Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-36225865-20180717151947/@comment-27971189-20180717154235

Its staffs responsible of TM art department contacting the artists themselves; TM originally an artists circle, after all.

They found someone fitting aesthetics / theme they needed, contact them, offering them the job. Based on staff interview it usually planned, contacted and discussed a year before the release.

Illustration contests does exist, but it goes to merchandise they sold during comic market in Japan, becaming an official fanart instead of becoming Servant or CE. Well, Japanese illustrators still excited though-- as winning the contest may lead them getting a request from TM somedays.