Japanese New Years Card - 8 months late

Did I really forget to post the final finished Year of the Rabbit card? It was done back in December. Well here it is 8 months late.



this year's holiday/new year's card. It's my take on a Japanese new year's card. Here is the process. first i made a color comp on the computer.



a couple of layers of gesso on coldpress watercolor paper.



had to paint the back with some color i have a lot of so it doesn't curl and evens out the paper.



printing out and transferring the sketch to the painting



stars made by flicking a toothbrush



sponges and brushes were used to paint this. everything except for the rabbit is done at this stage. I'll show you the final product when i do my happy holidays post.



The Final Product. I sent this to my friends in Japan on a postcard and my parents printed them as cards for family back in the States. Here is my take on a Japanese new year's card (nengajo, 年賀状). Traditionally they feature the Asian zodiac animal of that year, 2011 is the year of the rabbit. Throughout Asia, because of an old story, it is believed that there is a rabbit on the moon (instead of a man on the moon). Basically the bottom says Happy New Year and the top says 2011 and the final box below that is the character for rabbit.

excited about next year's card? So am I, 2012 is the year of the dragon. My goal is to do all 12. You can see the year of the tiger in 2009 I did here