and lighting. Each bean catches and reflects light, while the etched glass bounces it across the table and into the shadows of the intricate woodgrain. I find myself studying the weaving of the beanbag and its loose threads, wondering how long it must have taken to draw every detail. The more you look, the more impressive it becomes, and in my book, this work truly deserves top accolades.”
1st Place
“Growth” 5.5×10″
Babes Strobietto
Judge’s Notes: Not every rose is created equal. From the very first glance, the use of color immediately captured my attention. I’m always drawn to yellows that blend into pinks, but this piece takes it to a whole new level. The array of color is on full display in every area, yet it never overwhelms the senses – a true mark of expert execution. The brilliance is happening right before you, and you hardly even realize it until you step back and take it all in.
2nd Place
“UPcycle” 19.6×11.9”
Judge’s Notes: Michael does it again! I don’t look at the artists’ names while browsing the gallery, but the moment I saw who created this, I thought – of course! There’s no denying his meticulous attention to detail and his remarkable rendering ability. I love studying the shadows and how perfectly they drop and wrap around each plane. Creating pale-on-pale compositions is challenging, yet he balances it beautifully, with sudden pops of color that feel both deliberate and effortless. The thoughtfulness and discipline behind this work are truly impressive.
3rd Place
“Vintage Goodies” 23x35cm
Danielle Robertson
Judge’s Notes: I believe this piece evokes the same nostalgic feelings in viewers, reminding us just how powerful an image can be. I’m equally impressed with the intricate details and the subtle shifts in color, seamlessly transitioning from warm tones to cool silvers, all within the same composition. I also appreciate how the artist daringly cropped the side of the platter, inviting the viewer in for a closer, more intimate perspective.
4th Place
“Miss Pinky” 48x60cm
Michelle Farmer
Judge’s Notes: This colored piece is strikingly clean, bringing the subject forward while using subtle complementary colors to enhance its impact. The finely rendered feathers give the bird a realism so vivid, you half expect it to blink. Exceptional work on the wood texture and a perfectly balanced composition – leaving just enough space to let the bird take flight or give a gentle wing toss.
– HONORABLE MENTIONS –
Honorable Mention
“Chloe the Serval” 24×32”
Miranda Heward
Honorable Mention
“Love All My Crazy Friends”20×16”
Donna S. Slade
Honorable Mention
“Gone To Ground” 12×18”
Cathy A Choyce
Honorable Mention
“Red Nails” 12×12″
Anne Berry
Honorable Mention
“My Mother Becomes Me, I Become My Mother” 33×33″
Cynthia Hellyer Heinz
Honorable Mention
“Closing My Eyes For Just Two Minutes” 18×22.5″
Bonnie Sheckter
– RANDOM WINNER –
“Bag End”
Rochelle F Oberholser
– PROOF GALLERY –
The gallery is in a randomized order everytime you refresh this page. Use CTRL + F to search for your entry.
Email karissa@coloredpencilmag.com for corrections.
Deadline for proofing is October 20th.
“Austin’s Tamara”
Carolyn Elgar
“Pompeii”
LouAnn Lubben
“The Ripening”
Cynthia Hellyer Heinz
“Rock My World”
Alice Duffy-Labonte
“Rock My World II”
Alice Duffy-Labonte
“Fire on the Mountain”
Deborah St. John
“Cocktails Anyone?”
