From graffiti-covered walls and tattooed skin to everyday objects and collectable toys, XPPen’s 21st anniversary explores what happens when artists stop treating the canvas as a fixed thing. Under the theme “DOODLE THE WORLD,” the anniversary brings together a range of creative initiatives, from the Global Art Toy Design Contest with global art toy brand TOP TOY and the launch of the new Artist Ultra 14 drawing display to the 21-Day Doodle Journey doodle-and-spin game. XPPen’s official online stores will also offer discounts of up to 50% on selected products. More details about the anniversary celebration can be found on the XPPen 21st Anniversary website.
One of the ideas behind “DOODLE THE WORLD” is reflected in the new Artist Ultra 14, the latest addition to XPPen’s Artist Ultra series. The 14-inch portable drawing display is built around an Ultra Clear True Color experience, with a 2.8K OLED screen, studio-grade color performance and X-Touch functionality. Its ultra-slim design keeps the weight down to just 720g, bringing high-end display and drawing capabilities into a compact form that makes it easier to take creative work beyond the usual desk or studio setup.
The idea of taking creativity beyond the traditional canvas also extends into XPPen’s partnership with global art toy brand TOP TOY. The Global Art Toy Design Contest invites creators to reinterpret TOP TOY’s original Zero character across three formats: Null Shell Design, Fenix Shell Design and Zero Figure Design. Artists can take inspiration from seasons and clothing styles or develop their own themes, with selected designs having the chance to become physical art toys stocked in TOP TOY stores worldwide, alongside prizes including XPPen creative devices such as the new Artist Ultra 14, cash, blind boxes and X-Coins, which can be used to redeem gifts and rewards on the XPPen Community.
Submissions are open from August 16 to October 16, 2026 (UTC+8), with judging running until November 5, when the winners will be announced. More information about the Global Art Toy Design Contest, please visit the XPPen Global Art Toy Design Contest.
Finding inspiration beyond the screen
For the anniversary, XPPen has brought together five artists working across very different disciplines: Southeast Asian graffiti artist Katun; illustrator and strategic designer Josephine Rais; contemporary visual and tattoo artist Chromakane; multidisciplinary artist Marina Esmeraldo; and Tong Liu, Senior Designer at TOP TOY and an art toy artist.
When looking at the TOP TOY for the XPPen x TOP TOY Global Art Toy Design Contest, this highlights another way to take an idea that might begin on a screen and give it a very different physical form, with Tong Liu encouraging creators to explore not just color but “subtle elements such as materials and emotions”.
For Tong Liu, some of his most direct influences come from illustration and film, although travelling and the everyday things he encounters along the way can have a subtler effect on his work. As he explains, “The most direct inspiration comes from illustrations and movies. Travelling is another source of subtle inspiration, observing real-life scenes or reading comics and novels.”
That instinct to look outside the usual creative environment comes through strongly in Josephine Rais’s approach too. For her, curiosity means exploring new materials and tools, as well as putting yourself in unfamiliar situations and seeing where they lead. “I think it's really important to stay curious, to explore with new materials, to try new tools and to maybe place yourself in a different situation you've never been before, and I think in these moments inspiration hits the most,” says Josephine.
The artist also says she has needed to embrace the challenges of moving away from a conventional flat surface and working with three-dimensional objects, saying, “For me it's more challenging to draw on a different surface, which is not just flat, which is three-dimensional. There's a different surface, so there's always a different approach to those artworks.”
Artist Marina Esmeraldo finds inspiration in architecture and the natural world, and travel gives her the chance to experience both from a fresh perspective. “I am equally inspired by beautiful buildings and by the natural world,” she says, adding, “Travelling is just this gorgeous way of experiencing both with fresh senses and a fresh perspective, and I just love this feeling of freedom and discovery, so I really try to cultivate that in my artistic passions and hobbies as well.”
Contemporary visual and tattoo artist Chromakane describes a practice that has developed across different media, beginning with art prints and later expanding into other techniques and materials, including digital design and giclée printing, as well as screen printing, stencil, and spray painting.
“I am a multidisciplinary artist,” begins Chromakane. “I have a mixed media approach. I began with art prints, and then I started experimenting with other mediums and techniques. I do know that I want my work to always feel contemporary and modern, and that it also needs to be adaptable across different mediums.”
What does “DOODLE THE WORLD” actually mean?
The artists also have their own interpretations of the theme, from Katun's focus on creating without fear to Chromakane's description of it as a creative manifesto. For graffiti artist Katun particularly, the idea is closely connected to individuality, inspiration, and art's ability to bring people and cultures together, explaining how “DOODLE THE WORLD's mean to create anything without fear, every artist have their own perspective in their unique way, and also to inspire other people to create arts, and also to connect with other culture.”
Josephine Rais sees ‘DOODLE THE WORLD’ as an invitation to start drawing wherever you happen to be, without limiting yourself to conventional materials. “To me, ‘DOODLE THE WORLD’ means that you start drawing wherever you are without any limitations, and I think it's a great opportunity for creatives all around the world to participate to think outside the box and just start drawing wherever you are, on whatever medium you are, and don't be limited by traditional material, let the world be part of your artistic vision and show them what's possible.”
For Chromakane, the theme is something more fundamental than an anniversary slogan, saying: “To me, ‘DOODLE THE WORLD’ is more than just a theme. I see it as a creative manifesto. To me, it's about breaking down barriers, it's about expressing yourself without any concern, and it's about making the world your canvas.”
Marina Esmeraldo sees making the world a canvas as a way to express individuality and encourage others to do the same. “I just love the theme of 'DOODLE THE WORLD' and the concept of breaking boundaries and making the world our canvas. It's a wonderful way to express our individuality, and I just truly believe that it's when we own our gifts, our light, our magic, and we share it with the world through our art, that we make the most impact in the world, because we are empowering others to do the same.”
Where will you take your ideas?
The five artists approach 'DOODLE THE WORLD' from very different places: Katun’s graffiti and Josephine Rais' illustration and strategic design, Chromakane’s tattoo and mixed-media work, Marina Esmeraldo’s multidisciplinary practice, and Tong Liu’s art toys. Their answers may differ, but curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to find new ways to express an idea run through them all.
Their stories also show how digital tools can become part of that process, giving artists more ways to explore an idea, experiment with new forms and bring their visions to life. With products designed for different creative stages and environments, XPPen gives creators new ways to explore their ideas, whether they are sketching wherever inspiration strikes, developing detailed artwork or experimenting with a new medium. Its creative initiatives also create opportunities for ideas and talent to be seen beyond the work itself.
Perhaps that is where the spirit of “DOODLE THE WORLD” comes together. Creativity does not always follow a straight path, and an idea can evolve in unexpected ways along the way. Sometimes, all it takes is the freedom to keep exploring and see where it goes.
