Splash: The Best of Watercolor Art Competition
Begin the application process:
Splash 26: The Best of Watercolor
Splash 26: The Best of Watercolor is now accepting entries! Presented by Artists Network and Watercolor Artist magazine, the Splash series has been celebrating the incredible work being done by contemporary artists working in watermedia since 1991. Open to artists across the globe, don’t miss the chance to become one of this year’s 100+ finalists selected for publication. This is THE watercolor event of the year.
Super Early Bird Deadline – Sept 24, 2024
Artists Network Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
Early Bird Deadline – Nov 5, 2024
Artists Network Members: $25 Non-Members: $35
EXTENDED Final Deadline – Dec 27, 2024
Artists Network Members: $30 Non-Members: $40
Entry fees are due with entries. Your record of the credit card or PayPal charge will be your receipt.
Click here for the official Rules + Regulations.
- To enter, visit our online entry portal to log in or register for a free account.
- You can save your progress as you go and return anytime to make edits to your entries.
- This art contest is open to all artists around the world age 18 years or older.
- If you are a member, you will be asked to provide the email address associated with your Artists Network membership. If you’d like to take advantage of membership pricing sign up today to save on entry fees!
- Upload your entry details and image(s). There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit. You are able to edit your entries until the final deadline.
TOP 3 WINNERS
In addition to monetary awards, the top three prize winners will have their winning entries plus an in-depth artist’s profile published in The Best of Watercolor (Summer 2025), a special publication presented by the editors of Artists Magazine and Watercolor Artist.
1st
$2,000
2nd
$1,000
3rd
$500
PRIZES & AWARDS
10 Honorable Mention Winners
$50 Gift Card
Honorable Mention winners will receive a $50 gift card to ArtistsNetwork.com and a one-year Artists Network Membership ($99.99 value).
All Award Winners
Publication in Best of Watercolor
All winning entries PLUS an additional 100+ finalists will be featured in a gallery in The Best of Watercolor (Summer 2025), a special publication presented by the editors of Artists Magazine and Watercolor Artist. In addition, all winners will receive a digital winners’ badge.
JUROR OF AWARDS
Stephen Zhang
Stephen Zhang is an accomplished watermedia artist and professor of design whose large-scale watercolor paintings showcase a fluid, expressive and empathetic style. Born in China, Zhang graduated from Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, in Shenyang, China; and received an M.F.A. from the University of North Texas, where he currently is an assistant professor in Communication Design. Zhang’s artwork has received widespread recognition both nationally and internationally, winning awards from prestigious exhibitions organized by the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor USA, American Illustration, and the Chinese National Art Exhibition, among others. Two of his paintings are currently on view at the U.S. Embassy in Equatorial Guinea. His work has been featured in a number of art publications, including Watercolor Artist.
PAST WINNERS
First Place | Splash 25
Shades of Red
By Chris Krupinski
Second Place | Splash 25
Ten Thousand Miles 2
By Ze Ze Lai
Third Place | Splash 25
Draughtsman’s Desk
By Angus McEwan
First Place | Splash 24
A Feminine Touch
By Alisa Shea
Second Place | Splash 24
In Full Bloom
By Daniela Werneck
Third Place | Splash 24
Peony Holy Fire, Phoenix Rising
By Leslie Montana
FAQs
QImportant notice about our NEW online entry system:
As of March 2024, we have transitioned to a new online entry system for all Artists Network competitions. We will no longer be using Submittable to manage our contests.
If you’ve previously entered an Artists Network competition via Submittable, you will still have access to your account and entry records when you log in to the Submittable platform.
If you have any questions or concerns about this switch, please contact us at [email protected].
QWhy is my entry still “In Progress”?
In order to officially enter your image into the jurying pool, you must hit “Submit Entry” during the entry process. This will place your image in the cart so that you may pay and complete your entry.
QWhy didn’t I receive a notification when I entered my artwork?
You must have your Award Force notifications enabled in Settings in order to receive updates about your entry. Please make sure that our emails (anything ending in @goldenpeakmedia.com) are not blocked, or you may not receive critical information, receipts, confirmations etc.
QWhat do I do if I make a mistake in my entry?
You may edit your entries up until the closing deadline of a contest. When logged into Award Force, click on “Enter” at the top of the screen. This will show your entries that are in progress or completed.
QWhat types of artwork are acceptable?
The dominant medium of your painting must be watercolor, though some minor use of other media may be acceptable. You must specify any other media used in addition to watercolor in your application.
Photography, except for minor elements incorporated in a collage, will NOT be considered. Sculpture will NOT be considered. Digital art will NOT be considered. Entries are limited to two-dimensional artwork. Two-dimensional means that a mixed media cannot exceed one inch in depth.
QOriginal artwork and Artificial Intelligence (AI) guidelines:
All works must be original. “Original” means that the work must be from the hand of a single artist; pieces that originate from a workshop or a class under the direction of a teacher are not eligible. For works based on reference photographs, eligibility requires that the artist must have taken the photographs or have obtained written permission from the photographer to create the work and to enter it in the Contest. Compositions based on published material or other artists’ work are NOT considered original and are not eligible.
Artwork or reference imagery generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) will NOT be considered.
Click here for the official Rules and Eligibility details for Splash 26: The Best of Watercolor.
