Like last year, we had a lot of entries this. (I think even more than last time). And a lot of them showed quite a bit of potential too. But we had to be critical, and slowly but surely, we narrowed our selection down to just 5 'potential' winners. 
But we weren't done yet! 
The rules were clear. In the end, we could only choose 3 winners, so it came down to weighing the pros and cons (which we combined with a healthy bit of bickering 😂) about what we thought was most important to see in a picture book illustration.
Think, for instance, about strong characters development, composition, use of color, use of materials, how the canvas is filled (or left empty), and so on.

Finally, the moment sûpreme arrived when we really had to make a decision, and ... once again... it wasn't easy. We saw such a wide variety of illustrations crossing the table, but the decision was ultimately made.

Of course, we fully stand behind our choices. 😁 

Here's what we ended up choosing: 

The three Dutch winners of  Picture This! 2026:

Anika Pardijs

What the jury said about Anika Pardijs

The jury appreciates the world that Anika created. The illustrations invite you to look around and discover more details. These details empower the topic of collecting, finding, and searching.

The story about Ava, who finds a rock, loses it, then finds it again, is simple in its way, but touches on the themes of wonder, attachment, and loss. Because of that, the story will resonate with both young and adult readers.

The jury sees in Anika Pardijs an illustrator who has her own distinctive visual language and creative vision, and looks forward to following her future progress.

Sue Ekin Demir

What the jury said about  Su Ekin Demir

With On the Way to the City, Su Ekin Demir presents a well-thought-out entry.
Technically, Demir shows what she can do. The combination of mixed media, collage, and digital techniques forms a coherent whole. The colorful backgrounds bring energy to the images, while the contrasting black-and-white penguins makes sure that our attention always stays on the main characters.

This entry shows that Su Ekin Demir has a sense of visual storytelling for her target group. The jury sees a maker with a clear visual language and looks forward to her further development.

Wieteke Opmeer

What the jury said about  Wieteke Opmeer:

With her depiction of The Velvet Rabbit, Wieteke Opmeer shows that she's a true master in her craft. The three illustrations show her strong drawing skills and a good understanding of atmosphere, light, and composition. They fit in well with the emotional core of the story and make the relationship between the characters tangible.

The character development is also striking. The Velvet Rabbit, the Horse, and the boy have their own presence. In a subtle way, Wieteke visualizes emotions with posture, gaze, and facial expressions, without exaggerating them. Especially the scene with the sleeping boy and rabbit touches and convinces the audience.

The jury sees quality, craftsmanship, and a lot of potential.

So, once more
CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!! 

All three of you have delivered top performances, and I hope you'll enjoy the masterclass and the portfolio review at Lemniscaat Publishers (amongst the other extras).

Exhibition

Opening hours:
Wed, Thu and Sunday 13:30 - 16:30
Extra day open on:
Saturday 12 september (10:00 - 16:00)

Finally

Het was weer een eer om te mogen jureren. Wie weet volgende jaar nog een keer, en dan als het goed is voor het laatst. 
Hou de social media accounts van Uitgeverij Lemniscaat in de gaten voor meer updates over deze illustraties wedstrijd.

Voor nu wens ik je een hele fijne dag.

Veel liefs,