The second annual Dominance War game art contest is on. The competition is offering $10k in cash prizes, four Wiis, Xbox 360s and PS3s, along with eight PSPs.

According to the organizers, Dominance War is a virtual arena between the various online game art communities, "With the goal of building internal and cross-forum community spirit, bringing in new talent, and practicing a skilled trade in a fun 'outside-of-work' context." Hmm, instead of a dance-off, it's an art-off. One of the organizers, Joe Mirabello, says, "It's very inspiring to watch these people go from being amateurish artists to being seasoned veterans over time."

Apparently competition is tougher this time around -- as is expected in a sequel. Joining the two communities from the original competition (CgChat.com and Polycount.com) are two more game art communities: CgSociety.com and 3dTotal.com. Each community will have its own finalists and prizes. Even if you aren't an artist, it's still fun to check out their site and appreciate some of the work. The contest runs until mid-March and community membership to all participating forums is free -- just have to pick your faction. Mirabello says that for young artists looking to break into the industry, being part of these communities increases the chance of the right eyes seeing the artists work.