XPPen’s 20th Anniversary Celebration “Back to Future, Create Now” Unveils Creative Contest with PUBG MOBILE

Founded in 2005, XPPen has become a household name for artists and tech enthusiasts eager to push the bounds of their creativity. Recent launches — like the world’s first 3-in-1 color Magic Note Pad, Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) series and the X3 Pro Roller Stylus — showcase the brand’s penchant for high-performing drawing display and creative tools that elevate the artist experience, expanding where and when creators tap into inspiration and enhance their professional workflows. Among XPPen’s state-of-the-art creative ecosystem, its drawing tablets have introduced innovative firsts in the industry and unlocked a forward-thinking approach to handheld drawing devices. XPPen’s brand initiatives continue to champion a global footprint and next-generation visionaries influencing the realms of digital art and beyond.

Twenty years later, XPPen spotlights the communities shaping the contemporary art landscape with its anniversary celebration, “Back to the Future, Create Now!”, as they invite creators to explore limitless possibilities together. The festivities featured the anticipated XPPen x PUGB MOBILE Ultimate Set Design Contest and the inspiring artist interview series led by panelists Clinton Jones, director and 3D/VFX artist known for curating global 3D challenges, and Argentina-based motion graphic designer Esteban Diácono.

Aligning with PUBG MOBILE’s vision of futuristic imagination and youth culture, this partnership celebrates both brands’ dedication to innovation and creative self-expression. The XPPen x PUGB MOBILE “Ultimate Set Design Contest” invites fans of the iconic franchise to develop digital artworks inspired by modern gaming aesthetics, across popular themes, including ‘Future Era’ – an exclusive theme co-created by PUBG MOBILE and XPPen. Contestants will have the chance to win shares of a $120,000 prize pool along with XPPen flagship drawing displays. Submissions open on August 16 and close on October 16. Judges Giusy Amoroso, Shan Jiang and Ryota-H will join Jones and Diácono, who will also feature in XPPen’s interview series. Conversations exploring the intersection of art, culture and technology will illuminate contemporary trends and inspire other creators to unleash their potential.

Below, in conversation with XPPen, artists Clinton Jones and Esteban Diácono share their visionary insight about the future of digital art and open up about their professional development using the brand’s arsenal of innovative tools.

XPPen: This year, XPPen’s 20th Anniversary theme is ‘Back to Future, Create Now’ As we invite creators to explore limitless possibilities together, what’s your understanding of this theme?

Clinton: Back to future, reminding me of the movie, speaks to all of us [who] have a child inside of us, especially the creatives out there. We all have that kid energy inside of us that is always wanting to play. And when I’m looking for inspiration, I often go back and reconnect with that as an adult. And I think that’s a great way to unearth that creative spark inside of us.

I love that XPPen is empowering artists to create all the time. It’s not easy to do what you guys are doing. So thank you for providing all these awesome products to artists around the world and inspiring people to continue to create. We need more of it. We need more positivity. We need more creative energy in today’s world, we really do. So thank you and keep it up for another 20 years.

Esteban: I think that ‘Back to Future, Create Now’ is kind of a dialogue between time frames. Many of the things that I’ve loved and that influenced me in the past are present in what I do today and I’m really hoping that what I do today sort of presents and influences what I’ll do next creating some sort of you know circle, it’s a mix of my memories and my hopes for the future.

Creating is like sending some sort of a message forward in time, you don’t always know who it is for, how it will land, or how it will be perceived. You sometimes don’t remember why you did, but you did it and you do it anyway. That act of imagining and making, I think it’s what connects us with what’s next.

XPPen: XPPen’s mission is to ‘Bring Creators the Surprise of Realizing the Dream of Digital Art.’ What future dreams do you pursue? If we set aside technological limitations, what would your ideal “ultimate artwork” look like?

Clinton: I think the ideal ultimate artwork would first and foremost connect with as many people on this planet as possible, as deeply as possible, and inspire them to do something positive or to think about the way they do things.

