Are you the outstanding up-and-coming illustrator we’re looking for?
Ready to show the world what you can do? Join ‘Picture This!’ Send us three of your most unique illustrations that together tell a powerful story, and you could become one of the winners of PICTURE THIS 2026! This is your chance to gain international exposure and share your work with a global audience. You can participate through the country you are from. Click on your country below to find out more and upload your illustrations — we can’t wait to see your work!
Picture This is an international illustration competition for unpublished and emerging illustrators who see picture-book making as an art form of image and storytelling.
Founded in 2014 by like-minded publishers and illustrators, the competition aims to give new illustration talent visibility.
Illustrators from all over the world take part, with national juries selecting the most promising entries.
Picture This offers makers a first platform and brings their work to the attention of international publishers and institutions through a catalogue and exhibitions – supporting illustrators as they take their first steps into the world of picture books.
The Picture This! 2025 winners are
THE NETHERLANDS & BELGIUM
Caroline Rodriguez Velasco, Suzanne Gunnink, Monica Hajek
THE UNITED KINGDOM
Lauren Sharples, Megan Knight, Qinzi
SOUTH AFRICA
Lula Pauw, Isabelle Smit, Neil Badenhorst
ITALY
Sara Cuperlo, Sara De Georgi, Markéta Brecherová
GERMANY, SWITZERLAND & AUSTRIA
Charlotte Lorber, Clara Gilod, Enikö Gömöri
Watch a PT! 2022 winner
One of the winners of Picture This! was Sacha Heemels. Publishing House Lemniscaat saw her potential and gave her the opportunity to work on her first picture book. That resulted in De maan is overal dezelfde and was shortly followed by her second picture book, Het knuffeltalent. Lemniscaat made a short documentary about the process. She gives some great advice for everyone who would like to join the competition!