ENTRY ENDS
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Entry closes on Saturday, January 31, 2026 11:59 PM (Europe/Stockholm).
Entry closes on Saturday, January 31, 2026 11:59 PM (Europe/Stockholm).
In the last 5 years we have inspired people in the hobby to help them evolve as painters while having tons of fun doing so. The Squidmar Open is our way of taking the next step in this endeavour.
We like to keep things clear, and so there will be four categories to enter your miniatures in. And to open the competition for more people, we have decided to have three levels of difficulty/judging criteria; Master, Standard and Youngbloods. From the 1st of December 2025 to the 30th of January 2026 you can enter your competition pieces.
You may only enter once per category.
For painters up to 16 years old who are still early in their hobby journey. If you’re developing your skills, experimenting with new techniques, or entering your first competitions, the Youngbloods Level is the perfect place to start. This tier celebrates creativity, enthusiasm, and growth, so bring your best work, enjoy the experience, and take your next exciting step as a miniature painter.
A category perfect for miniature painters looking to enter their first painting competition. Or maybe you’ve entered a few, but never had the chance to bring home a prize. Anyone that would feel great about just participating, and maybe bringing home their first prize, would do well entering this difficulty level.
For experienced painters. Maybe you’ve won painting competitions before or placed in a couple. Or maybe you just stand out among your peers. If you are an expert painter, there’s all the honor to gain entering the Masters Category - and even more so by bringing home a medal in this difficulty level.
To enter the competition, just register by clicking this link: Register Here
Once logged in, you can upload your images and administrate all your entries. We advise you to read through all the rules and info first!
Squidmar Open is a competition that celebrates amazing miniature art. And with that, our judging is not based on one first place, one second and one third.
Instead, we’ll be handing out prices based on what level your entry has. Meaning that there can be multiple gold winners in each difficulty level and category. There might be 3 golds and 5 silvers if the entries reach that level! We also want to premiere excellence; in that we will have a couple of best off awards, such as best in show, best of sona miniature and most creative and original entry. These best off awards will also be rewarded with some pretty exciting prizes such as airbrushes, 3d printers and much more!
Gold
Silver
Bronze
is an internationally renowned miniature artist, teacher, and founder of the influential Massive Voodoo collective. With a career spanning thousands of painted works, a Golden Demon Slayer Sword, and extensive experience teaching painters of all levels across the world, he is celebrated for his atmospheric, story-driven approach to the craft. Roman brings a unique combination of artistic vision, technical mastery, and deep pedagogical insight to the judging panel, making him a highly respected voice in the miniature-painting community.
With years of painting, modelling and terrain projects under his belt, Jay brings a strong practical understanding of modelling workflows, from batch-painting armies to painting complex infantry and vehicles, building terrain boards, and sharing helpful step-by-step advice. As a judge, he offers the perspective of someone deeply familiar with what works on the tabletop, prioritizing creativity, consistency and overall presentation, qualities especially relevant for hobby-level and community-driven competitions.
Erkka Marttio is an award-winning miniature artist and educator known for his strong storytelling, atmospheric composition, and refined technical skill. With top honors at major international competitions, he has demonstrated mastery across figures, busts, and dioramas. As a trained teacher, Erkka brings a clear, insightful approach to judging, balancing craftsmanship, narrative, and creativity to fairly assess entries of all styles and scales.
is a celebrated miniature-painter, designer and content creator behind Rogue Hobbies. Having gained recognition as a painting presenter at Games Workshop, she has since stepped out on her own, combining her passion for painting and sculpting with a fresh, vibrant style that blends high-contrast colours, imaginative design and playful character.
As a judge, Louise brings a strong sense of creativity, community awareness, and an inclusive, welcoming attitude, valuing expression, uniqueness and bold presentation over strict conformity. Her background in both corporate and independent miniature work allows her to appreciate a wide range of styles, while her enthusiasm for fun and originality helps encourage diverse artistic voices in the competition.
Borja Calvo Bertrán de Lis is a distinguished miniature painter and instructor, celebrated for his artistic ambition and technical excellence. With a career highlighted by a recent win of the coveted Slayer Sword at Golden Demon 2025, he demonstrates mastery over large-scale models, detail work, and dynamic, expressive style.
As a judge, Borja brings the perspective of a modern competitive painter, one who understands the demands of large projects, respects craftsmanship, and values creativity, ambition, and finishing polish. His balanced background as both competitor and instructor positions him well to appreciate a wide variety of entries, from conventional to highly creative or experimental works.
Aksel Olsson is a skilled miniature painter and hobbyist from Sweden whose creativity and technical polish have earned him serious recognition. In 2025 he took Gold in the Golden Demon for his striking, Flesh-eater Courts warband.
As a judge, Aksel brings the perspective of a modern competitive painter who knows both the challenges of large unit-scale entries and the value of creativity and cohesion. His award-winning unit work gives him a solid grounding in consistency, contrast, and overall presentation, qualities that make him well suited to assess entries ranging from conventional miniatures to ambitious, large-scale or experimental projects.
Mr Squidmar himself! Emil started playing Warhammer at the age of 12. He played the game and painted miniatures as though his life depended on it. But at the age of 15, other things came in the way, and he quit the hobby. After a 16-year hiatus, he managed to find his way back, resulting in a spectacular YouTube bonanza with Squidmar Miniatures. With over 280 videos published over the last 5 years, Emil has entertained, encouraged, and inspired people invested in the hobby - all in an effort to help people evolve as painters and have tons of fun while doing so.
You guys know the drill; The young gun and rising star of the Squidmar YouTube channel (read unofficial boss). Lukas started painting in 2008, when he was about 8 years old, and has more or less been painting since then. Now 25 years old, his skills with the brush speak of a promising future, with trophies from various painting competitions such as a bronze in golden demon, continuing to come in and a drive to one day get some cookies.
Can I enter non-gw miniatures: Yes you can!
Can I enter 3d prints: Yes you can!
Can I enter ww2 miniatures: Yes you can!
