Article | Zodiac Painting Organizing Committee - December 16, 2025, 02:46
Hello everyone, I'm Yanzi, the designer on the team.
I'm honored to have connected with all the teachers and volunteers starting from the Year of the Wood Dragon. Together, we've created this meaningful Zodiac Painting Competition.
I am also delighted that my background in art education and over 20 years of design experience in the IT industry can be utilized and shine through in this project.
In multicultural Canada, it's a wonderful thing to use Chinese schools as a hub to bring children, families, and the community together through zodiac-themed art. We aim to pass on Chinese culture while encouraging creative expression.
The zodiac is vivid and full of stories. We want it to be more than a traditional symbol—a chance for kids to explore and creatively interpret Chinese culture with their own modern perspective, combining it with contemporary aesthetics and even technology.
Personally, I believe the success of the movie Ne Zha is an excellent example of respecting tradition while daring to disrupt and innovate.
I'm honored to have connected with all the teachers and volunteers starting from the Year of the Wood Dragon. Together, we've created this meaningful Zodiac Painting Competition.
I am also delighted that my background in art education and over 20 years of design experience in the IT industry can be utilized and shine through in this project.
In multicultural Canada, it's a wonderful thing to use Chinese schools as a hub to bring children, families, and the community together through zodiac-themed art. We aim to pass on Chinese culture while encouraging creative expression.
The zodiac is vivid and full of stories. We want it to be more than a traditional symbol—a chance for kids to explore and creatively interpret Chinese culture with their own modern perspective, combining it with contemporary aesthetics and even technology.
Personally, I believe the success of the movie Ne Zha is an excellent example of respecting tradition while daring to disrupt and innovate.
My first task was to establish our brand's visual identity through poster design. After trying several directions, I chose a 3D stylized zodiac cartoon character, paired with an image of a young painter, and complemented it with calligraphic typography as the brand logo.
The sole purpose of this design is to make children want to participate at first glance, while also allowing this brand to grow sustainably.
Every year in the future, we will only need to update the zodiac cartoon character. We can also invite children to participate in re-creation, gradually forming a set of cultural memories that belong to this generation of participants.
The sole purpose of this design is to make children want to participate at first glance, while also allowing this brand to grow sustainably.
Every year in the future, we will only need to update the zodiac cartoon character. We can also invite children to participate in re-creation, gradually forming a set of cultural memories that belong to this generation of participants.
My second task was to help shape the competition's direction and judging criteria from an art education perspective.
I am very grateful here for the trust, tolerance, and understanding of the organizing committee because many of my ideas are idealistic. Implementing them truly requires time, effort, and funding.
In this AI era, the core of art education is no longer just mastering traditional techniques.
I am very grateful here for the trust, tolerance, and understanding of the organizing committee because many of my ideas are idealistic. Implementing them truly requires time, effort, and funding.
In this AI era, the core of art education is no longer just mastering traditional techniques.
It's about opening minds—nurturing children's emotional expression, positive aesthetics, and independent creative thinking.
These are things AI cannot replace.
At the same time, we are already in the era of the long tail, where personalized expression and diverse viewpoints are more easily seen, recognized, and resonated with on various self-media platforms than ever before.
That is to say, the dispersion of value has created increasingly broad niche areas, each potentially nurturing new value.
The same applies to children's works. Each generation of children, in particular, faces its own unique issues, has its own demands, and possesses a language of expression they understand among themselves.
Therefore, I believe if they can participate in such interactive exhibitions and judging in the future, they will naturally see the actual influence of their works among their peers.
The inspiration brought by this diverse value is precisely what makes art activities and art competitions most different and precious from standard-answer-oriented competitive contests like math or sports.
Thus, I hope to downplay the sense of competition in the event and strengthen its exhibition and exchange aspects. Let more works, more styles, and more modes of expression be seen, understood, appreciated, and resonated with, rather than focusing solely on the rankings of first, second, and third prizes.
This also means we need broader display spaces, more leisurely appreciation time, and even possibilities for interactive, reviewable exchanges in the future.
Of course, it also requires more detailed award design and broader material encouragement. All of these are inseparable from more funding and social support, but they are very necessary and meaningful investments.
