Dylan Duan

I work in ink, gouache, and mixed media, drawn equally to the quiet precision of intricate black-and-white compositions and the expansive energy of bold, luminous color. My practice moves between meticulous detail and vibrant expression, exploring the dialogue between restraint and abundance.

Gold Medal · Louvre, Paris 2026

First Prize · Youth World Cup Painting 2026

2× Silver · Bronze · CICAF Toronto

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01 / 05

Ink on Paper

Life After-Effects

Pen & Ink · No Underdrawing

Drawn entirely freehand—without underdrawing, only pen and ink—this work imagines the beauty and disarray of an unraveled world. Figures descend through a landscape in perpetual motion, while the background unfolds in countless hidden details, inviting the eye to linger and discover something new with each return.

Silver Award

22nd Canada International Children's Art Festival

City of Toronto · August 2024

02 / 05

Gouache & Acrylic

Street Corner

Gouache & Acrylic on Canvas

A quiet street corner at dusk, suspended in an ordinary moment. I wanted to capture the quiet contrasts of city life: some figures swept forward in urgency, papers scattered in their wake, while others pause to breathe. They inhabit the same place and the same instant, yet move through entirely different worlds.

Silver Award

23rd Canada International Children's Art Festival

City of Toronto · August 2025

03 / 05

White Ink on Black Paper

Recurrence Between Two Best Friends

White Ink & Gouache on Black Paper

White ink on black paper — a giant wolf made of stars facing a small person. Long-term friendships can feel so much bigger than us. It's about that deep, recurring connection that keeps coming back over years.

Gold Medal

4th International Art Games

Carrousel du Louvre, Paris · January 2026 · WFUCA / ADEFC

04 / 05

Charcoal on Paper

A Door to Friendship

Charcoal & White on Paper

A snowball fight in the bleakest part of a Canadian winter. The trees are bare and the colour has drained from the world, yet pale sunlight breaks through the branches and stretches long shadows across the path. Friends duck, laugh, and pull each other close — proof that even the coldest season can open a door to warmth.

Bronze Award

24th Canada International Children's Art Festival

City of Toronto · August 2026

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Acrylic on Canvas

Friendship in Colour

Acrylic on Canvas

The same winter afternoon, reimagined in full colour. Golden light pours through teal leaves, the snow turns violet in the shadows, and every snowball bursts into a bright streak mid-throw. In the corner, a quiet fox watches the game unfold. Returning to the scene let me ask what one moment feels like when joy is allowed to be loud.

First Prize

14th Youth World Cup Painting Competition

In support of UNICEF Canada · August 2026