Over the last year Jackson’s monthly competitions have featured a whole host of amazing themes and entries, including vivid loose acrylics, meticulous botanical illustration and emotive realist portraiture. Because it’s nearing the end of the year we’ve collected together all our incredible Winners and People’s Choice Winners, that have been selected from thousands of entries, so that you can view and enjoy the talent of these artists. These competitions run from May till December and are separate from our annual prestigious competition Jackson’s Open Painting Prize which opens for submissions on 3rd January 2018 (click here to find out more about JOPP). You can click through to each individual competition to find out more about them and view the shortlists, which include a vast and fascinating range of styles and subjects. Congratulations to all our winners, thank you to everyone who took part in judging and of course thank you to all of the entrants!
Jackson’s Pastel Landscapes Competition – June 2017
Winner: ‘Clapham Common Autumn’ by Louise Gillard.
Pastels are often used for landscapes because of the ability to build up many layers and blend colours together, from creating a stormy sky to a field full of flowers. For this reason our June 2017 competition invited artists to submit their landscapes in pastel. Prizes included a year’s Silver membership of the Pastel Academy run by artist and tutor Heather Harman and a Set of 60 Art Spectrum Soft Pastels in a Wooden Box worth £194! There were also two People’s Choice Awards voted for by the public where each winner received a Half-Stick set of 40 Art Spectrum Soft Pastels worth £60.
The overall winner was ‘Clapham Common Autumn’ by Louise Gillard, who received a year’s Silver membership of the Pastel Academy run by artist and tutor Heather Harman and a Set of 60 Art Spectrum Soft Pastels in a Wooden Box worth £194. This work was created using Sennelier Soft Pastels on Hahnemuhle Velour Paper, 38 cm x 28 cm.
People’s Choice Winners:
Soft pastels on Uart 800 paper
Jackson’s Urban Sketching Competition – July 2017
Be it a quick gestural sketch in a coffee shop or a complete study of a building, Urban Sketching is loosely defined as drawings which capture a specific atmosphere or moment in time. For this competition we asked for submissions of urban sketches within a city environment. The prizes included Pigma Micron Pens & Strathmore Art Journals.
Winner: ‘Little Venice, London’ by Katie Clare.
Description: Canal boats and Regency style town houses in Little Venice, London.
Medium: Pen and watercolour on A4 watercolour paper, sketched on location.
You can look at more of her work on her Instagram.
People’s Choice Award Winners:
‘Cadiz’ by Merlyna Lim
Description: The city of Cadiz, viewed from the Tavira Tower
Medium: Ink pen (Sakura Pigma Micron 02, black) & watercolour on watercolour paper, 21.0 x 27.0 cm
‘Eastgate Clock, Chester – Watercolour & Pen Sketch’ by Ian Fennelly
Description: A location drawing, 40cm x 30cm, completed early spring in the busiest part of Chester City with lots of fun, distractions and coffee breaks.
Medium: An initial wash of watercolour was laid down, then the tonal values built up with brush pens, and all the detail developed with fine liner.
‘Cafe on Granby Street, Leicester’ by Emma Fitzpatrick
Description: Location drawing on a scouring hot day. Size 20cm x 30cm.
Medium: Used Saunders Waterford Watercolour Block (300gsm), black pens, black acrylic ink with wooden skewers, watercolour and pastel.
Jackson’s Atmospheric Acrylics Painting Competition – August 2017
The versatility of acrylics has made them a pioneer of modern artistic expression. Having only emerged in the last century, their bright colours, immediacy and durability have encouraged works in all forms, from realism to expressionism and everything in between.
For this competition we were looking for all things acrylic! We wanted your paintings that embrace acrylics as a medium and show its incredible versatility.
Overall winner, chosen by Jackson’s Judging Panel: ‘July’ by Zosia Olenska
Description: Letting it all hang out! The feeling of a hot, carefree Summers day.
Medium: Golden, Liquitex and Turner Acrylic Gouache on ply, 11 x 14 inches
Zosia received the following prizes:
Golden Fluid Acrylic Paint Set of 10 x 30ml £59.95 RRP
Golden High Flow Assorted Set 10 x 30ml £59.95 RRP
Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint Principal Set 6 x 60ml £53.95 RRP
The judges appreciated this work’s painterly qualities and its ability to capture both a specific narrative and raw emotion.
To find out more about Zosia Olenska you can read our interview with her here.
You can also visit her website to see more of her work.
People’s Choice Winners:
Description: One of my Cats painting series, in which I am after capturing my subject’s spirit, not just its appearance.
Medium: Amsterdam, Liquitex and Rembrant Acrylics on Fabriano paper, 17 x 13 inches
Description: A local disused shipyard glows with the blossom of the rising Sun.
Medium: Golden Acrylic & charcoal on canvas, 100cm x 50cm
‘Mevagissey Harbour’ – Jenny Aitken
Description: Dramatic summer lighting at Mevagissey, Cornwall. I loved the play of sun on the water and vibrant colour of the buoys.
