Winner Announcement

Dear Xfans,
The drawing contest 4-KOMA MANGA COMPETITION has come to an end. The number of entries that we received exceeded our expectations, thank you for your enthusiastic participation and support in this drawing contest so far.
We meet many creative story content, different drawing styles, thanks a lot for joining this contest, showing us your imagination and your creativity!
After a long time discussion with our judge team, we finally pick these artworks.
The results of the winners are now announced as follows:

Grand Prize

Artist 22 (2nd generation) display

[ Title ] Under the Cherry Tree

[ Artist ] BakuComics

Learn more >>

Judges thoughts

What stood out to me in this entry is the use of GIF animation, which I thought was a really creative and clever approach to bring the comic to life, I definitely appreciate the effort! The choice of colours are soothing and fits the tone of the story, the panels flow well and the dialogue is easy to read - all the qualities you want to see in a good comic strip. Well done!

I appreciate the use and efforts of making the comic into an animation. It’s unique and thinking outside the box. It’s beautifully drawn, and the atmosphere is wonderful. I love the twist at the end where the dog turns into a spirit and the author effectively takes the audience in a roller coaster of emotions where it eventually leads to the bittersweet feeling of reminiscing old adventures as it uncovers the present situation. Amazing storyline and artwork!

Good use of GIFs panels to emote the feeling of the narrative. I like the use of complimentary colours, especially with the environment and background design. The muted tones also play a part of the story.

I love the coloring and staging of the characters in the comic, along with the message. The fact it's also animated really makes this stand out among other entries.

Runner-Up Prize

Innovator 16

[ Title ] 탐사

[ Artist ] XFANS8f6ip0ua

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Judges thoughts

I recall seeing this entry when it was submitted, and I still remember it now. This comic made me laugh and left a lasting impression, and that deserves recognition! The juxtaposition from start to finish is the reason why this comic is memorable to me, the unexpected ending and silly humor makes this entertaining - plus the art is also beautifully done. This would be the type of comic I'd love to see on my feed after a long day, thank you for sharing your art with us!

Good balance with detail. Not too much, not to little. Love the mix of having a stylised art style with a rather goofy, comical narrative. Awesome play on light and shadow and perspective, especially of the astronaut in the third panel. Love the story and ending. It was really unexpected and adorable!

Runner-Up Prize

Innovator 16

[ Title ] Cat Dimension

[ Artist ] Catsupy

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Judges thoughts

This is one of my favourites! It's fun, easy to follow, and the combination of keywords (pet, wormhole and travel) that created this short strip is really creative. Leading the comic with the "missing sock" thought is clever, seeing that it's likely inspired by a real life experience that many of us can relate to, and having the sock disappear into a wormhole is basically a metaphor (that we will never get our missing socks back, ever...) which makes this all the more fun to read! The colour choice is perfect for the tone and atmosphere of the setting, and the art is really clean. Using only 4 panels, the artist did a very good job at creating an engaging storyline - definitely a job well done!

So, that is where all missing things go! I like the graphic element of the art style - flat colours and bold outlines. Storytelling is simple but effective. I love the use of neon colours with the reflective light of the wormhole. Cute character design. Has an overall feel reminiscent of an animated series.

Catsupy has probably unintentionally made a hilarious idea for a comic series that I want to see more of. I love this cat so much.

Third Prize

Artist 12 Pro
LINE FRIENDS Edition

[ Title ] The darkness

[ Artist ] pawwao

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Judges thoughts

This comic gives a wholesome and somehow nostalgic vibe as most children experience a sense of fear in darkness. I love the different take to the pet, superhero & soul prompt, and deliver warmer tone of emotions to the audience. The art is super charming, and I love the use of warm colours to accentuate the warmness of the story and illustrate that pets give light during dark days.

Good decision to use colour with the cat in contrast to the monochrome background to juxtapose the feeling of fear vs. a positive energy (represented by the cat). I also like the idea of the colours transfering to the little girl at the end, giving it a warm, happy ending. The handwritten font gives it a personal touch as well. Has a childrens' picture book feel. I like it!

Third Prize

Artist 12 Pro
LINE FRIENDS Edition

[ Title ] A wise hero in the forest

[ Artist ] DorushiArt

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Judges thoughts

The story is beautifully structured and flows nicely throughout the comic. The use of an analogous colour scheme is very charming with good use of values, and effectively highlights the emotions being portrayed with the cool hues. The rule of thirds is also used effectively where the focus on each panel is clear and is pleasant to the eyes. The art is beautiful! And the story hits right in the feels! Beautiful comic!

This comic is beautifully done. The choice of colour and values are great - there is a touch of haunting beauty from the use of blues, cyans and a splash of pink/purple that makes the overall ethereal aesthetic which sets the mood, and it fits with the scene very well. Each panel is drawn from a different angle which makes the comic more interesting and engaging to read - good framing! The message of the comic strip is clear and I appreciate the simplicity of the storytelling. A really good job!

Third Prize

Artist 12 Pro
LINE FRIENDS Edition

[ Title ] Gift

[ Artist ] Newbie

Learn more >>

Judges thoughts

Good pencil shading technique with the light and shadow. Very delicate art style - appropriate and fitting for the storytelling. I also like the paper texture, giving it a very warm, charming look and feel. A touching and relatable story, especially for those of us who have lost a pet before.

I really love the comforting feeling this comic gave. It's somber and sweet. A dad reminiscing his past, while looking forward to the future he's going to spend seeing his child with their new friend.

