Announcing the Results of the pixiv Taiwan Student Award 2025 - Shining a light on young talent!

Comment: It feels like the illustration is calling out to say “Hello! I'm so glad to see you.” The composition focusing on light is striking, commanding the viewer's gaze. The choice to deliberately only have one character notice the light establishes a visual focal point that expands across the entire frame and stands in opposition with the other characters in the rain.

The supporting characters' movements and details are rendered with restraint yet meticulous care, significantly elevating the overall quality of the work. The only point of concern I have is that the shape and color of the hair falling across the focal character’s face appear slightly detached, as if it's not growing out of her head. (Skyfire)

Comment: The narrative in this piece is exceptionally strong, conveying how the world feels after the rain. The message is clear. People go about their days busily like machines and only a few people, like the protagonist, notice the beauty in everyday life. The way emotions are portrayed is precise while maintaining a strong sense of beauty.

The balanced compositional density, control of light and shadow, and color management are technically exceptional. The effect illuminating the protagonist creates a clear focal point, and the color contrast is vivid. The cool-toned blue-green in the shadows further enhances the luminosity of the highlights. The rich use of hidden colors creates depth, and the watercolor-like texture really conveys the moist post-rain atmosphere. (Rishiazao)

Comment: This work boasts an exceptionally high level of polish. It skillfully employs an intense contrast between light and shadow, creating dramatic visuals through the juxtaposition of a chaotic crowd of people and a solitary figure.

The spatial composition is well-designed, with complex elements arranged in balanced harmony. The attention to detail is meticulous, revealing thoughtful craftsmanship throughout. It really is a mature masterpiece that combines technical skill, narrative depth, and aesthetic beauty. (Sibyl)

Comment: This work captures a moment after the rain, expressing light through the translucent atmosphere. The high-angle composition makes the girl's smile stand out amidst the cold-toned crowd, conveying a warm originality. The see-through umbrellas and light reflections on the ground are delicate, with rich color gradations. It feels like a small moment of sacredness within everyday life, giving a sense of hope and vitality. This work combines both sensitivity and technical skill. (Guang-Dah Chen)

Comment: “My own secret sanctuary atop the signboard.” The figure is half-shrouded in darkness, while long, angular shadows fall across the expansive negative space. The narrative composition places light at the heart of shaping the image. The division between light and shadow is stark, with rich gradation. The faint structural lines being retained give the image some breathing space while adding depth to the shadows, hinting at the idea this might be an imaginary world. Emphasizing the three-dimensionality of the line from the shoulder to the nape of the neck—an area that naturally draws the eye—would further enhance the overall quality. (Skyfire)

Comment: This work’s concept is fascinating. Light creates shadow, and it is through shadow that the story unfolds. We can only imagine what the protagonist is seeing from her expression, but the shadow suggests a demonic presence, creating room for diverse interpretations. The tarot card motif painted on the wall beside the shadow symbolizes anxiety, fear, and inner darkness. Furthermore, the placement of the protagonist's shoes and the letter nearby further expands the story. Overall, this piece has a very high level of narrative quality.

The perspective rendering of the skyscrapers is exceptionally precise, with the division of light and shadow creating a clear focal point. The protagonist is positioned impressively within the composition, and the grayscale palette skillfully conveys an urban sense of loneliness, masterfully establishing the atmosphere. (Rishiazao)

Comment: This work masterfully captures the moment the city comes back to life after the rain. The color control is exceptionally skillful, boldly placing figures in a cool, grayish palette to make the glowing girl stand out, creating a feeling of hope using the contrast between warm and cool tones. The visual impact is outstanding. The depiction of the sky and rainbow reflected on the ground is especially detailed, adding rich depth and artistic quality to the entire work. It is a highly polished piece that instantly captivates the eye. (Lee Alan, Editor-in-Chief, Gaia Culture Manga Department)

Comment: The blending of light and water strongly conveys the creator’s drive to challenge themselves. The skillful use of the hand reaching upward to cast shadow over the eyes makes light itself stand out as the main theme, rather than water.

