Can someone organize a crowdfunding with a goal for both cards? 
EDIT: Now Iām thinking about a card set with an E4 stamp on it. 
Wow! Thrilled to win 1st in the Original category with my Gen 4 piece. Had a lot of fun trying something different from my usual art style so Iām glad people liked it 
@pikachutcg @BANKS You can add cosmos holofoil to a card by UV printing w/ cosmos holofoil (sold by folks like this). However, UV printers are fairly expensive, so if you just want a few cards made there are a lot of folks on Etsy who will take your original files and print out for you. Most that Iāve seen use a much more bootleg-looking star pattern holofoil, but you might be able to find one that replicates cosmos well.
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I have just returned from a work trip into the remote areas with only brief satellite connection to keep my log in streak going. Now that Iām back.
Wow! I struggle to put into words how humbled, and appreciative I am for all your support of my art. Thank you all . I am honored to place in the top 3. The 3D piece was a challenge for me and I am so happy that you all enjoyed it. I am also grateful to have the chance to push myself, one of the hidden rewards of this event. āPatienceā certainly is a special piece for me. The inspiration was such an awakening, I got fully immersed in it, and as mentioned in my process. I was true joy to create. That does not always happen. When it does it is exciting. When others recognize it. It is glorious! I am ecstatic that others were able to resonate with this piece. Like many artistic people, self doubt comes far too often. Not to get too sappy here, @brendantheclayboy when I read your comments on the piece , I was emotional. Thank you for those beautiful words about my art. They express what I was hoping to convey. Thank you @azulryu and Brendan, receiving Judges Choice blew me away! It was a great welcome back! I hope to post my comments for others soon. Congratulations to all! Those that placed, and those that participated! There are so many talented and creative people here on e4!
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Thank you! There is no better compliment I could receive.
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Thank you! I loved your submissions and look forward to seeing more of your art in the future.
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Here are my added thoughts on the many really great works submitted. I really hope I have not missed anyone. If I did It is only because I was away and had to catch up. I really do appreciate every entry. Again I parrot what others have said this is one of e4 finest events. It is so inclusive allows for style and creativity at all levels. Thank you @azulryu and @brendantheclayboy for continuing to make this event a highlight on e4.
@tediorso Giga Butterfree. What a wonderful piece. As someone just learning this medium I appreciate the skill in the composition. The light is just wonderful. It reminds me so much of the Free Butterfree" anime episode. One of my favorites.
Ilex Forest Again lighting is super great. So magical and mysterious
@khairis The joy and innocence in this makes me smile. The Pokemon are so happy to be there. Crayons are one of my favorite mediums. Nothing says child creation more.
@ShiriusuSutaa
Wow. So dynamic and intense. This could be a banner
@viridian Van Gogh is one of my all time favorite artist. I love that this captures his essence. What is even more impressive is the Pokemon choice. What a perfect Pokemon for a starry night
@dromanyte Your are the OG! Your style is just fantastic. Both your pieces push the boundaries between traditional and conventional art. They are also so bright the energy just jumps out . I feel that this style emanates some traditional story telling art if older cultures. I enjoy it immensely .
@rattlesnake
Congratulations on your placing. I love the Cubone replacement. Seems almost more relevant than abra. The attention to detail while maintaining your style is inspiring. Cubone is such a complicated PokƩmon. This piece simplifies its essence.
@viridian Ha the meme reference made me laugh. Rowlet is clearly distressed and capturing that in the medium of choice had to be a challenge
@MaxyMaxy Shendinja Garden . I love this! The style so reminds me of one of my favorite artist Komiya. Expression fluidity with a focus on the emotion of the Pokemon subject! Perfect.
@smpratte
Brilliant! Nothing says child like chalk!
@Banks . You my friend are brilliant! What an awesome concept. Way to elevate this category to a new level. I absolutely loved this work and appreciate your vision.
@pfm CMYeon
That was an amazing process. So creative and outside the box.playing with pixels IS interesting! That is just cool.
@fazool. Again you show that the 3D category can be dynamic. The double is of the trainer is great
@totodile_in_pursuit so glad you participated this round. The mixed medium has a great effect it highlights the Pokemon in the scene . It is spot on. It is so creative
@chefonaquest You can change you name, but the fact remains the art you created cutting out energies is amazing. It gets better every year. I do appreciate your attention to detail and precision . Congrats in placing again!
spring picnic is so amazing. I can barely sew a button. Sewing this very colorful and funny scene must have taken forever. The patterns really lend to old school quilting that only adds to the unique vibe of this piece. Make it a pillow, add a frame. Iād buy!
