Year of the Snake

Happy New Year to you all! Praying for a prosperous and peaceful 2024 with lots of positive vibes! 2025 is the Year of the Snake in Japan, the country I was born and raised. Although the Animal Zodiac originated in China, we celebrate New Year on the 1 January whilst the Chinese won’t be commemorating it this year until 29 January based on the Lunar Calendar. A great excuse for more festivities! And what makes this year, Year of the Snake, so special is that this happens to be my zodiac! Interestingly, though, my birthday is 24 January which falls under Snake Year in Japan, but Dragon according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. As such I also consider myself a Dragon. What personality trait that would make me, and what fortune holds for me this year remain to be discovered. Positive ones I pray! And now, a painting I made the other day in preperation for this special year.

Now this was a challenge, as I have never drawn a snake before! Always good to go beyond your comfort zone. After Google searches and practice runs on my iPad, I can safely say I nailed it: a kawaii anime snake with a crown! Pencil-sketched firstly on an A3-size page from Cansons Mixed Media Sketchbook. I decided on a Golden background but to get some texture, I firstly glued on some bits of newspaper and wrapping tissues before covering them all up with a combination of gold acrylic paints (Amsterdam and Reeves) and gold powder pigment I bought in Japan. The snake itself was filled in with Opaque Titanium White by ARA with the outlines traced over with colored pencil. Reeves paint in Bronze for the eyes and Copper for the crown. Concluded with colored glitter glues for the tongue and lashes then red sequins for the crown jewels with a bit of glitter gel on the bottom. Took me a few hours a day to complete this but I’m happy. Loving this East Asian feel to this painting with the gold background! Maybe I might get it framed…

HAPPY NEW YEAR AGAIN!