Medium: Daler Rowney and Golden Acrylics on Board, 60 x 86 cm
Jackson’s Summer Seascapes and Landscapes Watercolour Competition – August 2017
Because World Watercolour Month was happening throughout the whole of July and because of the beautifully sunny days, we thought it would be a great idea to celebrate the two! From shimmering seas to rolling green fields, for this competition we were looking for artworks that celebrate the season of summer through landscapes or seascapes in watercolour. The prizes included impressive sets of Schmincke Horadam Watercolours.
‘Hidden Path’ by Sophie Rodinov was chosen as the overall winner of the Summer Seascapes and Landscapes Watercolour Competition by the Jackson’s judging panel . We chose this painting because of its painterly qualities and the sense of atmosphere – you almost feel like you are on a walk in the damp woods! We also had two People’s Choice Awards that were decided by public vote.
‘Hidden Path’ by Sophie Rodionov
Description: Watercolour painting which was started on location and finished in a studio.
Medium: Watercolour (Daniel Smith, Holbein, Schmincke Horadam) on paper. 38 x 56cm
Sophie received a Schmincke Horadam Watercolour Paint Set of 24 Full Pans worth £175 RRP.
People’s Choice Winners:
Description: Painted with a view from a kayak looking towards the Purbeck Cliffs of Dorset.
Medium: Watercolour (Winsor and Newton and White Knights), 62cm x 71cm
Description: Lizard’s Peninsula southern most tip of England is such an inspiring location. The sea, the hills, the flowers, the lovely open sky, all of it coming together to make this beauty landscape. Just could not help but create it in watercolours.
Medium: Camel Watercolours, 18 x 24cm
Jackson’s Mussini Oil Painting Competition – September 2017
Oil paints have been used in Europe since the 12th century. They have a fantastically broad history spanning a myriad of painting genres. In our international September competition, kindly sponsored by Mussini Oils, we were looking for all kinds of oil painting!
‘Dutch 1’ by Lindsey Carr
Our overall winner was ‘Dutch 1’ by Lindsey Carr, selected by Jackson’s Judging panel.
Description: A contemporary rendition after the Dutch ‘Tulip-mania’ paintings of the 17th century.
Medium: Jackson’s and Winosr & Newton Oil on panel, 50cm x 50cm
Lindsey received £150-worth of the gorgeous Schmincke Mussini Oil Paints of her choice.
You can find out more about Lindsey on her website.
People’s Choice Winners:
Description: This painting was inspired by my walk to Hilbre Island on The Wirral a few weeks ago. It’s a beautiful place. It’s quite a trek from the mainland and is cut off at high tide. My paintings often feature lonely buildings in the landscape. The buildings represent the place of people in the natural world. My paintings explore ideas of loneliness and connection, communication and isolation, alienation and belonging. The settings are based on reality but are not realistic. I allow myself free rein with colour, texture and form to evoke atmosphere and emotion rather than photographic realism.
Medium: Winsor & Newton Oil on Canvas, 61cm x 61cm
Description: This painting is about the Fleeting time that we have in life….the way time passes so swiftly
Medium: Jackson’s, Schmincke, Van Gogh, Vasari and Winsor & Newton Oil on canvas, 102cm x 80cm
Description: A seascape inspired by a morning sketching in the rain with my daughter at Saunton Sands while my sons were surfing. An atmospheric painting that reminds me of that happy morning.
Medium: Winsor & Newton oil paint, 50cm x 50cm
Jackson’s Plant Life: Botanical Illustration Competition – October 2017
Botanical Illustration is the process of rendering a plant species in both a scientifically accurate and aesthetically appealing manner. Originating from a need to assist the identification of a species, it has been practised for hundreds of years. It has now become a contemporary art form with work often completed in watercolour or coloured pencil. We are celebrated the tradition of Botanical Illustration by running our ‘Plant Life: Botanical Illustration Competition’!
The overall winner, chosen by The President of the Society of Botanical Artists, Sandra Wall Armitage was ‘Fading Beauty’ by Vivienne Rew.
Description: Number 5 in a series of 6 paintings titled ‘Metamorphosis – Life cycle of Papaver orientale’
Medium: Winsor & Newton Watercolours and Schmincke Watercolour on paper, 45x45cm
Vivienne received the prize of Winsor & Newton Deluxe Wooden Chelsea Box Set £152.99 RRP.
Sandra’s comment on the piece was: “A well observed and vibrant piece with exquisite detail showing how a plant has a natural beauty to the end and possessing great wall appeal.”
You can read more about Vivienne in our interview with her here.
You can see more of Vivienne’s work on her website.
Highly Commended by our Judge, Sandra Wall Armitage:
Medium: Winsor & Newton Watercolour on Arches Paper, 26x36cmMedium: Winsor & Newton Watercolour on Arches Paper, 26x36cm
Sandra’s Comment: “A beautifully illustrated and showing all the components of the wild carrot with a good composition and gentle colouring that to me created a very serene and attractive illustration.”
People’s Choice Winners:
Description: Watercolour botanical illustration of two dark bearded irises.
