Welcome to the World Illustration Championships 2021 (Classic)

Attend and enjoy the world's most prestigious Live-Art event. Don't miss the action unfold, watch the world’s top illustrators compete - witness a clash of styles as they battle to become no.1

World Championships 2021: Fri, Aug 20th - Sun, Aug 22nd | Samsung KX, Kings Cross, London, UK N1C 4DQ

Watch online or attend the live event, get your tickets here. Sign-up to our newsletter for announcements or register your interest on our compete page.

Full Classic competitor line-up coming soon!

Artists have 60 minutes to complete an A2 illustration inspired by a recent news headline. Stationery is restricted (8 pieces max) and colour palette must be black, white (greyscale permitted) plus a single colour. Our judges award points across the following criteria.

0-10 | Personality: Points awarded based on the injection of energy, dynamism and charisma.

0-10 | Interpretation: Points awarded based on a successful portrayal of the headline, witty, clever and original interpretations all secure high points.

0-10 | Narrative: Points awarded for successful ‘on-paper narrative’ between characters and other elements.

0-10 | Technical: Points awarded based on dexterity, understanding of light, composition, natural ability and talent.

0-10 | Social: Vote for your favourite competitor to help them progress through the tournament. This voting process is currently under review, more details released soon.

The highest scoring competitor moves into the next round, the loser is knocked out. If scorecards are tied the social score (S) will determine the winner of a battle. 1 x point is awarded for a WIN, 0 x points for a LOSS. A bonus point (BP) is awarded to competitors winning 4 x consecutive battles during a tournament. Points scored during a tournament contribute towards a competitor's overal Rankings Table position.

Every tournament has a leaderboard. Performance at this tournament contributes towards overall IWS ranking. When competitors have identical points (PTS) the 'Exit' value will determine hierarchy and position. The 'Exit' value reflects a competitor's most recently awarded scorecard (i.e when leaving/exiting the tournament). If 'Exit' scorecards are tied the social score (S) determines leaderboard position.