@lyleberr
I always admire your willingness to push beyond and adventure into new perspective. Both your pieces display this quality. Retro Conversion 3 is just such a better version of the original. It captures the essence of the Pokemon in a way the original could not imagine. 151 Is such a great take on lore. How could it not be liked! It is amazing how you can connect what was and is in a truly creative way. I do appreciate what you do. It is beyond what I could do. Well done!
@Silphnaut
Love Beyond Ultra space
What wonderful lore to accompany a traditional illustration. The traditional illustration for the lore makes it feel real. The flow and colors are wonderful. I love the expression on Espeons face. Says it all
@coil
Your Magneton just pops. When you are an electric Pokemon. Pop means a lot!
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Congratulations to the winners! 
This was super fun!
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That is just amazing
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I so appreciate this process. I look forward to your next step! I am certain that in a small space of time you will find a new medium that accentuates your strengths in a new medium and perspectives. I look forward to following the prosses.
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Consistency is hard. 3-peats are historic! Congratulations in reaching the pinnacle of achievement. I look forward to your push to rise to become legendary!
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Really happy to announce that prizes have all been made and have been awarded and winners will soon have their last prize. As I always get excited about it, I think the illustrators look AWESOME.
That said, I did, for my part, want to sing praise to some works I particularly was very fond of or whom I feel the need to single out for praise on any level. The winners kinda go without saying, so I will try to keep it to those who didnāt place. Azul and I always share more in depth stuff with them and their awards.
Rattlesnake, while you placed with your other piece, I just want to say how much I adore your work. Clearly everybody does too because it always performs well and you typically find yourself ranking since you joined. This is just so so much fun, so vivid and colorfulā¦ your color pencil crayon work is like me looking at baba work, it brings me great joy. You put so much love into it, and it is very clear. Glaceon cat leaping over the lava is such a phenomenal central idea.
BANKS this work is amazing for very similar reasons to snakeās. Wonderfully thoughtful and creative, truly unique. I love tonally strong things like this, the black and white lost boy is such a nice touch. Great darkness. Bravo.
slowqueen, this just made me laugh in the best way. It had to be done, itās awesome, canāt believe anyoneās ever thought of a rehash this obvious up to this point. I mean cāmon. Perfection.
viridian you are so amazing at recreations. Everybody loves your work, you do the category so much justice. By dramatically changing and re-envisioning the original thing in such charming ways. Mixed media too!
Coil your work here is the most underrated in the whole contest. Just like Iāve said with othersā recreations fulfilling the true purpose of recreation, this does this and so much more. I think the true potential, the fullest capacity of the category is realized when you take a bland and near-forgettable gen 3 sugimori and SUBSTANTIALLY improve and completely reimagine it. Itās like a movie remake. Some work really great even if the original is really good. But when the original is meh, the remake has potential to be all it can be, and this is like it. Itās FABULOUS. And extremely creative with the mixed media. What a great job man!
Fazool man you always have a perfect rendition and vision for the category ā every year you have been a part you have knocked it out of the park and Iām your fan. Iām here to bear witness to your cosmic work. Keep doing fazool things, you have your own unique tone every time, we could see 20 3Dās and Iād without any doubt know which one yours is.
ādecoyās espeonā. decoy decoy decoy, Iām mesmerized, Iām in awe of this. One of my favorite arts Iāve ever seen in 5 years of doing this, this is a bonafide masterpiece. Iām keeping one of these for myself. Your decoy style in full bloom, your identity, the micro dots, the color palette, the little details like the ultra ball and the demeanor of the decoy, everything has such immaculate and attentive mood. What mood! You really are something else. 10/10, better than most real cards, it is stuff like this that always makes me eager to look forward to the contest ā we all get to see cards better than 90% of modern, WOW.
ayoveer, Iāve been anxiously waiting to gush about this. Youāve been here every year. Every single one. Iāve watched you get better and better and better. This is your best work ever. Really proud of you on this one. Flawless. Easily another, probably top 3 most underrated in the whole of the contest, and really says a lot about how hard voting is. Make no mistake, you CRUSHED it with this one. I also want this card. Itās perfection for poliwag.
lookaclara another artist who I always eagerly anticipate and soak in with awe. While you normally do your perfect watercolors, seeing this embroidery quilt work is a sweeeet idea and it makes us consider how we need a mixed media non digital 3D sort of category to make things like this feel more special because it is oozing and ahāing with brilliance and talent. I want this. Itās awesome.