Medium: Saunders Waterford High White Hot Press watercolour paper, Paints: Winsor and Newton, Holbein, Brushes: Silver Black Velvet, Raphael 8408, WN Series 7, 12×16 inches
Description: This is work for the 3rd Moscow exhibition of botanical illustration and painting (autumn exhibition).
Medium: Sennelier watercolour on Canson paper, 30x40cm
Jackson’s Marker and Pen Drawing Competition – November 2017
Uni Ball sponsored our mid-month competition in November! We were looking for any genre of 2D work made with majority markers and pens.
The Overall Winner, chosen by Jackson’s Judging Panel was ‘Tojimashita (closed)’ by Simon Parish.
Description: Tokyo’s informal flowerpot gardens are an un-regarded yet ubiquitous site in Japanese cities. What I found interesting in such a contemporary ‘global city’, were how these overlooked sometimes discarded areas were being modified and reclaimed by the local individual. In a city apparently lacking in green space these small unauthorized gardens appear in all sorts of overlooked areas and set up a type of barrier or border between the private and public space, much needed when interior and exterior space are often only separated by a pane of glass. The plants themselves have been influenced by the popular TV programs shown in Japan about English gardens and gardening. The drawings, adapt a dry technical drawing style for the buildings which echo the grid structures of much of Tokyo’s urban planning and try to contrast this with a more careful and tender approach to the plants themselves, I allow the plants to ‘grow’ in size and heighten certain plant colours to contrast them against the rather beautiful white/grey monochrome tone of the city.
Medium: Letraset Promarkers and Sharpie Permanant Markers, 71x72cms
Simon received a huge box set containing 54 Posca Pens in various thicknesses worth £229 RRP as a prize.
People’s Choice Winners:
Description: This is a drawing done in pen of my French bulldog Alice. I am using a Moleskine journal and filling it full of drawings of her asleep or in the many weird and wonderful positions she sits in.
Medium: Staedtler pigment fineliners in a Moleskine Sketchbook
Description: Minimalist portrait of CS:GO pro gamer Xizt. I used Winsor & Newton Brushmarker as a sketch, added some colours with POCS markers and in the end added outline with Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen brush. Original artwork size is 9cm x 10,5cm
Description: This is a view of an old and atmospheric lane in Truro, Cornwall. I wanted to capture the historic and almost mysterious ambience of the scene. I could feel the echoes of the people who had lived, worked and travelled along here throughout the years. I want people to feel like they can ‘walk’ into the drawing and imagine what is happening just around the corner and feel a part of the stories themselves… This drawing (49 x 59.5cm) was produced using black fine line pens and marker pens in shades of grey. I found that drawing purely tonally helped to convey the atmosphere that I felt.
Medium: Copic Markers
Jackson’s Pastel Portrait Competition – November 2017
Pastels are an ideal medium for painting portraits, whether it’s people or animals in a realistic or expressive style. In November’s competition, we were looking for portraits of people and animals in any genre of painting. Works were completed in a majority pastels of any kind, including soft pastels, hard pastels, panpastels and pastel pencils. The artwork needed to feature a portrait.
The Overall Winner, chosen by Jackson’s Judging Panel was ’90 Today’ by Emma Colbert.
Description: I went to meet and photograph this lady on her 90th birthday. She was so lady like in her mannerisms but felt very uncomfortable sitting in a chair. Her natural place seemed to be perched on the edge of the chair ready to be busy at any moment. I used my photographs from that meeting to produce this image.
Drawing up a rough sketch first I fine tune this until I can transfer it to my velour pastel paper. Then I use the soft pastels to block in and later some pastel pencil for fine detail.
Although her face told many stories I still wanted it to be flattering to her so I worked hard to keep the palette light and not too heavily contrasted.
Medium: Soft Pastel, 16 x 22″
Emma received DaVinci Pastel Brush Set £24.60 RRP, DaVinci Pastel Applicator Set £14.30 RRP, Faber Castell Set of 60 Pitt Pastel Pencils £115.25 RRP.
You can find out more about Emma on her website.
People’s Choice Winners:
Description: This is my son’s portrait. He is 8 years old.
Medium: Pastel pencils and pastels on pastelmat.
Description: Pastel head study on Belgian linen panel. I enjoyed using the texture of the linen to help create the softness and translucence of the skin tones and the hair. It was a bit of an experimental piece as I used a light acrylic underpainting to develop and work out the tonal values before painting the final pastel.
Medium: Pastel on Linen Panel
Description: Head and neck portrait of old Terrier.
Medium: Pastel pencils and soft pastels on Pastelmat
Jackson’s Festive Image Call Out – December 2017
Every December we look for an original art work to front our festive email card! We accepted paintings, drawings or prints that depict just about anything from a beautiful winter landscape to a merry Christmas scene.
Christmas At The Red Hut by Anna Wilson-Patterson won, who will receive her choice of £300 RRP of Daler Rowney products from Jackson’s online shop and her artwork will be sent to over 70,000 people in our newsletter!
To keep up to date with our competitions over 2018 please check our Jackson’s Competition Calendar.
