Discouraging you?
More like you're being unrealistic and expecting someone to work for free on your stuff because you wanted to jump in a contest at last second without actual preparation or any motivator for the person that is going to do something that is solely yours.
Like, really, I'm an artist. Why would I lift my pen for you? I have nothing to win, there is no reason for me to commit, nor there isn't anything to gain by helping you, and, again, there is no guarantee of winning, of popularity, of support or that any of the work that I would do would be compensated, like, at all...
I bet this is what other artists are thinking as well, no wonder why no one offered.