August, 2019 Shift Art Photoshop Challenge is Closed!

Theme: Monsters in Dark!

What lurks in the dark?

Virtually all cultures have stories of monsters, demons, and other creatures of the dark. Some are friendly enough, but many not so much.

Darkness induces some kind of primal fear in us because it is in the dark that we are most vulnerable to the elements and those who lurk out there, including predators of all kinds.

Your challenge is to express a fear you have had, or currently have, related to the dark. Perhaps this is a current phenomena, or perhaps a childhood fear. What were/are you afraid of? Have you overcome it?

Enjoy the challenge. We can’t wait to see what you find in your darkness!


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Runner(s) Up Prize:

Runners up will receive a texture pack of their choice from Caroline Julia Moore Fine Art Textures & Elements. Caroline has provided three textures for this challenge, all available in the download below. You will find these images in a separate folder in the download packet. You must use one (or more) of these images in your final piece.


The rules:

Below you will find the rules as well as the images to be used in your composition. Entries will be judged by Caroline Julia Moore, Gail Edwards, and Andrei Tallent.

Challenge rules:

  • All entrants must be Shift Art members. Join for free here.
  • Entries must be received by midnight on August 15, 2019 U.S. Pacific Time (UTC-8).
  • You must use a minimum of three Pixabay images provided in the download packet.
  • You must use a minimum of one of the images provided by CJM Fine Art Textures & Elements.
  • One of the images you use (from the images provided) must be the main subject of your work. Note: this is the most frequently overlooked rule – please follow it to enter the challenge.
  • Previous challenge winners are welcome to participate in all challenges.
  • Entries featuring violence, hate, pornography or any other content deemed inappropriate by the judged will be disqualified. Our decision to disqualify is entirely at the judges’ discretion and is not negotiable.
  • You may use any of your own assets/images as long as they are under public domain, or if you have full commercial rights to them. This includes textures and overlays. See our article on finding images for ideas of where to find images.
  • Only one entry per member, per challenge.
  • Upload your entry image as a JPG with a width of 1200px on the longest side. Images with smaller dimensions will not be accepted. Maximum file size is 50Mb.

All images on this page, and in the challenge assets for this challenge, were found on Pixabay, donated with permission by Caroline Julia Moore Fine Art Textures & Elements, or supplied by the Shift Art Shop.

This challenge is closed!

You must be logged in to download the assets and participate in the challenge.


CJM Fine Art Textures & Elements images included as assets for this challenge:

[foogallery id=”47152″]

Pixabay Images included as assets for this challenge:

Create your own monsters in dark with this challenge image assets!