Fans will be at the heart of the next wave of merch for Rooster Teeth’s flagship animated series RWBY.
RWBY, which is approaching the premiere of its seventh season, already has more than a few merch items available, including a collection produced with Hot Topic. But now, for the first time, Rooster Teeth is calling on folks to submit their fanart for the chance to have it emblazoned on licensed products. To do so, it’s partnered with Fan Forge (an open gallery where fans can post their artwork and potentially have it chosen to become official merch) and Japanese manufacturer GoodSmile.
Fanartists who submit their work will have it posted publicly on the contest’s page, where it’ll be rated by community members. Top fan-voted pieces will then be reviewed by guest judges from the RWBY team, who will select a grand prize winner along with five judges’ picks. Guest judges include: voice actors Lindsay Jones and Barbara Dunkelman; showrunner, cowriter, supervising director, and voice actor Kerry Shawcross; voiceover director, cowriter, and voice actor Miles Luna; and art director and voice actor Patrick Rodriguez.
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The grand prize winner they choose will receive a storyboard sketch from RWBY production and a Rooster Teeth gift pack. The five judges’ picks will receive a Rooster Teeth gift pack. Additional winners (people who are not chosen by guest judges but whose artworks prove popular with the Fan Forge populace) will receive free copies of online multiplayer video game RWBY: Grimm Eclipse.
All folks whose fanart is chosen to become licensed products will receive a commission on each sale of items featuring their artwork. Items to be produced include T-shirts, mousepads, messenger bags, wallets, art prints, backpacks, pillowcases, and plushes. (It’s not clear exactly how much that commission is.)
Submissions are being accepted here, and will close at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 10.
