Our second annual contest (and first ever art contest) begins today!

This year's contest theme will be based on Valentine's Day but with a twist! Since this is a web site about games, I would like you guys to pick a protagonist from your favorite game and portray this character in the Valentine's Day spirit using nothing but pencil and paper. The rules are as follows:

-You may ONLY use pencil and paper. Colored paper or lined paper is acceptable, however it will not affect your score. Pens and marker are not acceptable. You MAY however use colored pencils if you choose.

-You will have to scan (or photograph) your drawing and email it to me once it's done. You may also post it up on the forums if you want. Though you only get one chance to submit, so whatever you email to me first will be your final submission.

-You have a good amount of freedom for the Valentine's Day theme. You could portray the character you choose handing out valentines, getting turned down by someone, or even just a simple scene that implies what Valentine's Day is all about - Love! (Keep it rated PG of course)

-The character you choose MUST be the main protagonist of the game you choose to represent. This means no secondary characters, only main characters. If you have questions as to whether or not your character can be considered a protagonist, please ask me first so you don't end up wasting your time on your drawing. You may have the protagonist among one or more secondary characters, however the protagonist must be the main focus of your image. (If you are not sure if you are following this rule correctly then feel free to ask)

-You may only use characters from ONE series.

-DO NOT digitally edit your submission. If you do you risk the disqualification of your drawing, or possible loss of points. If for some reason you are having difficulty scanning and need to adjust the contrast/saturation etc. of your submission then that may be acceptable, however I recommend emailing me first before making any edits.

-You may only submit ONE drawing. That means one piece of paper. If you need more space, use bigger paper. There is no limit one what size you can use, but remember that you need to be able to scan your image.

-You may NOT submit a multi-paneled comic as your image. This is supposed to be an art contest, so at most I will accept a single frame comic at the most if that's what you choose to do.

-Your character MUST have been published in an actual video game. This means you can do characters from TV and such as well as long as they have appeared in at least one game title. If you have a question about if you're allowed to do a certain character feel free to ask.

The entries will be judged similarly to the last contest where various categories are used (originality, creativity, skill, etc). I am personally organizing judges to help in order to limit bias on the best artwork. The prizes are as follows:

1st Place: WACOM Bamboo Pen & Touch Tablet

First place will also have the option to submit an updated version of their artwork using any medium they wish for me to showcase on the home page of the site.

2nd Place: $50 MG Store Gift Card
3rd Place: $25 MG Store Gift Card

All entries will be due by February 28th, 2011.

You have until 11:59pm (GMT-5) on February 28th to submit, any later and your submission will be invalid. I will not accept any artwork after that time.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me - have fun!