2026 World Youth and Teenage Painting Contest -Season 1
2026 World Youth and Teenage Painting Contest - Season 1 consists of three core modules: Basic Painting Skills, which covers shape accuracy and color matching, proficiency in the use of painting techniques (such as line drawing, layering, shading), as well as cognition of painting styles (such as the delicate depiction of details in realistic style, the free expression of emotions in abstract style, the vivid presentation of scenes in decorative style); Painting Culture and Creation Principles, including the historical origins of painting forms (such as traditional Chinese ink painting, Western oil painting, modern watercolor painting), painting characteristics in different cultures (such as the elegant artistic conception of Chinese landscape painting, the realistic texture of European classical oil painting, the lively colors of African folk painting), and the impact of contemporary trends on the evolution of painting styles; Practical Application of Painting, including the thematic interpretation of painting works, creative adaptation, and conveying concepts through painting in real-life scenarios (such as conveying the concept of ecological protection or showcasing the integration characteristics of local customs and painting culture through painting). The competition sets up a variety of painting competition categories and customizes difficulty levels according to age and experience. The Children's Group focuses on basic skills, while the Youth Group emphasizes creative expression (such as developing a unique painting style), work interpretation, and the ability to solve problems through painting (such as selecting appropriate painting forms and adaptation methods to convey specific emotions or the connotation of painting themes).
Registration Fee: Free
Competition Categories:
-
Kindergarten Group
-
Lower Primary Group
-
Higher Primary Group
-
Junior Secondary Group
-
Senior Secondary Group
-
Publice Group
Important dates:
-
Application Deadline: February 03, 2026
-
Result Announcement Date: February 12, 2026
Award Categories
Individual Awards:
-
Special Gold Award (Top 12% of participants in the group)
-
Gold Award (Top 12%-25% of participants in the group)
-
Silver Award (Top 26%-45% of participants in the group)
-
Bronze Award (Top 46%-60% of participants in the group)
-
Excellence Award (Top 61%-100% of participants in the group)
Group Awards:
-
Outstanding Group Award
-
Outstanding Mentor Award
Award winners can request customized awards featuring the participant's name in Chinese or English.
Award Options:
-
Electronic Certificate: HKD 200
-
Electronic Certificate + Physical Certificate: HKD 290
-
Electronic Certificate + Physical Certificate + Medal: HKD 325
-
Electronic Certificate + Physical Certificate + Medal + Trophy: HKD 365
The deadline for award applications is two weeks after the announcement of the results.
All awards will be mailed within eight weeks after the application deadline.
Awards and certificates will be sent via SF Express, cash on delivery.
Once the awards are signed for, no replacements will be issued in case of damage or loss.
The organizers are not responsible for failed deliveries due to incorrect information or communication difficulties.
Competition Guidelines:
-
Competition Categories
Participants can self-select their competition tier based on age and skill level (e.g., Children’s Group: 6–12 years; Youth Group: 13–18 years).
-
Registration & Timing
Registration Deadline: Complete registration and submit your artwork (via digital upload) before [specific deadline, e.g., "11:59 PM UTC on October 31, 2026"].
Confirmation: A registration confirmation email will be sent to your provided address.
Submission Window: You can enter the competition platform and upload your Christmas painting works at any time before the deadline.
-
Submission Format & Requirements
Platform: Upload high-definition digital files through the official competition platform (link provided after registration).
Entry Requirements:
Submit original painting works (including Chinese ink painting, oil painting, watercolor, sketch, gouache, original creative painting, etc.). Only basic editing operations such as brightness adjustment and size cropping are allowed; excessive post-production processing (e.g., adding extra elements, modifying original shapes/colors, merging multiple works) or image synthesis is prohibited, and AI-generated visual content is not permitted to ensure the originality and authenticity of the work.
For digital painting works, the resolution shall not be lower than 300 DPI, and the image size shall be between A4 and A2 (300×210mm–594×420mm); for traditional painting works, high-definition scanned or photographed files (in formats such as JPG, PNG, TIFF) must be provided to ensure clear presentation of painting details (e.g., shape accuracy, color harmony, brushwork texture). All files shall be submitted in standard formats (e.g., JPG, PNG, TIFF) to avoid issues with viewing the works due to format problems.
Works must comply with the presentation standards corresponding to their painting category (e.g., Chinese ink painting shall fully display ink layering and artistic conception, avoiding muddled coloring; oil painting shall highlight color texture and light and shadow effects; watercolor shall maintain transparent layers; original compositions shall provide theme description documents). For series painting works or mixed-material creations, a work explanation document (including theme analysis and creative ideas) shall be attached to assist judges in understanding the creative logic.
