Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Tokyo, President: Akihiro Ogawa) held the internet based “ABT Illustration Contest 2022” over a two month period starting August 9th.
The 185 submitted works were judged by illustrator Mel Kishida, and the winning works (photo right) were selected.
Contest Overview
The “ABT Illustration Contest 2022” is an advancement of the 2020 “ABT Art Contest” and included comic, landscape, people, etc. illustrations, created mainly using the dual brush pen “ABT”. Illustration submissions were solicited on Twitter.
Reflecting recent trends, the majority of submissions were comic illustrations. While as a rule applicants’ information is not disclosed, participating art fans represented a wide range of ages, from teens to fifties. The judge, Mel Kishida, appraised the level of works submitted as “Works of amazing technology.”
Through the contest we were delighted to be able to appeal to the expressive power of the ABT as a painting tool; using techniques such as splashing, bleeding, and blurring unique to water-based inks, that fix the image in your mind without fail.

ABT Illustration Contest 2022
Recruitment Key Visual

Illustration: ABT Art Contest 2020
Judges Prize winning work “Study” by Kon Kojima

Award-winning works

Grand Prize
Artist: Nanana Title: The Colors are there

I liked the fact that a variety of colors were used; together with full use of techniques unique to ABT. Many other vivid and detailed works that used many colors were submitted, but among them, the degree of perfection of the image was outstanding, so I think it is a convincing grand prize.
As someone who draws character illustrations, the fact that the faces of the people depicted are so cute and attractive was also a point that touched my heart. (Review: Mel Kishida)

Judges Prize
Artist: waki Title: Rose Witch
A work of amazing transcendence that could be said to be number one in terms of technique and drawing power.
Of course, the cuteness of the characters, the vividness of the colors, and the details are also amazing, but the best thing is that if you look closely the base is shaded in blue. By layering pink on top of that, the color is vivid, and I think it’s wonderful because it’s a unique use of color that gives you a sense of depth and transparency. (Review: Mel Kishida)

Judges Prize
Artist: YEN Title: EISA
In any event it has an impact!
Nice development of the background orange color and the contrasting blue-based character. I really like the look and pose of this character.
Very attractive as a portrait, and the colors are used to make the most of the character’s charm. I thought that it was a good work that impacted in many ways. (Review: Mel Kishida)

Tombow Pencil Prize
Author: buri Title: squat
Mixing using a variety of colors. Also, I chose it because of the high technical skill required to express a three-dimensional effect without making it cloudy even when layered.
I thought that it was a work that showed the potential of ABT as an art tool, so starting with Mr. Kishida all of Tombow Pencil chose it. (Review: Tombow Pencil)

Tombow Pencil Prize
Author: supi Title: Entrance
First of all, I thought the composition was wonderful. What lies ahead of this line of sight that feels like a narrative? It is a composition that makes you think
It is a work based on gray, and it is a strange feeling that ABT itself has a wide variety of gray colors and that you enter a highly saturated world from there.
I chose it because I thought it was wonderful. (Review: Tombow Pencil)

Additional Prize Winners
Author: Kuwau Title: The most brilliant wedding

Additional Prize Winners
Author: Aki Kadosaka Title: Hummingbird

Additional Prize Winners
Author: Aimu Marimeri Title: Snack Time

Additional Prize Winners
Author: Midori Yamada Title: In the Forest

Additional Prize Winners
Author: Hokari Title: Scent of summer

[Prizes]
■Grand Prize (1 person) 50,000 JPY plus supplementary prize*
■Judge’s Prize (2 people) 30,000 JPY plus supplementary prize*
■Tombow Pencil Prize (2 people) 30,000 JPY plus supplementary prize*
■Additional Prizes (5 winners) 10,000 JPY plus extra prize
* Supplementary prize is a set of Tombow Pencil products.
Judge
Mel Kishida
Illustrator, character designer. Born in 1983. While working on character designs for numerous games and animations, also a popular illustrator with a variety of activities that go beyond the framework of an illustrator, such as appearing in various media. Also the original drafter and general supervisor of the “BLUE REFLECTION” project, which spans consumer, mobile, and TV animation.

“ABT Illustration Contest 2022” Winner Announcement
https://www.tombow.com/cp/abtcontest2022/awards/
Contains a video with Mr. Kishida’s voice commentary.