Patty Kaczmarek
“Yellow Bellied Woodpecker”
Dean Douglas Rompella
“Lotus Sutra”
Rijuta Gaulkar
“Whispers in the Dark”
Cindy Cowley
“Girl in the Mirror”
Jen Urquhart
“Caddy”
Janet Goldman
“Hive Mind”
Kimberly Raboin
“Raydeen’s Contagious Smile”
Sharon Cromer
“Bag End”
Rochelle Oberholser
“Girl with an Earring”
Jen Urquhart
“That Hungry Stare”
Norma Curtis
“Granddaughter”
Joanne Muldoon
“Emerging From Darkness”
Diane L. Blackwell
“A Meaningful Conversation”
Donna Sullivan Everage
“Young Robin”
Miira Allen
“Rowdy Boys”
Barbara Hess
“Flower The Giraffe”
Terry DeCoster
“Open Field”
Abdiel Martins
“A Boy and His Boat”
Pam Gates
“Midnight Orchids Against Stucco”
Gregory Joy
“Sheeba”
Brian Mako
“Tank”
Paula Guy
“Growth”
“Sunflowers”
Donna Knapp
“Andulsion”
Barbara Hess
“The Fox”
Kelly Mortell
“Garden Joy”
Donna Sullivan Everage
“Paired for Life, Trumpeter Swans”
Randy Roff
“Food for the Soul”
Christie Rodgers
“Ornaments”
Jessi Hawes
“Bella”
Linda England Duckworth
“Coq en vain”
Manuetto
“Back from a Swim”
Kelly Mortell
“Making a Splash”
Kim Farnham
“Forever In Our Hearts”
Paula Guy
“A Gallery Within”
Allison Dean
“Guus”
Linda Van der Lans
“Based on a True Story”
Diane Masek-Blow
“Hyenas”
Deborah St. John
“Studio Cat”
Terry DeCoster
“What”s New Pussycat”
Gary Dyak
“Travis”
Caitlyn Pelletier
“Confined Wisdom”
Brenda Eneboe
“Calling it A Day”
Marti Hubbell
“Birds Of Paradise”
Michelle Akimenko
“Frog Bridge”
Mary Ann Lewis
“One Paw Forward”
Kim Clark
“My Mother Becomes Me, I Become My Mother”
Cynthia Hellyer Heinz
“Happy 4th of July”
John Hutchinson
“Untitled”
P. Clark
“Portrait of a Young Man”
Jen Urquhart
“Coffee Break”
Patty Kaczmarek
“Tree of Life”
Chris White
“Hollow Tree Vista”
Janet Paszkowski
“Emergence”
Linda Stokey
“Rosey Coffee Shop”
Maya Levi
“Bring the Outside Inside”
Sue Healy
“van LeGogh”
Ace Jimenez
Anne Pelgrave
“Time Out”
“Jeu de lumières sur tulipes rouges”
Suzanne Thibeault
“Mom’s Got Your Back”
Marti Hubbell
“Matrix”
Marianne Bennett
“Beautiful Betty”
Emma Krock
“Seeing Red”
Denise
“My Muskoka River Fall 2024”
Dawn Mills
“Leroy”
Caitlyn Pelletier
“Diversitas”
Luz Alegría
“Flower Bouquet in Vase”
Jessi Hawes
“Adorable Dora”
Anette Rudbeck
“Pomogranate Blossom”
Rijuta Gaulkar
“Knitting Basket”
Peggy Lohman
“Otter”
Sylvia Holyhead
“Orion”
Liz Stroh-Coughlin
“Let there be Light”
Orna Chakrabarti
“Bennett”
Paula Guy
“Icecream Social”
Sharon Wood
“Spoonbill”
Deborah St. John
“Swan Lake, Act II”
Laurence Krupinski
“Here’s Looking at You”
Joyce Hill
“White Hair”
Bruce Williams
“The Tourist Attraction”
Rochelle Oberholser
“Water Doggie”
Lois Garrett
“Manuela & Violet”
Mario Gonzalez
“Esho Funi”
Rijuta Gaulkar
“Costa Rican Iguana”
Eric Cohen
“It Just Had To Rain”
Fiona Fox
“Ridin’ the Fence”
Sharon Cromer
“All That Glitters”
Patty Kaczmarek
“Ebony and Ivory”
Kitty Dodd
“Hydrangeas”
Ruth Welch
“I’m Hiding”
Karen Mora
“Red Macaw”
EAnthony
“Autumn Bandit”
Gail W Ruhl
“All That Remains”
Alison Mosier
“Some Assembly Required”
Kathy McDaniel
“Cologne at Night”
PehPhong
“Peeking Boy”
Terri O’Connell
“Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay”
Catherine Martin
“Blooming”
Jingxian Xie
“Antique Hunting”
Alice Duffy-Labonte
“Nightfall”
Pauline Stuart
“Innocence”
Audrey Stender
“There’s No Food In My Bowl”
Laura Neal
“Waiting on the River”
Pat Meskell
“Amazonian Dreaming”
Adriano Silva
“Reflections on a Passing Moment”
Cynthia Hellyer Heinz
“Fairbanks Morse Diesel Engine”
Barbara Hess
“Come Drink with Me”
Philippe Thomas
“Ossie”
Kathleen Kotula
“Blue Ford”
Jingxian Xie
“White Lilies”
Connie D’Amico
“Where’s Mom”
Janet C Ray
“Catch & Release”
Dean Douglas Rompella
“Guitar Collection”
Laurie Lewis
“Ukrainian Woman”
Rochelle Oberholser
“3D Mixed Material Abstract Collage”
Miss Neelam Jayendra Shah
“Waiting for Mom”
Joyce Hill
“A Day at the Pond”
Beth
“Contentment”
Rachel Rushefsky