Two more, I promise.
maxy maxy maxy. You god you. Another masterpiece. How can I really say much? I just wanted to shine the light on you and your flawless and genius work. Please never stop, big fanboy. You are the komiya of e4, but donāt worry ā you are your own person. Just an analogy. In reality you follow after no one and you follow only after yourself you brilliant sir you. Aghhh. AGHH!
Last but certainly most. totodile_in_pursuit is absolutely imbued with creative genius. Donāt tell us if what I see was intended. Just accept that it is. Before I even talk about your creation and the photographyā¦ the lore alone. The voltorb mimicking the item ball in the wild grassā¦ SHUT UP! The composition, the dedication to lore, your genius with your sculpture and paint, the placement, the love for the voltorbs and electrodesā¦ The light, the flareā¦ this is in my top 5 of all time. I voted for this. I celebrate and commend this masterpiece. I want this on a card. You, sir, are revered. Please continue to blow me away with your clever works. Iām in awe of this.
Marky, regarding this, all finalists get a few prizes. 1st thru 3rd all get corresponding #1 #2 and #3 trophies you see in the banner. None are allowed to share the original high res file here because that would be giving it away. However, we are super pleased to see that some will occasionally print them, and if itās a real photo of them, thatās not only okay but encouraged 'cause they often turn out awesome. They also get badges given out by Azul and I but we also give to pfm to create a forum badge and they get that on their profile which they can also share on their signature ā youāll see a few of the contest alumni already using them here. Lastly, the 1st place winners get their illustrator card ā now that one they are absolutely entitled to do with it however they please so if they want to share that here either digitally or in print that is completely welcome.
And I hope to see continued sharing of the artistsā processes and whatever stories / praise for othersā they have. Itās one of the more rewarding aspects of it all! If any winners decide to print their cards or trophies please share as well! Still gotta try one of these better printer experts some time cause I have some of my own stuff Iād love to see made hardcopy.
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First, thank you to our lovely hosts- I mentioned this already in a pm, so I wonāt tag again, but events like these are what keep the e4 community strong throughout the year, and Iām sure Iām not the only one who looks forward to them. I know these kinds of things take a ton of time and planning, and itās important to acknowledge all of the hard work that goes in to both organization and the submissions of all of the contestants!
Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you all for second in the original category! Iām very happy with how this one came out, and Iām glad to see that it resonated with you all as well.
I cropped the full piece for the competition, so here is the full extended artwork:
The process can be found under the cut here
Sketch
This part is fairly self-explanatory: the initial sketch phase. I like to keep things pretty loose here and avoid too much detail to keep things moving.
Background
The background is split into two different phases. For the first above, I just laid down my base colors with a soft brush. Again, nothing too fancy to set the overall color mood and tone.
The second phase for the background is getting the clouds and light source in there. I like a bit of texture for the clouds, personally.
Linework
I like colored linework to soften pieces. The flowers are a brush I manipulated to give perspective.
Base colors
Getting the base colors for the foreground in there. Again, just quick fills to have a starting point for color.
Foreground Lighting
First I laid in my lightsā¦
ā¦and then my shadows. Backlighting is especially fun for me due to the heightened contrast.
Flowers
Again, I put in base colors for each flower. I wanted to make sure to include the ones that are present in-game.
And of course, lighting and shadows for the flower field as well.
Final touches
After another round of lighting adjustments, weāre all done!
And close-ups and easter eggs here for those that want solutions!
One of the most obvious is a female Combee- I have fond memories of hunting for a female on all of the available honey trees, Floaroma Meadowās included.
These Drifloon are holding hands
And one of the ones in the back is shiny!
Shaymin flies above the field, as you get the Gracedia flower from an NPC in Floaromaā¦
ā¦that Dawn is holding!
Dawn herself is looking toward the skies.
And of course, we canāt forget her Piplup thatās found itself a flower.
Once again, an amazing turnout this year. I hope to be around for many more e4 events to come!
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My prize for Judgeās Choice