Eric Vasquez Is Sponsoring 10 Alchemist Entries at Retoucher of the Year 2026
10 Composite retouchers from Eric's community get a fully sponsored entry into Retoucher of the Year 2026.
by Timea Buknicz
September 30, 2026 | 5 min read
Eric has picked up the glove and acccepted the battle !
Eric will select 10 Composite retouchers from his community and cover their ROTY 2026 entry.
If the entry fee has been holding you back, this is for you.
What does the sponsorship cover?
Eric is sponsoring one Alchemist (Composite / Key Art) entry for each of the 10 retouchers selected from its community.
There is no entry fee for the 10 selected retouchers.
The Alchemist category will be added directly to your ROTY account, and you will receive the information you need for the competition.
Who can apply?
You do not need to be a full time professional retoucher.
You can apply if you are:
A graphic designer / Key Art designer
or
A photographer who retouches their own work
You will need an online portfolio so Eric can review your work.
Applications close Sunday, 7 October, midnight PDT.
BACK HOW TO QUALIFY
STEP 1 - Register for ROTY
Register your email address by Sunday (4th of October) at midnight PDT.
STEP 2 - Complete your profile dashboard
Make sure you include:
Your full name
Country of residence
Portfolio link
Instagram handle
Level of expertise
Your portfolio can be your own website, Behance or another online portfolio.
STEP 3 - Open the Expertise
Select
Sponsore
and set your level of expertise (Emerging / Established)
Select Eric Vasquez from the Sponsor list.
Enter the code: ERIC2026 / verify it and save it.
You should receive a confirmation email once the process is complete.
If you have any issues, please email us at hello@retouchleague.com
See the image guide below:
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Eric will review the portfolios and select 10 Designers / Retouchers from the registered artists to receive a sponsored ROTY entry.
Eric will announce the 10 selected designers / retouchers couple of days after the deadline.
For the selected designers / retouchers, the Alchemist category will be added to their ROTY account.
You’ll then receive all the information you need about the competition, including the next steps.
The official competition images and creative brief will be released to you as soon as the category added to your registration, and you’ll have to complete and submit your work by 25th of October.
WANT TO BE ONE OF THE 10?
Put your portfolio in front of Eric.
Applications close 4 October at midnight PDT.
Register for ROTY→ HERE
If you know any other communities you'd like to challenge with this battle, please get in touch with them and/or send us an email at Hello@retouchleague.com with a little introduction and we'll take it from there!
sponsors & partners
Retoucher of the Year’s first edition brings together
Capture One,
Retouching Academy,
MINILAB,
Photoshop Virtual Summit and
Verybusy.io
Design Week
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We are building a global, skill-verified retoucher database.
A platform where professional standards are documented, structured and transparent.
Skill-verified means professional standards are demonstrated, not claimed.Assessment is category-specific and based on structured test retouching.
Results are measured, scored and displayed transparently on each professional profile.
Secure early access and priority review ahead of public launch.
