Well, hello there, Vampires.
We’re well into the autumn months, but even as we approach the midway through November, we haven’t completely relinquished our grip on the season of screams! Yes, there’s one more order of business before we finally close out our Halloween celebrations, and that’s the announcement of the winners of the Slashers of Vardoran Art Competition!
For this competition, the challenge we gave to you, our community, was taking one of the V Blood bosses you have lovingly battled for so long and reimagining them with the theme of a horror slasher movie. Judging this contest, we took into account, first and foremost, adherence to the main theme! Whoever best evoked the mood and terror of this beloved genre that is so often enjoyed at the spookiest time of the year. After the theme, we considered overall artistic merit, skill, and creativity.
Speaking of judging.
Meet The Judges!
This year we have six total, three from the community and marketing team, and three from the art team. Introducing…
Johan Ilves - Marketing Director
Johan Wahlbäck - Art Director
Viktor Blomqvist - Senior Concept Artist
Johan Aronson - Senior Concept Artist
Ruth Dominguez - Marketing and Data Officer
Jeremy Fielding - Community Manager
To come to our conclusion, each judge gave their own Grand Winner, Runner-Ups, and an additional 7 Finalists. After collecting all of our opinions, we worked out the strongest picks we had in common. We then ultimately came to a consensus based on the criteria the artists were given, trying to stay as faithful to the rules of the contest as possible.
Special Mentions
We’d like to get into some special mentions to celebrate some of the exceptional talent that, for one reason or another, weren’t included in the top ten finalists. Although some of these didn’t quite align with all contest criteria or submission guidelines, the quality and passion in each entry made them deserving of recognition. We encourage everyone to check out and support these talented artists!
Art by Tyishia Brown
Art by NV
Art by David
Art by Ternion
Art by Nawie
Art by Sanne Rosa
Art by Zachary Beaupre
And now… our contest winners!
As a reminder, here’s what our amazing roster of Finalists, Runner-Ups, and the Grand Winner will be taking home!
The Grand Winner will receive:
- V Rising Vinyl
- V Rising MERCH PACK
- V Rising Hoodie (of their choice)
- V Rising XL Mouse Pad
- V Rising Mug
- V Rising Key Chain
- V Rising Shirt (of their choice)
- V Rising CLAN PACK
- 4 Copies of V Rising for themselves and their closest clanmates.
- All current and future DLC to lord over them.
Two Runner-Up Finalists will receive:
- V Rising Mug
- V Rising Key Chain
- V Rising Shirt (of their choice)
- Castlevania DLC
Seven other Finalists will receive:
- Castlevania DLC
- Dracula’s Relics DLC
- Sinister Evolution Pack DLC
Now, to the part you’ve all been waiting for!
Finalists
Our seven finalists are artworks that all stood out in adhering to the theme, having striking and unique artistic execution, and speaking to us individually. Some of these really brought the slasher attitude with extreme angles and intensity, some had creative designs and reimaginations of the V Bloods, and some were just a lot of fun. Each of these artworks is, in its own way, great and worthy of recognition. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we have!
Art by Bucur Andrei
Art by Sara Bardi
Art by Bryon R
Art by João Passos
Art by Basket of Potatoes
Art by Cassidy Sin
Art by Hukiora
Runners-Up
These two pieces were in direct competition with our Grand Winner and have earned a special distinction that we just can’t help but write about! In addition, they’ll be able to conquer every fashionable occasion, bottle cap, or contain any sufficiently small and drinkable liquid!
Art by Dicky Wardhana
Is he a psychotic showman or something even more dark? Lord Styx the Nightmarshal, as a Clown or Jester-themed slasher, brings an eerie mystique that leaves you both captivated and thoroughly creeped out. The artist’s choice of a stylized painterly touch adds to the mystery, allowing raw brushstrokes to shine and giving the piece a rich, organic feel. It’s not overly detailed, but that restraint works wonders, enhancing the ominous presence of Lord Styx and hinting at the unknown madness lurking within him. A standout piece of evil artistry!
Art by Leg
The cold face of death promises your end, Vampire! This portrayal of Vincent the Frostbringer as an undead killer is a truly bone-chilling vision transporting us back to the vintage horror poster era of the 70s and early 80s. A playful combination of warm and cool colors creates a striking contrast, putting our slasher front and center as the subject of our doom reaching out to crush us, the helpless Vampire cowering in the foreground. The digital rendering is thorough and filled with rough, sharp details, and the style feels very intentional in the way it evokes old, nostalgic horror. Truly, you can feel the love put into this piece as much as you can feel the terror!
Grand Winner
This has certainly been true every year up until now, but this year our Grand Winner really is special. A dark horse candidate with a unique take on the theme that we weren’t sure of at first, but really grew on us the more we considered it.
And our grand winner is…
Does Maja Like Scary Movies?
Art by Wilma Westroth
Maja the Dark Savant cast as the victim in a slasher movie? Brilliant. This artwork pays a powerful tribute to slasher classics like Scream, masterfully blending suspense with empowerment. The intense expression of the character on the phone, paired with the lurking vampire in the background, effortlessly captures classic slasher horror tension. The comic-inspired style, combined with cinematic lighting and subtle distortion, creates an eerie, dreamlike quality that pulls viewers into its suspenseful atmosphere. Thoughtful details, from the tattoos and black sclera to the carefully chosen color palette, showcase both technical skill and creativity. This piece is a fresh, modern take on the iconic imagery of the horror genre.
Choosing a winner from so many outstanding entries was no easy task, but this artwork, with its creativity and mastery, captured the hearts of the entire judging committee. We were captivated not only by its beauty but by how perfectly it embodied the theme, and we’re thrilled to award it the title of
Grand Winner in this year’s art competition!
Thank You, Vampires!
This has been yet another amazing competition and every year, you surprise us with your creativity and passion. It was a pleasure to receive your submissions and go through each one, every year, we make an effort to respond to as many submissions as possible and very often have truly lovely, heart-warming interactions with each of you.
Despite being a community built on the fiendish and evil machinations of undead masterminds, V Rising has brought us endless kindness from unexpected places, even during the darkest and most terrifying time of the year. Thank you for sharing your nightmares with us once again, and thank you for being so terribly wonderful.
And to our contest winners, expect an email from us shortly!
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Lots of love and a pint of blood,
/The Marketing Team