π¨ Why MS Paint?
Denton is overflowing with creativity. You see it in the murals, the music, our weird little zines in every coffee shop (BTW? Always judge a Denton coffee shop by it's number of Zines. If it doesn't have any Zines, RUN.) So if we live with so many artists, why isn't art everywhere? Why isn't every surface covered, every blank wall claimed?
We at DNTN! think it's because we live in a capitalist world that punishes imperfection. A world that tells you to stay in your lane and keep your ugly process to yourself, until you're ready to step up to market and "sell". We're so focused on productivity and efficiency, we forget that making things is supposed to just be... making things.
This contest is our attempt to remedy that. It's inspired by the "draw this badly in MS Paint" trend: the one where we ask ChatGPT to draw all the bad art for us. It makes us wonder: Have we circled so far back around our fear of imperfection that we're wanting machines to make our imperfection too? It's funny when a blameless machine farts out an image, but can we hold that same level of respect for the bad art of others? Of ourselves?
There's something lost when we're so fearful of judgment we let AI make our mistakes for us. Remember that feeling of frustration when the MS Paint bucket leaves 10% of your scattered pixels unpainted, so you either painstakingly fill them all in, or just say "fuck it" and leave it totally crunchy? It's the simple thrill of discovering an accident that looks kinda cool. (95% of our banner was created this way.) It's the laziness to even swap out the color palette, just making it work with those awful pinks, reds, purples and greens. The messy, human act of just trying something with your own two hands.
So here's the deal: we know your art is gonna look like shit. We're just asking you to open MS Paint β or whatever janky program you can find β and just... make something. We're not looking for the next masterpiece. We're looking for humans. Humans that want to get messy, experiment, and reconnect with what it's like to try.
- Theme: Denton Artwork. Anything goes! Landmarks, local legends, favorite foods - it's all on the table!
- Tool: The worst digital art program you can find. You're not limited to MS Paint, but the shittier the program, the better. The only requirement is that it's a digital art creation.
- Size: Any size, but keep it reasonable for web viewing.
- Deadline: Submit by July 31st, 2026.
- Prizes: π Bragging rights as DNTN!'s first MS Paint Champion + an artist's feature on DNTN! + a $50 Visa Giftcard (ooh la la!)
- How to enter: Click the "Submit Your Art" button below! It will take you to our contact page. At the very bottom of the page is our email or Instagram - pick your poison.
π― Judging Criteria
This contest is about heart, not skill. We're not looking for master works of art. We're looking for authenticity and joyful imperfection. Did you make us laugh? Did you capture the spirit of Denton, and somehow cram it into a jpeg? Did you commit to the challenge of getting your hands-dirty with a horrible art program?
Our judges will be looking for:
- π¨ Choice of Program: You're not limited to just MS Paint β but the jankier, more outdated, and awful to use, the better. MS Paint will always be King in our hearts, but we'd be ignorant if we didn't think you could find worse. If it feels like you're fighting the program more than you're drawing, you're doing it right.
- ποΈ Subject Matter: How truly Denton is your work? Is it something people would recognize about our community, or does this artwork show a more personal connection with our home?
- π₯ Fullness of Expression: Did you go all in on the opportunity to make something terrible? Pushed the program to it's limits? We don't want to see half-measures. Extra points if you used as many conflicting colors, tools, and textures as you could.
- π§ͺ Commitment to Experimentation: Did you push yourself, not just as an artist, but as a creative being? Did you go outside of your comfort-zone and make something truly new to you?
And most importantly...
DOES IT LOOK LIKE YOU HAD FUN?!
- Eligibility: Open to all current and former Denton residents.
- Submission Limit: We know making shitty art is fun! So you can submit up to 3 pieces. Quantity of submissions does not increase your favorability of winning.
- AI Policy: Art generated with AI will not only disqualify you from this contest, but from all future DNTN! contests. We want human-made artwork, not robot-made images.
- Rights: By submitting, you grant DNTN! permission to freely display, share, and promote your artwork on our website, social media, and promotional materials. You retain ownership of your original work.
- Deadline: All submissions must be received by midnight on July 31st, 2026.
- Winner Selection: Winners will be chosen by the DNTN! team and announced within a week of the deadline.
- Prize: One $50 Visa Giftcard + bragging rights + a feature on DNTN!'s Studio Visit category.
- Disqualification: Entries that are offensive, hateful, adult-only, or otherwise violate our site's terms will be disqualified from the contest. DNTN! reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is deemed unsuitable for the contest.
- Contact: Questions? Email us at dntn-news@proton.me or DM us on Instagram.
πΌοΈ Submissions
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