Painting works shall be created using professional tools that meet the requirements of the category (e.g., rice paper and ink for Chinese ink painting; oil paints and linen canvas for oil painting; watercolor pigments and special paper for watercolor; sketch pencils and sketch paper for sketching). When submitting, ensure files are undamaged and can be opened and viewed normally; traditional painting photos/scans must be free of glare and distortion, fully presenting the work’s details and color authenticity; digital painting works must retain original creation layers (if applicable) to facilitate judges in reviewing the creation process.
-
Jury Evaluation & Integrity Rules
The jury consists of international painters, art education experts, professional art designers, and university art department tutors.
Evaluation Criteria:
-
Technical Ability (50%): Precision of painting techniques (e.g., accuracy of shape and proportion, rationality of color matching, control of brushwork), proficiency in tool use (e.g., mastery of ink concentration, control of color blending, flexibility of line drawing), and mastery of genre-specific techniques (e.g., freehand brushwork of Chinese ink painting, layering of oil painting, transparent rendering of watercolor).
-
Artistic Expression (30%): Ability to interpret the painting theme (e.g., presentation effect of emotions such as warmth, freshness, or solemnity), uniqueness of creative conception (e.g., innovation in composition, novelty of style), effectiveness of emotional transmission (e.g., conveying feelings through color and shape, evoking audience resonance through scene creation), and the compatibility between visual language and the painting theme.
-
Performance Effect (20%): Appeal of the work (e.g., artistic charm, visual impact), adaptability of form to content (e.g., matching degree of painting style to the theme), completeness of the work (e.g., fluency of overall expression, consistency of style), and integrity of the work structure (e.g., logical connection of series works, coherent presentation of single works).
Integrity Policy:
Plagiarism of existing painting works (including direct imitation of others' creative works, unauthorized use of copyrighted visual elements, or copying of original compositions) is prohibited. Theft of others' creative ideas, unique painting techniques, or original theme conceptions is not allowed, nor is having others create on one's behalf or using AI to generate the main visual content. If a work is verified to involve plagiarism, cheating, or fraud, the participant's qualification will be immediately revoked, and the relevant situation will be publicly announced.
Submissions found plagiarized or fraudulent will be disqualified.
-
Competition Rules
Submission Limit: One entry per participant.
Entry Specifications:
Children’s Group: Works shall be consistent with the participants' age-related cognition and painting ability, focusing on basic painting skills (e.g., simple still life sketching, children's watercolor, classic painting adaptations), including learning and adapting classic works (e.g., simple copies of famous children's paintings, basic recreations of classic patterns), basic painting exercises (e.g., line practice, simple color matching, shape depiction), and simple original painting works (including theme conception and basic creation, no complex techniques required). The work must have clear images and themes to convey positive connotations.
-
Youth Group: Works shall have a certain degree of complexity and creative depth (e.g., complete theme oil painting, multi-piece series creation, original mixed-material works), including in-depth interpretation of classic works (e.g., replicating the artistic conception of classical paintings, adapting traditional styles with new techniques), thematic creation (e.g., "Youth Dreams", "Cultural Integration" series), integration of diverse forms (e.g., works combining Chinese ink painting and watercolor, creative works integrating local culture and modern art elements), and conceptual works (e.g., exploring social issues such as "environmental protection" and "intergenerational communication" through visual images and color expression).
Only standard tools corresponding to the painting category may be used (e.g., pigments, brushes, paper, digital painting software). Excessive use of pre-made material templates (such as unauthorized commercial design elements, fixed composition templates) or third-party assistance (such as others creating on behalf of the participant, using AI image generation software) is prohibited to avoid affecting the originality of the work.
Entry Requirements for the 2026 World Youth and Teenage Painting Contest - Season 1 (Online Submission & Jury Evaluation)
-
Basic Painting Skills
Focus on technical foundations and painting structure:
Technical Skills: Shape accuracy, color matching rationality, brushwork control, and painting theme-specific techniques (such as the delicate layering in oil painting, the free ink wash in Chinese ink painting, the transparent rendering in watercolor, the precise line depiction in sketching).
Theme Cognition: Familiarity with painting competition categories (oil painting, Chinese ink painting, watercolor, sketch, original creative painting) and classic works/styles (such as the realistic texture of European classical oil paintings, the artistic conception of Chinese landscape ink paintings, the bright tones of impressionist works, the concise lines of modern sketch works).
Painting Literacy: Understanding of professional painting knowledge (such as the principle of color matching for different painting themes, the logic of composition layout and image expression), creative forms (such as single-piece painting, series theme works, mixed-material creation), and style recognition (such as matching painting techniques to genres: fine brushwork in realistic painting, freehand brushwork in ink painting, light and shadow expression in oil painting).
-
Artistic Expression & Cultural Context
Explore theme interpretation and historical depth:
Category Analysis: Convey painting emotions and themes through visual expression (such as using warm tones to show warmth, using cold tones to convey tranquility, using bold brushwork to express passion), while connecting to the cultural/historical background of painting works (such as recreating the artistic context of classic oil paintings, integrating traditional Chinese elements into modern painting, reflecting contemporary life scenes in original creations).
