COMING SOON Register Now to Enter
Submissions Open May 1
Thank you for all your submissions!
We are now working on publishing the entries on the official AWARD website. Please be patient until they become available.
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED!
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Winners Announcement!
 
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ABOUT COPIC AWARD

The COPIC AWARD is a competition that provides an opportunity to share diverse artworks created using Copic products. It connects Copic fans from around the world to inspire each other and to enjoy a collective creative experience.

Anyone can enter regardless of age, nationality, or genre.

COPIC AWARD 2026
Key Dates

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*Schedule is subject to change without notice.

Let's COPIC!

We are holding the annual COPIC AWARD to spread the joy of creativity with Copic and provide an opportunity to showcase your artistic expression to our global art community.

Within this global platform, we connect in a collective creative experience and synergize by learning from each other. Grab your markers, start bringing color to your ideas, and inspire others with your entry at COPIC AWARD.

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What is Copic?

Copic is an art materials brand of the Too Group, based on the concept of "Meeting Every Creative Need".
The brand is known for its color markers, which are used by customers in more than 70 countries and regions worldwide for a wide range of applications.

About Copic

PRIZES

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ImageGrand Prize(1 Entry)

Cash Prize:US$1,500

Prizes:

  1. A full set of 358 Copic Sketch markers in a custom acrylic Copic case
  2. Full Copic Multiliner lineup (all colors and nib sizes)
  3. Full Copic acrea lineup (24 colors)
  4. Full Copic Paper Selection lineup
  5. Commemorative trophy
  6. Commemorative art book
  7. Certificate
  8. Paid art commission
    and more!

*The winner will be selected at the final judging session from the entries that passed the preliminary round.
About the paid art commission:
・After the award announcement, we may invite winners to create artwork for the Copic website, catalog, and leaflet.
・If the winner is under 18, parental consent will be required.
・Participation is optional, and winners may decline the commission request. Please note that no payment will be made in such cases.

ImageSecond Place(2 Entries)

Cash Prize:US$1,000

Prizes:

  1. A full set of 358 Copic Sketch markers in a custom acrylic Copic case
  2. Full Copic Multiliner lineup (all colors and nib sizes)
  3. Full Copic acrea lineup (24 colors)
  4. Full Copic Paper Selection lineup
  5. Commemorative Trophy
  6. Commemorative art book
  7. Certificate
  8. Winner Interview
    and more!

*The winner will be chosen from the finalists whose artworks advanced to the final round of judging.

ImageFuture Generation Art Prize: Grand Prize(1 Entry)

Prizes:

  1. A full set of 358 Copic Sketch markers in a custom acrylic Copic case
  2. Full Copic Multiliner lineup (all colors and nib sizes)
  3. Full Copic acrea lineup (24 colors)
  4. Commemorative Trophy
  5. Commemorative art book
  6. Certificate
    and more!

*The winner will be chosen from the finalists who were under 19 years of age at the time of entry and whose artworks advanced to the final round of judging.

Judges' Awards(5 Entries)

Prizes:

  1. SpecialSpecial edition Copic set (including judge-selected colors and a custom case signed by the judge)
  2. Full Copic acrea lineup (24 colors)
  3. Commemorative Trophy
  4. Commemorative art book featuring this year's finalists' works
  5. Certificate
    and more!

Finalists will be selected from the works that pass the first round of judging.
*The winner will be chosen from the finalists whose artworks advanced to the final round of judging.
*Each judge will select one winning entry.

Finalist(50 Entries)

Prizes:

  1. Special edition COPIC AWARD 2026 set
  2. Copic Multiliner set
  3. Commemorative art book
  4. Certificate
    and more!

Entries selected by the panel of judges and passing the first round of judging will be recognized as award recipients.

Future Generation Art Prize(100 Entries)

Prizes:

  1. Special edition COPIC AWARD 2026 set

*Applicants under 19 years of age at the time of entry will automatically be considered for selection.

pixiv Award(1 Entry)

Prizes:

  1. Copic Sketch 72 Colors Set
  2. Commemorative art book
  3. pixiv Premium 12-month subscription
  4. Featured interview on pixivision
  5. VISIONS 2026 ILLUSTRATORS BOOK
    and more!

