Avelyn is pictured underwater wearing the headgear of popular Japanese cartoon character Kuromi and the artist said she chose her subject simply because "she is so nice".

"I think Avelyn would like to go under the water in the Kuromi helmet, to swim with the piranha and the queenfish," Ella said.

The 2024 competition attracted a record number of young artists, with more than 4000 entries.

The four winners were announced at a ceremony on Saturday morning and 70 finalists will go on display at the gallery until September.

For the oldest winner 19-year-old Leah Blatchford, art runs in the family. She was raised at her mother's art school from the age of four and now teaches there herself.

Her technically accomplished portrait Mum through time pays tribute to the woman who encouraged her creative development.

"It was a long process of deciding how I could capture her essence but I chose to portray herself in the middle surrounded by the drawings I did of her as a child," Ms Blatchford told AAP.

"The hands around her symbolise not only me as a child but also the children she has at the art school. She's taught thousands of children and been a role model."

The commerce student said she was over the moon to win and hoped it meant she could now dedicate more time to her art.

"The traction that I can get through this will help me a lot in trying to pursue art as a career," she said.

Ten-year old Hollie Au's winning drawing pictured her art teacher, who taught her how to draw a portrait.

As one of four age group, winners she will receive an art hamper and $200.

Leon Do, 14 and the son of artist Anh Do, won with a portrait of his brother in a melancholy mood, titled Xavier on a Tuesday.

"Sometimes Xavier is up, sometimes he’s down; on this day he was in the middle," the artist said.

"I have chosen to paint my brother because he is always there for me no matter what."

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