Work Interpretation: Convey painting emotions and themes through visual expression (such as using warm tones to show warmth, using cold tones to convey tranquility, using bold brushwork to express passion), while connecting to the cultural/historical background of painting works (such as recreating the artistic context of classic oil paintings, integrating traditional Chinese elements into modern painting, reflecting contemporary life scenes in original creations).
Modern Adaptation: The integration of traditional and modern elements (such as adapting classic ink painting themes with acrylic materials, combining Western sketch modeling with Chinese freehand techniques, interpreting traditional folk painting styles in modern pop art form).
-
Practical Creation Application
Emphasize original presentation and creative ability:
Submission Format:
High-definition image files of original painting works (AI-generated visual content is prohibited; only basic edits such as brightness adjustment and size cropping are allowed, while excessive post-processing like element adding or style modification is forbidden). The files must fully present creation details, including shape accuracy, color harmony, and artistic expression. For series theme works or mixed-material creations, a work explanation or theme analysis document should be attached to assist in understanding the creative logic.
Materials: Professional tools and materials that conform to the painting category should be used (such as oil paints and linen canvas for oil painting, ink and rice paper for Chinese ink painting, watercolor pigments and watercolor paper for watercolor, sketch pencils and sketch paper for sketching). A brief description of the materials must be included when submitting (e.g., "Oil Painting Morning Light: Created with professional oil paints and linen canvas, using layering technique"; "Ink Painting Mountain and River: Painted with Chinese ink and rice paper, paired with light color rendering"; "Original Mixed-Material Work City Rhythm: Made with watercolor, colored pencil and scrap paper, presented in 4K high-definition images").
Work Selection:
Children’s Group (8–12 yrs): Small-scale works (such as simple still life sketching, short scene watercolor, classic painting copies), including copying and adapting classic works (such as sketching simplified versions of still life, adapting children-friendly versions of classic paintings), basic painting exercises (such as line practice, simple color matching), and simple original painting works (including theme conception and basic creation, no complex techniques required).
Adolescent Group (13–18 yrs): Complex works (such as complete theme oil painting, multi-piece series creation, original mixed-material works), including in-depth interpretation of classic painting works (such as replicating the artistic conception of classical ink paintings, adapting traditional works with new styles), thematic painting creation (e.g., "Cultural Integration", "Eco-Protection" series), integration of diverse painting forms (such as works combining ink painting and watercolor, creative works integrating local culture and modern art elements), and conceptual painting works (e.g., exploring social issues such as "intergenerational communication" and "environmental protection" through visual images and color expression).
Improvisation Tasks: Adolescent Group is required to complete a 15-minute quick painting or creative adaptation task based on the designated theme (e.g., "Summer Garden", "City Night") or designated style (e.g., "Impressionist Style", "Chinese Freehand Style").
-
Judging Criteria & Format
Evaluation Areas:
Technical Ability (50%): Precision of painting techniques, control over tools/materials, and execution of theme-specific techniques (such as accuracy of shape and proportion, rationality of color matching, adaptation to painting style).
Artistic Expression (30%): Depth of painting theme interpretation, uniqueness of creative conception, effectiveness of emotional transmission (such as the effectiveness of the work in showing scene atmosphere, the adaptability of the creative concept to the painting type).
Visual Effect (20%): Integrity of work structure, expressiveness of detail processing, audience appeal (such as visual harmony, artistic charm, emotional resonance).
Submission Rules:
One entry per participant; no copied or plagiarized works (including direct imitation of others' painting works, unauthorized use of copyrighted creative elements).
Blind judging: Judges receive anonymized submissions with no participant identifiers.
-
Difficulty & Age Groups
Children’s Group: Focuses on basic skills (such as use of basic painting tools, mastery of simple shapes and colors) and interesting expression (such as conveying joy through bright colors, creating childlike painting scenes).
Adolescent Group: Higher requirements include theme complexity (e.g., exploring cultural integration and social issues through painting works), cross-technical attempts (e.g., combining traditional ink painting and modern acrylic techniques), and conceptual depth (e.g., conveying abstract concepts such as "friendship and sharing", "cultural inheritance" through visual language).
-
Submission & Results
Deadline: Upload digital submissions via the portal by [e.g., "June 30, 2026"].
Results: Announcement: Participants will be notified via email/social media within two weeks, and the results will be ranked based on the judges' scores. Awards include certificates and opportunities for online display of painting works.
Exhibition: Outstanding works will be displayed in the online art gallery on the competition's official platform, showcasing the diverse cultures and artistic expressions of youth and children's painting worldwide.
This framework balances technical proficiency and creative storytelling, highlighting the diversity of youth and children's painting globally while promoting the inheritance and innovation of painting techniques across different genres.