Pokémon TCG
Image: The Pokémon Company

It's basically a nerd's version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Pokémon Company is once again running a competition where the winners get their art on a Pokémon trading card. Isn't that what we've all dreamed of since we very first saw a shiny Charizard on the playground?

As much as I'd love to submit my own art, the only Pokémon drawings I have are the ones that I did when I reviewed Pokémon Art Academy, which range in skill from this:

...to this:

I also have this incredible Snom painting that my partner did:

Snom Painting by not me
This is one of the best things I own — Image: The Pokémon Company

...But there are many, many artists out there whose work I would really want to see on a Pokémon card, so let's highlight them and their work!

Louie Zong

This first one's easy, because Louie Zong has literally asked to be on a Pokémon card before. He used Blender to make these designs, but he's also a talented traditional artist, too!

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Lunumbra

There are a few artists out there who repaint actual Pokémon cards to extend the art all the way out to the edges, and Lunumbra's gorgeous re-imaginings are some of the best. Wouldn't it be cool to have a Pokémon card that was entirely art?

Paper Beats Scissors

Paper Beats is an illustrator who works for merch company The Yetee, but you'll almost definitely recognise the art he does outside of his full-time job. He's done some pretty neat bootleg Pokémon designs that would fit right in with the janky '90s TCG cards, but his non-bootleg Pokémon are utterly charming, and come in a range of different styles.

mushbuh

Perhaps you know mushbuh as one of the people behind cult internet sensation and crime-doer Peepy — or, if you don't have any idea what I'm talking about, uhhhhh don't worry about it! mushbuh's clay-like Pokémon designs are usually done as Patreon stickers, but look how CUTE they are!

KC Green

Yes, this is the guy behind the "This Is Fine" meme, but KC Green has also drawn MANY Pokémon. So many, in fact, that there's an entire gosh darn website dedicated to all the Pokémon drawing he has done. Also, I'm beginning to realise that I judge most people by their Snoms (Snem?), and KC Green's Snom is a pretty good Snom.

Lauralei

Whether you like your Pokémon art done in the style of Pokémon, or you prefer a fresh and interesting take, Lauralei's illustrations have it all — I particularly like the style of this Lapras painting, which reminds me of The Secret of Kells:

And now, a bunch of incredible art I found on Twitter while I was researching this piece! Look!

https://twitter.com/asteroid_ill/status/1436896868701667331

https://twitter.com/superaenbow/status/1437826432571412485

But I can't possibly highlight every incredible artist out there all by myself, so please, share some of your favourites in the comments!