The addition of yellow motifs as accent colors, combined with the use of warm tones in the underwater shadows, creates depth and harmony throughout the entire composition. This is a work where the character's presence holds significant weight within the piece, so it's a shame that the lines of the body and the texture of the shirt fabric appear slightly stiff. Softer lines here would further elevate the overall quality. (Skyfire)

Comment: This work gave me a feeling of falling into darkness while still looking up at and yearning for something that shines. Many symbolic items are drawn around the figure, sparking the viewer's imagination about why she is in the water. It's a piece that conveys a strong narrative.

Technically, it boasts an exceptionally high level of detail. The depiction of ripples on the water's surface—a notoriously difficult motif—is masterfully executed, even with the use of strong light. It maintains a two-dimensional beauty within its realistic painting style, which is personally very much my preferred aesthetic. (Rishiazao)

You can almost hear a voice within this piece crying out, “What on earth should I do?”

The intense light streaming down from above creates an oppressive feeling, almost like judgment, yet the warm color palette also suggests a highly nuanced constraint born of love. The large hands embody duality—both protection and restraint. The composition is bold and powerful, its uncommon structure leaving a strong impression. On the other hand, the figures appear somewhat flat despite the three-dimensionality. This could be an area for further development. (Skyfire)

The pressure of academic pursuits is sublimated into religious ritual, with the concept of consuming knowledge functioning as a powerful irony. Strong backlighting creates a space that feels both sacred and prison-like, further highlighting the characters' distorted emotional expression. The edge lighting and depiction of the books' textures are also exceptionally solid.

This is a highly intellectual masterpiece that portrays “light” as a gentle violence, sharply capturing the suppressed psychology of modern students. (Guang-Dah Chen)

Comment: I could almost hear the sound of the waves, and that is precisely what makes this work so wonderful. The depiction of seawater surging into the room is a powerful force, creating a sense that the protagonist's private space is gradually being swallowed up by something. It feels like returning to a room in one's childhood home after a long absence, immersing oneself in summer memories, where even the light, the sea, and the wind seem to surface alongside those recollections.

The expression of light and shadow around the window is also beautiful, and the soft, soothing color palette leaves a strong impression. (Rishiazao)

Comment: A highly narrative piece that captures the delicate emotions unique to adolescence. It skillfully blends light, memory, and the time of day, using dynamic wave imagery to create such vivid immersion that viewers can almost hear the sound of waves crashing against the doorway. This work brims with rich talent, creating a fantastic work in which stillness and movement coexist. (Sibyl)

Comment: The emotional expression in this work is exceptionally nuanced, radiating warmth. The artist uses soft, warm tones as a base, combining light and shadow filtering through leaves to transform feelings for a departed pet into a gentle scene. The interaction between the cat's soul, adorned with an angelic halo, and the girl gazing at it through the camera lens is especially moving—creating an emotion transcending life and death. The nostalgic and faintly poignant emotional expression is masterful. (Lee Alan, Editor-in-Chief, Gaia Culture Manga Department)

Comment: This piece is a vibrant festival of color brought to life through brushwork!

It masterfully expresses a pleasing explosion of color, blending diverse hues without appearing cluttered. The color scheme truly shines, constructed through meticulous calculation. However, there is a bit too much of a gap between the buildings depicted in the background and the theme. A little more adjustment here would further enhance the overall completeness of the piece. (Skyfire)

Comment: This piece compares love to ripe grapes. The contrast between the smallness of the character and the enormous fruit expresses the sweet yet transient nature of love.

The composition is simple yet powerful, with high-saturation colors and translucent water droplets lending the image rich expressiveness. The rendering of the fruit's skin texture and ambient light is technically mature, achieving an exceptionally high level of completion. This outstanding work seamlessly blends commercial beauty with literary metaphor, fusing sensibility and aesthetics. (Guang-Dah Chen)