Congratulations to the winners!

Note that if XP-Pen finds out and confirms that any of the winners did not follow any stated rules in the contest bases, the "winner" status will be removed instantly.
We will contact the lucky winners by e-mail after 72hs of the announcement. If you are the winner, please check your email, spam folder, or write to Lmy@xp-pen.com to ask for the awards directly within 7 days.
Not doing so will result in your disqualification as a winner and the election of a new one.

XP-Pen contest is still going on. We are looking forward to your drawing in the next contest.
See you soon.

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INTRODUCTION

pet, travel, soul, wormhole, superhero
Here are 5 unrelated keywords.
Pick 3 from the 5 keywords, connect them into a short story, then draw the story into a 4-koma manga.
There is no limitation on the story content or drawing style , just use your imagination, show your creativity!

What's the 4-koma manga?

4-koma("four cell manga") a comic strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom. They also sometimes run right-to-left horizontally or use a hybrid 2×2 style.
Traditionally, it follows the following structure :
The first panel forms the basis of the story; it sets the scene.
The second panel develops upon the foundation of the story laid down in the first panel.
The third panel is the climax, in which an unforeseen development occurs.
The fourth panel is the conclusion, in which the effects of the third panel are seen.

Keyword

TIMELINE

Submission

March 3rd,2021 - May 5th, 2021 (UTC)

Judging Period

May 6th - May.25th, 2021 (UTC)

Announcement

May 26th, 2021 (UTC)

PRIZE LIST

Grand Prize: (1 winner)

Artist 22 (2nd generation) display

Runner-Up Prize: (2 winners)

Innovator 16 display

Third Prize: (3 winners)

Artist 12 Pro
LINE FRIENDS Edition

JUDGES

Steph

Heya, my name is Steph!
I'm what you would call an art enthusiast, a hobbyist who does art simply for the fun of it.
I love storytelling and enjoy drawing comics when I'm off-duty.
Everyone has got a story to tell, and you don't have to be a pro to share it, all you need is courage and a little imagination.
If you need a little push to get started: this is it! (P.S. I am nudging you, good luck!)

ohmygoles

Tin is an artist who founded ohmygoles, a series of wholesome and silly webcomics about her life with her two family pups Coco and Dart.
In two years, she has gained 500k+ followers cumulatively across multiple social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Webtoons, and many more.

itsweinye

Weinye is a webcomic artist, childrens' book illustrator and the creator behind the It's Weinye webcomic series.
She has been making comics since 2012.

RULES

A

The manga needs to include 3 keywords. And when submitting the entry, please state the keywords you choose in the description of the entry.

B

You must upload your work with a short description to xp-pen.com before May.5th, 2021. You must register for an account and be signed in to submit an entry. For that, you have to register here. Entries that are not published on the site are not subject to judging in the contest.

C

Go to: Xfans Community>> Activity>> Ongoing>> Upload Entry to submit your entry.

D

There are no requirements for either height or width of the artwork, just make sure the file is within 5MB max. Once your work is approved (24h approx.) your entry will be shown on the contest's page. Please note the entry 4-koma manga needs to be in one drawing.

E

You are not limited to one entry per person and may submit as many as you'd like.

F

Any drawing style is accepted, and it can be presented in either digital or traditional art (preferably scanned).

G

The artwork must be original. Copied pictures are not allowed. Any sensitive content is not allowed.

H

The resolution of the participant's submission should be 300 DPI or more.

ADDITIONAL NOTE

A. Entrant grants XP-PEN to share (with credit) the submission in social media and any other promotional activities it chooses.

B. If any entrant used another person's works element in the submission, please proof you have got the approval from the artist. If there is any work submitted is suspected of plagiarism or copyright infringement or unapproved usage from the original artist, they will be disqualified from the contest instantly.

C. The artist retains all copyrights to their artwork without exception.

D. By winning the contest, your works will belong to both you and XP-PEN. You grant us a non-exclusive perpetual license to use your work for commercial purpose, including posting the artwork on the XP-Pen online platforms for viewing by the public (Including XP-Pen official website, XP-Pen official online stores, XP-Pen Amazon stores, etc.), adding the drawing in business cards, brochures, posts, picture books for advertising and promotion purpose; also on printed materials at exhibition booths or retail outlets, etc.

E. The established 72hs for the announcement of the winners will allow people to know them and check if they don't comply with any stated rules in the contest bases. If we find out and confirm that any of the winners did not follow any of these bases, the status of "winner" will be removed from them.

F. Prior to submitting artwork, all the participants are responsible for carefully reading and understanding the terms and conditions and fully agreed before taking part in the contest.

G. By submitting an entry to this contest, the applicant is deemed to have agreed to the provisions of this contest.

FAQ

How to upload the submissions on XP-Pen official website?
Go to: Xfans Community>> Activity>> Ongoing>> Upload Entry to submit your entry. Please note: The manga needs to include 3 keywords. And when submitting the entry, please state the contest the keywords you choose in the introduction section for the entry. Btw, 4-koma manga needs to be in one drawing.
Does there have any shipping restrictions?
We don't have the shipping restriction this time, it would be an international drawing contest!
Can I submit multiple artworks?
No Limit to Entries.
Is there any age restriction?
No, welcome to join the challenge whatever how old you are.
Sorry I don't understand the rule "the manga needs to include 3 keywords".
It means the manga content or manga dialog needs to include 3 keywords, we will also consider it as one judging point.
I still have some other questions to consult, how can I contact you?