“Family Fun at the Beach”
Don Andrews
“Winter Palette”
Janet Paszkowski
“Magnolia”
Jean Ryan
“Best Friends”
Gail W Ruhl
“My Watchcat”
Dan Stancliff
“Hungry”
Barbara Boeglin
“Still Life with Raisin Cake”
Bruce K Fraidowitz
“The Family”
Shelley Van Doran
“Quiet like a mouse”
Joyce Hill
“Trapped in Cellophane”
Patty Kaczmarek
“Found on the Sea Shelf”
Mario Esbri
“The Old Seeder-Western Meadowlark”
Mike Zierke
“Beach Buddies”
Sharon Wood
“A Touch of Venice in Vegas”
Helen Turkdogan
“Christmas Goodies”
Terri O’Connell
“Sloth”
Sharon Wood
“Olive”
Stacy Cates
“Love At First Sight”
Paula Guy
“Aqua Wave”
Terri O’Connell
“Great Horned Owl”
Mary Ann Lewis
“Warm and Cozy”
Caitlyn Pelletier Art
“Triple Threat”
Cynthia Hammond
“Day at the Park”
Philippe Thomas
“A Bit of Old Lemon Cove, CA. History”
LouAnn Lubben
“A Light Seeker”
Jingxian Xie
“Walk With Me”
Shirley Flora
“California Style”
Marti Hubbell
“When the Family’s Heart Beats Together”
Ildikó Varga
“Methuselah Tree-Oldest Living Thing”
LouAnn Lubben
CONTEST:
Winners will be chosen from artwork submitted before October 1st, 2025 (midnight EST) and will be awarded prizes as listed below. Winning pieces with
RULES AND ELIGIBILITY:
• All entries must be submitted and sent as JPG files (under 3MB). Chosen entries must provide clear, high-quality 300 dpi images for printing up to 8.5×11″.
• Files MUST be labeled with your name and artwork title. Example: JaneDoe_Sunflower.jpg
• Artwork must be at least 80% colored pencil.
• Entries per artist are not limited.
• All work must be original and created by the submitting artist. If the artist did not take the reference photo, permission from the photographer or a link to a copyright-free photo reference is required. Submitting artists accept legal responsibility for using pictures to create their artwork. Selected pieces may be required to provide proof of legal use. Artists retain all rights to their work, ensuring the protection of their creative rights.
• All work must be created on a blank surface to start and cannot be a colored photo, Grizaye, or greyscaled image underpainting.
• Entrants must be 18 years or older.
• Submissions may not contain nudity or violence and must be acceptable for general audiences. If we determine that your image is in violation, we will refund your entry fee.
• Contest open to anyone who meets these requirements and can accept packages from the USA. Due to SEC, we cannot accept entries from Cuba, Iran, North Korea, South Africa, China, and Syria.
PLACES & PRIZES:
Best of Show
- $300 Blick Gift Card
- 80 piece Caran d’Ache Luminance Set
- 4 Legion Paper 9×12″ Pads (your choice)
1st Place
- $200 Blick Gift Card
- 76 piece Caran d’Ache Luminance Set
- 3 Legion Paper 9×12″ Pads (your choice)
2nd Place
- $100 Blick Gift Card
- 40 piece Caran d’Ache Luminance Set
- 2 Legion Paper 9×12″ Pad (your choice)
3rd Place
- $75 Blick Gift Card
- 20 piece Caran d’Ache Luminance Set
- 1 Legion Paper 9×12″ Pad (your choice)
4th Place
- $25 Blick Gift Card
- 12 piece Caran d’Ache Luminance Set
- Mini Legion Paper Sample Pads
Random Winner
- $25 Blick Gift Card
- 12 piece Caran d’Ache Luminance Set
- Mini Legion Paper Sample Pads
6 Honorable Mentions
and all Winners will get . . .
- Published in COLORED PENCIL Magazine
- Displayed in our 2025 Online Winners Gallery
- Free Digital Issue of announced publication
- Print & Frame PDF Certificate
FEES:
Subscribers get one free entry. All other entries are $10.00 each or 3 for $25.00 USD. You can pay online or print out the entry to send through the mail. All returned checks are subject to a $20 return check fee. Credit cards will be charged upon receipt of the entry form. All payments are non-refundable.
NOTIFICATION:
All winners will be notified by November 1st, 2025. The winners list will be announced on our website and in COLORED PENCIL Magazine.