I Wanted to ask everyones opinions on Illustration contest cards; focusing more on the below four releases:
to save me posting every picture hopefully its ok to share the direct link for people to check out! Bulbapedia Illustration Contents
CoroCoro Best Photo Contest & 64 Mario Stadium Best Photo Contest 1999
Including the infamous SNAP cards
Population of individual cards ranging from 15-20 copies (based on released amount)
2009 Pokémon Card Design Contest
Including the Spikey ear Pichu & Arceus cards
Population of individual cards are 100 per winning card (based on released amount)
2010 Pokémon Card Design Contest
Including the Illusion Zorua & Zoroark cards
Population of individual cards are 200 per winning card (based on released amount)
Pokémon Art Academy Competition 2015
Including the Japanese, North American & European and Oceanian cards
Population of individual cards are 100 per winning card (based on released amount)
If you could own a set which would it be? or if you had to pick a single individual card?
I would choose the Pokemon Art Academy (not bias) and the Japanese Pikachu artwork by Mame Akimaru
The Snaps are some of the most valuable cards in the hobby so they definitely stand out as a category. They are the only set above where every card is pretty much out of my budget.
For me,
Snaps > Art academy > Arceus/Pichu > Zorua/Zoroark
all of the modern/recent illustration contests > AA > anything including if 5ban won a contest > pichu/arceus/zoroark/zoruas
couldn’t care less about rarity. when it comes to the art on the card, snap and the elementary stuff is just not enjoyable to look at. (i know, boring/cliche/unenlightened/non-nuanced take. idc)
*One more bonus for the modern contests is these artists actually begin illustrating for the TCG. It’s not just a trophy to sit on a shelf or in a safety deposit box. They’re exciting contests that give a peak into the future of pokemon card art
I picked the Art Academy cards over the Snap cards mainly because I’ve never played Pokemon Snap, so I prefer the original artwork of Art Academy. That said, the Snap cards are definitely second because of the value and history.
Snaps are cool in history but the poses are terrible. I played the heck out of snap and got way better photos than those on the N64. The only ones that are decent are bulbasaur and charmander, maybe chansey because i remember having a terrible time getting a good photo so that might be the best that can be done.
Art academy as a set is my favorite with all the variation and the quality of the card art. 22 cards with 12 of them, some are top tier, pikachu art.
The arceus/pichu and zorua/zoroark competitions are cool concepts with really cool variations but with the stock art base it makes the designs and quality not look very cohesive (granted these are children drawings so its expected). I can see where it can appeal to some but zorua/zoroark is the worst one in my view.
Great Choice! I am actually surprised how many people side with Art Academies! its nice to see here I was thinking I was the only one who cared about them
The snap promos rudimentary and clunky 90s video game graphics combined with their insane rarity and cool history puts them far ahead of the others for me. I like all the other categories, but they might as well be in any order. I suppose the art academy have some of the most interesting and creative artworks.
I like most of the Snap cards, two of the Arceus and the Kecleon Art Academy. Not crazy about any of them but if I get to own one then I would go for Snap Magikarp.
As for the creator pack, I love the Mudkip. A supreme card.