I would not follow trends, I would not do what’s popular just to try and break through, I think at the end of the day, you have to be true to yourself, what you love, what you want to dive into, what inspires you, your personal story, and bring that out more honestly. To me, that comes through having fun with your tools, having fun with the technology, experimenting, playing with no stakes. And I think that’s where you’re going to see some really cool stuff pop off.

Esteban: I tend to work in a very loose and exploratory way. Most of the time, the final piece looks nothing like what I had in mind when I first sat down to try to do something new and I’ve really come to enjoy that kind of unpredictability.

The future is sort of right here, right now. Since so much of what I’ve done it’s happened, on the screen, and that same interest for practical things tactile things has LED me into 3d printing, learning how to model, properly for the first time in my career, and there’s something deeply satisfying in, having some sort of digital idea and then being able to turn it into something that you can actually hold in your hands.

XPPen: This year, XPPen’s 20th-anniversary campaign partners with PUBGM for the Ultimate Set Design Contest. As a judge, what message would you share with participants?

Clinton: This collab bridges the digital art and gaming communities. Yep, both communities share bold, inventive spirits. Yes indeed, it reflects XPPen’s expanding ecosystem for creators [and others to] seize the opportunity to showcase your vision. Join the contest, help shape the future of digital expression. So, if you want to get into game design or designing clothes for characters in games, movies, television, or anything, this is a great opportunity to do that. I’d grab the opportunity and run with it.

Esteban: Being okay with not knowing exactly where things are going is one of the very good lessons that can be learned along the way, to actually enjoy the process. And happy 20th Anniversary XPPen; it’s been two decades of empowering creators. That’s something really worth celebrating. I really hope you keep doing it for many, many more years.

XPPen: Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Clinton Jones: I’m inspired by a lot of things, by traveling, by music, just conversations with friends, maybe the way light hits the side of a wall — it can be anything. And I think our job as artists is to be aware of what inspires us and then do something about it, create something from it. So if you find yourself inspired, whether it’s through a challenge, through an interview, reading a book, listening to a piece of music, or traveling, take note, journal about it. Write it down so that you can come back and make something with that inspiration.

Esteban Diácono: I remember that when I was a kid, I spent a lot of time alone and I was drawn by fantasy books, horror books and then, of course, movies, sci-fi films. I think that really taught me how to use my imagination, especially the books, because they taught me how to think in a visual way and that’s also kind of shapes the way I see the world.

We live in such an overwhelmingly visual world right now, in my case, if I had to make it simple, I would say that most of the things that I like come from nature, come from observing human motion and a new technique.

XPPen: How would you describe your signature aesthetic style?

Esteban: I would consider my personal work revolves around the absurd because I love the tension that happens when you mix something that looks real with a surreal element. I think that sense of physicality, when it’s paired with something weird or out of place, creates attention, some layer of discomfort that I find really compelling.

XPPen: How has the evolution of digital technology influenced your artistic journey, and what’s your perspective on the interplay between digital art and technological advancement?

Clinton: Technology and art go hand-in-hand because I think technology is the tool that allows artists to create art. And I think a lot of times, like simply put, right, a lot of times it gets confusing and complicated. There’s always new technology coming out at a faster and faster and faster rate.

If you find yourself getting overwhelmed by it, don’t worry about it. Just focus on the technology coming out that you enjoy, that inspires you. If it doesn’t inspire you, don’t worry about it. But if it brings a spark and creates a spark inside for you to create, then run with it. That’s a good thing because ultimately that’ll help you create groundbreaking and innovative art.

Esteban: Since we’re living in a moment of such a massive change with new tools, new methods and new questions emerging constantly every day, but you know, rather than trying to resist, it’s better to try to embrace it, engage with these new conversations, or at least not be left out of them. So I think that staying curious, staying present, is the best way to step into the future.

I think I’ve always seen technology more like my own creative partner, something that expands what’s possible and keeps reshaping the way I think and the way I create. I think that at its best, technology should feel like an invisible…let’s call it a quiet enabler of ideas. Of course, one of the things that I appreciate about using a drawing display, I think there’s a certain immediacy in the interactions and connections between the eye, the hand and the display, but it definitely feels more intuitive, more natural, and keeps the ideas flowing when the hardware feels natural.

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