Rayna Lai (IDEA BDes Grad 2026) wins 1st Place in CAPIC Rodeo 16 Student Illustration Contest with 'Emma'
Congratulations to Rayna Lai (IDEA BDes Grad 2026) for winning 1st Place in the CAPIC Rodeo 16 student contest for Illustration with “Emma” (shown above).
Many congratulations to Capilano University's IDEA School of Design students who continue to dominate the CAPIC student awards in illustration!
Check out this award-winning student illustration project!
“This is an oil portrait of my friend Emma, where I aimed for a photo-realistic look. I paid special attention on capturing the depth and softness of her skin tones and hair. With a gessoed canvas, I started on applying an acrylic wash to tone the background. Using an underpainting technique I learned from Jeff, I muted the stark white of the canvas to unify the piece. A light grid sketch helped with proportions before I built up the painting in layers of oil paint.”
The reference picture was a screenshot of this one that I took from my friend's Instagram
About the course
IDES 131 Survey and Principles of Illustration I introduces students to the origins of illustration through an integration of history, theory, and practice. Lectures review notable artists and their work, and illuminate the influence of society on visual expression from the Renaissance until the mid-20th century. Applied projects are based on lecture content and related mediums and techniques, including principles of light, form, and colour.
About CAPIC
CAPIC is the Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators, and RODEO student competition is open to photography and illustration students across Canada. Visual arts students from across the country compete for national exposure and an array of great prizes. The winning entries are also published on the CAPIC website and on social media.
See all of this year’s winners at capic.org.
About IDEA School of Design at Capilano University
IDEA School of Design offers two career-oriented programs for the next generation of creative professionals.
The Bachelor Of Design In Visual Communication is a four-year undergraduate degree with a variety of career outcomes in the creative field. Students can specialize in branding, Illustration or interactive design in upper years.
The Interaction Design Diploma is a two-year program with career outcomes in the field of digital product design and user experience. The focus is on creativity, design thinking, and problem-solving.
For more on Rayna
Insta: @rayna.dsgn
Behance: behance.net/raynalai
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raynalai
