PSA Magazine Pokemon Cover Illustration
by Steffan Stewart
This year, Steffan Stewart entered the Pokémon Illustration Contest, inspired by his lifelong love of trading cards and illustration. He chose to illustrate Feraligatr, using a new stippled style and featuring Wattrel cleaning its teeth. Though his submission didn’t make the top 300, Steffan remained proud of stepping out of his comfort zone and growing as an artist.
Soon after, Steffan was contacted by PSA/Collectors, the world’s leading card authentication service. They had seen his Pokémon illustrations on Dribbble and commissioned him for cover art in PSA Magazine. Impressed with his work, they also licensed his Feraligatr illustration for their Pokémon Worlds edition, a limited-edition magazine handed out at the event.
This journey reinforced Steffan’s belief in taking risks and pursuing his passions, reminding him that even without a win, the creative process can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Steffan Stewart
Trading cards have been a passion of mine since childhood, from trading Pokémon and basketball cards to tearing open booster packs in search of rare gems. When the Pokémon Illustration Contest came up in 2024, I saw a chance to bring that passion full circle. I challenged myself to push beyond my usual style, choosing Feraligatr as my subject. While I didn’t make the cut, the process reminded me of why I create—to follow my passions and grow as an artist. Shortly after, another opportunity came my way—PSA Magazine wanted to license my Feraligatr piece for their special Pokémon Worlds edition. Seeing the reception from my work, as well as seeing it selling like crazy on eBay has been surreal, and a reminder that sometimes taking risks can lead to incredible opportunities!