*This award is selected by the staff of pixiv, an illustration communication service.

Regional Awards(5 Entries)

Prizes:

  1. Copic Sketch 72 Colors Set
    and more!

Team Copic Awards(1 Entry)

Prizes:

  1. Copic Sketch 72 Colors Set
    and more!

*This award is selected by Copic staff.

Applicants’ Choice Award(1 Entry)

Prizes:

  1. Copic Sketch 72-Color Set
    and more!

*This award is selected from among the works that receive the most “Likes” through the “Favorite” feature, available exclusively to COPIC AWARD entrants.

>>About the "Favorite" function

Copic Multiliner Award(1 Entry)

Prizes:

  1. Full Copic Multiliner lineup (all colors and nib sizes)
  2. Copic Pochette
    and more!

*This award is open to artworks created using Copic Multiliner or Copic Multiliner SP.

>>About Copic Multiliner

Julia Gisella Award(1 Entry)

Prizes:

  1. Copic Sketch 72 colors set
  2. Copic × Julia Gisella Collaboration Set (Autographed by Julia)

*This award is selected by artist Julia Gisella.

>>About Julia Gisella

JUDGES

Kage

Kage

Representative of Caricature Japan | Artist

Kage is the President and Representative Artist of Caricature Japan Inc. After graduating from high school, he moved to the United States to study caricature. After returning to Japan, he founded his company to promote caricature culture across the country.
Kage has received numerous awards at international competitions, including winning the world championship in 2007, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the world competition in 2016. He was also selected as one of “100 Japanese People the World Respects” by Newsweek, and is now active both in Japan and internationally.

Read the interview
fuzichoco

fuzichoco

Illustrator

Popular illustrator fuzichoco is active across a wide range of genres, including light novels and mobile games. Her major works include creating the main visual for Magical Mirai 2020, character design for Rohto Pharmaceutical’s official YouTuber Nebasei Cocoro, the NIJISANJI virtual liver Lize Helesta, and Kitsunegasaki Amairo from the mobile game #Compass.
Her third art book, Shukusai Junrei, is currently available from KADOKAWA CORPORATION.

Read the interview
Sunao Maruyama

Sunao Maruyama

Designer | Associate Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts

Maruyama creates illustrations and designs for packaging and advertising, as well as picture books for children. She also plans and designs workshops tailored to diverse people and environments, facilitating collaborative creative experiences with participants across a wide range of generations. In addition, she performs in Japan and internationally as a member of the synthesizer band CRYSTAL and serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Design, Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts.

Read the interview
山口 つばさ

Tsubasa Yamaguchi

Manga Artist

Yamaguchi graduated from the Oil Painting program, Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts. She received an honorable mention in the Summer 2014 Afternoon Shiki Award competition. In 2016, she made her professional debut with the manga adaptation of She and Her Cat, directed by Makoto Shinkai. Since June 2017, she has serialized Blue Period in Monthly Afternoon.

Read the interview
Yuta Okuda

Yuta Okuda

Artist

Okuda studied fashion design in Japan and the United Kingdom, and worked as a designer for fashion brands before turning to art in 2016. His painting style combines vigorous brushstrokes and vibrant colors with delicate pen lines, resulting in works that convey both strong vitality and tension, and captivate the viewer. He also engages in diverse collaborations across fashion and hospitality sectors.

Read the interview

GUEST JUDGE

Julia Gisella

Julia Gisella

Artist

Julia Gisella is an internationally recognized artist known for her signature fusion of realistic portraiture, optical illusion art, and contemporary pop culture. Her work has led to collaborations with major global brands such as "NVIDIA, Netflix, Nike, BTS, YouTube, Lucasfilm, Genshin Impact, and Fortnite", among many others. Recognized by many as the most influential German YouTuber of all time, Julia also appeared on the anniversary cover of the acclaimed fashion magazine TUSH. She reaches a global audience of over 35 million followers across her social media channels.

