Once a year we make one special panel and ask artists to paint an animal they love on it. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, lizards, horses, whoever lives at your house (or used to).
A new guest judge and our Pro Team pick the winners, and along the way hundreds of artists end up finding each other online. It's one of our favorite things we do all year.
Entries are closed right now. The next competition opens June 1. Sign up at the bottom of this page and we'll email you the day the new panel goes on sale.
8 ShapesA brand new panel shape every year since 2019.
36 WinnersPrizes went to 36 different artists in 2026.
$1,000Top prize for Advanced first place.
New JudgeA different guest judge every year.
Why Enter?
Here's what you get out of it, whether you win or not.
Real Prizes
Cash up to $1,000 for Advanced first place, plus gift cards, curated brush sets and mystery prize packs for kids.
More Chances to Win
Nobody can win more than one prize in a year, so the prizes spread out. 36 different artists won something in 2026.
You Compete at Your Level
Beginners go up against beginners, not someone who's been painting for 20 years. There's even a category just for kids.
Working Artists See Your Work
A new guest judge looks at every entry each year, and our Pro Team picks favorites too. That's a lot of experienced eyes on your painting.
You Meet Other Artists
Entrants post their progress and finished pieces on social media, find each other's work and start talking. A lot of friendships start this way.
No Extra Entry Fee
Buying the competition panel is your entry. There's nothing else to pay, and each panel you buy is one more entry.
You Keep Your Panel
We only need a photo of your finished painting. The panel stays with you, so you can hang it, gift it or sell it.
Turn It Into a Commission
Some artists take on a pet portrait commission, paint it on the competition panel and enter it before handing it off. One panel, two jobs.
How It Works
1
Get the Panel
Each year has its own competition panel, and buying one is your entry. Want to enter more than once? Grab more panels.
2
Paint Any Animal
Use any traditional medium: oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, ink, charcoal, pastel, pencil and more.
3
Snap a Photo and Submit
Take a clear photo of your finished piece and send it in online before the deadline.
4
Watch for the Winners
The judges pick the winners, and we share every one of them on our blog.
Made by Hand. No AI or Digital Art.
AI art is a real problem right now, and we take it seriously. Every entry has to be made by hand with traditional media, right on that year's panel. Before any prize goes out, we look into each winning entry to make sure it was actually created by hand. If something needs a closer look, we'll reach out to the artist and ask for proof.
Tip: record video of yourself painting as you go, even short clips on your phone. Video of your process is the best proof if we ask, since photos can be faked too.
When It Runs
Same dates every year: June 1 through August 31.
June 1Panel Goes on Sale
The new competition panel isn't available before this. Order yours on June 1, then start painting as soon as it arrives.
August 31Last Day to Enter
Entries are due by 11:59 PM Pacific time.
Late SeptemberWinners Announced
We post every winner on our blog and let the winners know.
Prize Categories
Here's how the prizes broke down in 2026. Amounts and categories can change a bit from year to year.
Advanced
5 or more years painting.
1st Place $1,000
2nd Place $750
3rd Place $500
Intermediate
2 to 4 years painting.
1st Place $500
2nd Place $250
3rd Place $150
Beginner
2 years or less.
1st Place $250
2nd Place $150
3rd Place $100
Kids
12 and under.
First, second and third place each get a Trekell mystery prize pack.
Top Media
Our Pro Team picks 3 favorites each in oil, acrylic, watercolor and all other media. Each wins a $100 Trekell gift card.
Pro Animal
Pro Team artists pick the best dog, best cat and best other animal. Each wins a curated brush set.
Trekell Staff Picks
Our team picks 9 more favorites. Each wins a $25 Trekell gift certificate.
A New Shape Every Year
We design a brand new competition panel every year, and it's only made for that year. That means everyone starts from scratch with a painting made just for that shape. You can't reenter something from a past year, even if it already won, so the playing field is fresh every summer.
2019
Sergio Lopez
Advanced, 1st Place. Oil Judged by Jennifer Gennari
2020
David Nunez
Advanced, 1st Place. Acrylic Judged by Sergio Lopez
2021
Jazzy Jordan
Professional, 1st Place. Acrylic Judged by Soey Milk
2022
Megan Serfass
Advanced, 1st Place. Oil Judged by Kai Lun Qu
2023
Yuki Pan
Advanced, 1st Place. Acrylic Judged by Andrew Cadima
2024
Sybiline
Advanced, 1st Place. Oil Judged by Nick Eisele
2025
Alexandra Leonetti
Advanced, 1st Place. Oil Judged by Alai Ganuza
2026
Erik Kamenski
Advanced, 1st Place. Acrylic Judged by Hannah Webb (The Obanoth)
Winners Keep Coming Back
Winning once doesn't mean you're done. Plenty of past winners come back with a new painting for the new shape.
Sergio Lopez
Won first place in Advanced in 2019, then came back as our judge in 2020.
Alexandra Leonetti
Took 2nd in Advanced in 2021, then won first place in Advanced in 2025.
Melissa Moore
Placed 3rd in Advanced in 2023 and 2nd in Advanced in 2026.
Leah Patel
Placed 3rd in Advanced in 2025, then picked up a Top Oil award in 2026.
See Every Winner on Our Blog
Each year we post every winning painting, plus who judged it. Pick a year and scroll through.
Your painting has to be on that year's official competition panel.
Traditional media only. No AI or digital art, and every winning entry is checked.
Enter as many times as you want. Each entry needs its own panel.
One prize per artist, per year.
The full rules come out each year with the new panel.
Make It Social
Share your progress and your finished piece on social media and tag us. It's the easiest way to find the other artists painting along with you, and we love seeing what you're working on.
Got Questions?
Ask us anything about the competition and we'll get back to you.
Leah Patel
Sergio Lopez
David Nunez
Jazzy Jordan
Megan Serfass
Yuki Pan
Sybiline
Alexandra Leonetti
Erik Kamenski