At the same time, we are already in the era of the long tail, where personalized expression and diverse viewpoints are more easily seen, recognized, and resonated with on various self-media platforms than ever before.
That is to say, the dispersion of value has created increasingly broad niche areas, each potentially nurturing new value.
The same applies to children's works. Each generation of children, in particular, faces its own unique issues, has its own demands, and possesses a language of expression they understand among themselves.
Therefore, I believe if they can participate in such interactive exhibitions and judging in the future, they will naturally see the actual influence of their works among their peers.
The inspiration brought by this diverse value is precisely what makes art activities and art competitions most different and precious from standard-answer-oriented competitive contests like math or sports.
Thus, I hope to downplay the sense of competition in the event and strengthen its exhibition and exchange aspects. Let more works, more styles, and more modes of expression be seen, understood, appreciated, and resonated with, rather than focusing solely on the rankings of first, second, and third prizes.
This also means we need broader display spaces, more leisurely appreciation time, and even possibilities for interactive, reviewable exchanges in the future.
Of course, it also requires more detailed award design and broader material encouragement. All of these are inseparable from more funding and social support, but they are very necessary and meaningful investments.
Regarding the judging criteria, based on the above principles, we also hope to gradually break away from traditional, singular aesthetics, implement multi-dimensional scoring, and establish a more diverse and inclusive evaluation system.
In terms of the scope of entries, I have a suggestion: in the senior age group, accept AI-assisted artworks by establishing a separate entry category.
By requiring the submission of the tools used, the iteration process of the prompts, and thumbnail sketches, we can showcase the work's original creative design capability, thought logic, and human-machine collaboration skills.
Because the essence of AI creation is human-machine co-creation and prompt art. It requires children to express their ideas more precisely, logically, and in a more layered manner, rather than simply pressing a button for random generation.
This would also steer art education genuinely towards cultivating thinking, expression, and forward-looking design abilities.
I was deeply moved to see, upon my return in the third year, how the committee and volunteers had turned these ideas into reality through selfless dedication.
In terms of the scope of entries, I have a suggestion: in the senior age group, accept AI-assisted artworks by establishing a separate entry category.
By requiring the submission of the tools used, the iteration process of the prompts, and thumbnail sketches, we can showcase the work's original creative design capability, thought logic, and human-machine collaboration skills.
Because the essence of AI creation is human-machine co-creation and prompt art. It requires children to express their ideas more precisely, logically, and in a more layered manner, rather than simply pressing a button for random generation.
This would also steer art education genuinely towards cultivating thinking, expression, and forward-looking design abilities.
I was deeply moved to see, upon my return in the third year, how the committee and volunteers had turned these ideas into reality through selfless dedication.
This year, we already have a larger exhibition space and a longer exhibition duration. We plan for a one-month online exhibition and a one-week physical venue exhibition.
This combined online and offline format also lays the groundwork for future cross-regional, or even cross-national, zodiac painting exhibitions.
We are also clearly aware that the continued and further realization of these ideals is inseparable from more funding and social support.
Whether it's for more detailed, multi-dimensional judging by age and level, more targeted encouragement methods, or establishing a longer-term, higher-quality exhibition system—all require everyone to achieve together.
We need to brainstorm ideas together,
fundraise together,
and promote the event together.
If more and more children gain a little more interest in Chinese culture, have one more opportunity for expression, and experience truly being seen because of this zodiac painting activity, then this endeavor is worth our long-term collective investment.
Alright, thank you all for listening, participating, and supporting.
I look forward to meeting you and your children at the Year of the Horse exhibition.
This combined online and offline format also lays the groundwork for future cross-regional, or even cross-national, zodiac painting exhibitions.
We are also clearly aware that the continued and further realization of these ideals is inseparable from more funding and social support.
Whether it's for more detailed, multi-dimensional judging by age and level, more targeted encouragement methods, or establishing a longer-term, higher-quality exhibition system—all require everyone to achieve together.
We need to brainstorm ideas together,
fundraise together,
and promote the event together.
If more and more children gain a little more interest in Chinese culture, have one more opportunity for expression, and experience truly being seen because of this zodiac painting activity, then this endeavor is worth our long-term collective investment.
Alright, thank you all for listening, participating, and supporting.
I look forward to meeting you and your children at the Year of the Horse exhibition.
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