We are delighted to share the winners of this year’s London Art College Art Competition! Every year our students amaze us with their dedication and 2026 was no exception. Entries closed on 1st October, and our tutors had the very happy (and very difficult!) task of looking through every single piece before choosing the winners at our annual meeting. A huge thank you to every student who entered. It takes courage to share your work, and we loved seeing such a wonderful mix of subjects and mediums.
Our two winning pieces are very different, but they share something special. Both were created with real love for the subject, and both come with a story that makes them even more memorable. We are thrilled to let the artists tell those stories in their own words.
First Prize: Sally Hall, ‘Lady Jan’
I decided to repaint this lady as I had previously completed her in a pen and wash format that subsequently sold in a small art shop in Clevedon, Somerset. However I hadn’t expected her to sell and realised I’d quite like to have one for my own wall at home.
So set about redoing her in a slightly brighter palette than the previous one. She’s drawn from a picture a friend at my local art group had given me and I have drawn her initially using the grid method. I painted her in watercolours using a set of pans given to me by my Dad many years ago….the name Lady Jan is a nod to my Mum who was a big supporter of my art ‘attempts’!
What a beautiful piece, and what a lovely story behind it. Sally’s watercolour has a warmth and character that drew our tutors in straight away, and there is something very touching about a painting made with her Dad’s paints and named in honour of her Mum. Congratulations Sally, we hope Lady Jan looks wonderful on your wall at home!
Second Prize: Lucy Jayne, ‘For the Love of a Peanut Butter Biscuit’
This drawing is of my lurcher Sanau (whose name means “socks” in Welsh). One lunchtime walk, she suddenly stopped and refused to move. After a tug of war, I let her lead the way, and she took me straight to her favourite café, where they sell peanut butter dog biscuits. She sat eagerly in front of the biscuit tin, so I bought her one and took some photos of her staring up lovingly at her prize.
I used these photos, alongside Sanau herself, as references for the drawing. I began with a light sketch, spending time to capture her character. I tested colours in a separate sketchbook to create my palette and plan the layers. Then came the fun of making her come to life. I gradually built up the colour through layering, using a variety of techniques to create texture including short strokes for the fur, scumbling for the eyes and stippling for the nose. I also used a sharp craft knife for fine details such as her whiskers.
I’m super surprised and delighted to have been awarded second prize in this competition. I draw what I love (and love to draw) and am so happy the judges enjoyed the piece too.
Sanau’s hopeful little face had us smiling from the very first look! Lucy has captured that expression every dog owner knows so well, and her careful planning really shows in the finished drawing. The layered fur, the shine in the eyes and those fine whiskers picked out with a craft knife all come together to make Sanau feel wonderfully real. Congratulations Lucy, and we hope Sanau got a celebratory biscuit too!
See all the entries
You can visit the 2026 Winners page on our website, and we would really encourage you to browse the 2026 Entries gallery too. It’s full of fantastic work from students across all our courses.
See you next year
The competition will be back in 2027, so why not start thinking about what you might like to create? Details will be shared on the Art Competition page and here on the blog nearer the time.
Congratulations once again to Sally and Lucy, and thank you to everyone who took part!
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