PRIZES&JUDGES

How to Apply for COPIC AWARD 2026

Application Period for Entries May 1, 2026 (Fri) 12:00 – June 30, 2026 (Tue) 23:59 (JST)
*The entry period may be extended without prior notice.
ELIGIBILITY
  • There are no restrictions for nationality, age, experience, residence area, etc. Applicants must be individual artists, not groups.
  • Entry is limited to artworks which have not already been made public either though another competition or an exhibition (excluding personal exhibition or own social media pages).
ARTWORK CRITERIA
  • Your artwork must have been created using Copic products.
  • The artwork should be no larger than 420mm x 297mm x 300mm and weigh no more than 5kg.
    L420mm x W297mm is equivalent to the international paper size A3. There is no restriction on the orientation of length and width.
    Not only paintings or drawings, but three-dimensional works are also welcome. The base material does not have to be paper, but the use of fragile materials such as ceramic or glass is prohibited.
  • No categories, no specific theme – we’ve purposely kept this broad to encourage imagination!
  • Only one piece of artwork may be submitted per person.
  • Entries may be used in global promotional activities for the COPIC AWARD, organized by the Too Corporation Group, including product catalogs and websites. Please note this in advance.
TIMELINE
  1. Register for the AWARD and submit your entry by clicking on the ENTRY button. Your entry will be open to the public after it has been reviewed to ensure that it meets the AWARD requirements.
  2. Each entry is considered and scored on the AWARD's criteria, then the finalists will be decided by the judges.
  3. Judges review all shortlisted artworks and select winners of the Grand Prize, Judges' awards and other special prizes.
  4. Winners will be announced on copicaward.com.
NOTICE
  • Entries must be original works created by the applicants.
  • Entries that infringe the intellectual property rights or copyrights of others (e.g., plagiarism, imitation, or tracing) will be disqualified.
  • Entries generated using AI will not be accepted as they may infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.
  • The copyright of all submitted works remains with the artist (applicant), regardless of whether the work wins an award.
  • COPIC AWARD 2026 Application Rules
GUIDELINES

ENTRY FLOW

  • STEP1
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    Registration

    Register for the AWARD and submit your entry by clicking from the ENTRY form. Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully in advance.

  • STEP2
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    Submission of Entry

    Only one piece of entry may be submitted per person. 3 still image files of the same entry can be submitted.

  • STEP3
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    Complete!

    If you are a Registered Applicant, you can SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY or EDIT PERSONAL INFO on PERSONAL PROFILE page. After you send REQUEST FOR PUBLIC OPENING, we will review whether your entry is appropriate for public opening. If it meets the requirements of Application Rules, the images of your entry will be open to the public on the AWARD website.

ARCHIVE

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ARCHIVE

FAQ

Can I use art mediums other than Copic?
Yes. You can use any other art mediums (such as acrylic, watercolors, colored pencils or ink), but the majority of your artwork must be created with Copic products (e.g. markers, Multiliner pens, etc.). 
What is the maximum size my artwork can be?
The size of actual works should be within L420mm x W297mm x D300mm, with the weight of 5kg or less, or within L17" x W12" x D12", with the weight of 11 pounds or less.

L420mm x W297mm is equivalent to the international paper size A3. For A size, A3 (297 x 420mm), A4 (210 x 297mm), A5 (148 x 210mm), and A6 (105 x 148mm) are acceptable. For B size, B4 (250 x 353mm), B5 (176 x 250mm), and B6 (125 x 176mm) are also acceptable. As long as it is within L420mm x W297mm, any paper size is acceptable.

*If your work is selected as one of the finalists, we will ask you to send the original work to us for judging, so we have set the above size limit.
*Please do not use ceramic, glass, or other materials that can be damaged during transportation as base material.
What format should I submit my entry in and what is the maximum file size?
Three still image files of the same artwork can be submitted. Images must be uploaded as jpg format. Maximum size of each file must be no larger than 5MB.
I don't have a scanner. Can I use my camera instead?
Yes, but we need a good quality photo for judging your artwork so please ensure you use a high-quality camera.
Can I send my work by mail or via email?
No. You can only submit your entry through the COPIC AWARD official website. No other method of application will be accepted. Do not send actual artwork.
FAQ LIST

CONTACT

If you still have issues and would like to request assistance,
please send a message from contact form.

Too

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