CONTEST ENTRIES

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest. Also, a special shout out to everyone who helped spread the word about our contest. We enjoyed each and every piece and it was hard for the mods to pick a single winner. It was really heartwarming to see everyone’s pieces about their favorite Splatoon memory. Below are all the contest entries we received.

Winner: @SplattedOon

Artist Statement:

My favorite memory in game was easily when I managed to win a game of Clam Blitz by a hair in overtime. I just threw caution to the wind and made a mad dash with the power clam into the opposite team's goal. Despite having everyone's weapon trained on me, I was still able to make the throw and end overtime in our favor. This piece is an homage to that moment - also, fresh fish is there. That's very important.

Judges notes:

The storytelling in this piece is what stood out to us the most. It really captures the intense feeling of winning a match in overtime, especially in clam blitz. The composition in this piece is dynamic, fun, and full of energy. Plus, the negative space is filled beautifully and the use of color makes the piece pop. The character’s poses and expressions really help tell the story. Overall this is a really solid piece that clearly shows the artist’s favorite Splatoon memory.

Runner-up: @Vermilion_Seas

Artist Statement:

Splatoon is one of my favourite games, I grew up on it and I absolutely adore the aesthetic the game offers. Octo Expansion’s aesthetic was my inspiration for this art piece, the vivid neon colours and retro feel of the DLC are some of the many things I admire. I wanted to incorporate the atmosphere of Octo Expansion and SplatFest into my artwork, they were the most memorable experiences I’ve had from Splatoon. While creating this piece, I wanted the piece to have a melting aspect similar to Ink in water or paint dripping down a wall. I also decided that I wanted my art piece to have half tones and a bright vivid colour palette. Overall my artwork is a representation of all the things I love about Splatoon from escaping the depths of Octo expansion to celebrating late into the night during SplatFest.

Judges notes:

This piece clearly shows the artist’s love for the Splatoon series. We love how they were able to combine the aesthetic of the Octo Expansion with Splatfest. The colors and the composition are stunning and really gives off the octo expansion and rave vibes. Also, the attention to detail from the dripping ink, splatfest tower in the background, Agent 8 as the neon sign, etc. really makes this piece stand out.

Honorable Mention: @Kii_CatArt

Artist Statement:

I have a lot of fond memories of Splatoon, but one stands above the rest: Salmon Run. I do enjoy playing the mode with my friends, but I think what makes it prominent in my mind whenever I think of the franchise is how mysterious and dark it is compared to the rest of the series in my eyes. The sirens that go off in the distance during while you fight the Salmonids, the fact we, as Inklings and Octolings, are stealing their eggs, their babies, to give to our bear statue boss, and just the overall atmosphere really gets me. As do the designs of the Salmonids...A friend of mine took photos of her artbook so that I had a couple better references for this piece, and it wasn't until I looked at them that I noticed how morbid some of them were- If I'm honest, I was shocked, but further intrigued! For example, Stinger has a gas burner attached to his face, and Grillers stop moving and pop open due to us causing them to overheat, effectively cooking the Salmonids inside- They are risking so much and harming themselves just to beat us. They sure are determined lil fish-monsters! Even the song title "Deluge Dirge" adds to all of this; it's representative of the Salmonids saying "We will overrun you and send you to a watery grave." They are all preparing to fend us off, no matter what it costs.

Honorable Mention: @MTmrem

Artist Statement:

My favourite Splatoon memory was me getting into a ranked match with kp Kiver, one of the professional players I look up to. I managed to splat him mid-air with an inkjet which made me ecstatic!!! I ended up rewatching the video loads of times because I couldn't believe that I splatted one of the top players in such a cool way!

Here is a link to the video!