插畫大賞有感 / Thoughts on the Illustration Competition

很久以前，我和我一位唸美術設計科系的親戚聊天，那時候，他提到學校不單單要求學生擁有厚實的繪畫基本功之外，還需要學習不少新進的數位工具，因為未來工作上，科技的涉入會越來越深，原本要幾天才能完成的美術作品，使用數位工具協助，會縮短很多時間，產出作品會更有效率，沒想到，就在前年，Midjourney這樣的AI工具橫空出世，讓沒有美術基本功的一般人，透過用詠唱咒語的方式，也可以創造出還不錯的作品。

我偶爾闖入的這個插畫大賞成果展，主辦單位要求參賽者繳交三張同一概念主題的平面手繪作品，不得使用電腦編輯作品或電腦繪圖，這就很考驗參賽者的創意及基本功，徵件主題的是勇氣，如何用一張圖畫，來表達出勇氣，我想，每個人有不同的想法，有位得獎者，是透過實現一段夢想的旅程，來表達出勇氣，失敗了，哭過，再出發，走走停停也沒關係，有人認為，承擔選擇的結果，就是一種勇氣的表現方式。

其實，那些得獎的插畫作品，我第一眼看到時，並沒有驚豔的感覺，很多作品的筆觸很簡單，用色並不華麗，表達的概念很抽象，但是，當聽在現場的講座引言人透過投影片，講敘作品的創作理念，及構圖、營造氛圍及細節與動態感等較為深度的分析與講解，人們才能真的了解作品背後的故事，有點像我們去博物館看展覽時，自己四處瞎逛，與有導覽員解說時，對於同一件事物，會有不一樣的感受。

新科技帶來了前所未有的可能性與挑戰，AI技術的進化，不只衝擊百工百業，也影響了我們的生活，雖然工具雖然可以加速創作，但是無法取代創作者內心的情感與個性，這就是那些插畫作品，看似簡樸無華，卻可以觸動人心的原因吧。

A long time ago, I had a conversation with a relative who studied fine arts and design. Back then, he mentioned that his school didn’t just expect students to have a solid foundation in traditional drawing skills — they also had to learn various new digital tools. He said that technology would become more and more integrated into the industry in the future. Artworks that used to take days to finish could be completed much faster with the help of digital tools, making the creative process much more efficient.

But who would have thought that just a couple of years ago, AI tools like Midjourney would burst onto the scene? Suddenly, even people without any basic art skills could create pretty impressive works — all through the power of "prompting".

I recently stumbled upon an illustration competition exhibit. Interestingly, the organizers required participants to submit three hand-drawn pieces based on the same concept — no digital editing or computer-generated art allowed. That really put the participants' creativity and basic drawing skills to the test. The theme of the competition was courage — and it was fascinating to see how each artist interpreted it differently.

One of the winning pieces portrayed courage as the journey toward fulfilling a dream — experiencing failure, shedding tears, and then finding the strength to start over. It reflected the idea that it's okay to take breaks and stumble along the way. Another artist expressed courage as the act of accepting the consequences of one's choices — standing by them, even when the outcome is uncertain.

To be honest, when I first saw the winning pieces, I wasn’t exactly blown away. The brushstrokes were simple, the color choices were understated, and the concepts felt abstract. But once the speaker at the exhibit explained the creative process behind the works — breaking down the composition, the atmosphere, the subtle details, and the dynamic elements — I started to see them differently. It reminded me of visiting a museum: wandering around on your own is one thing, but having a guide explain the deeper meaning behind the art can completely change how you experience it.

New technology has brought unprecedented opportunities and challenges. AI advancements aren’t just disrupting industries — they’re also transforming our daily lives. While these tools can certainly make the creative process faster and more efficient, they can’t replace the raw emotion and individuality that comes from the artist’s heart. And that’s probably why those hand-drawn illustrations, despite their simplicity, had the power to resonate so deeply with people.

For the best experience view this post on Liketu