Saturday, February 6, 2016

focusing on a theme for my art journal


I think I'm starting to get a feel for art journaling.  At least more than I did when I decided to jump into it a few days ago. As I look at the work of experienced art journalers, I find that the journals that interest me the most are the ones with clear themes.  And since the page before this one (see last post) depicts a chameleon musing on mental and physical health, I was trying to choose between a reptile theme and a health theme. In the end I chose both. Now, you may be saying: What the heck is this creature? No reptile that I ever saw!

I'm glad you've never met this creature. Really. Because this is a kappa. Kappa are creepy youkai that live in ponds and streams, and if you get caught by one of them, you will get the life sucked out of you. Read the grotesque details here.

A Kappa has a depressed "dish" on its head that it keeps filled with water. If the water gets spilled or evaporates away, the kappa loses its strength, and maybe even its life. Keep that in mind if you ever get caught by one. There are some hints in this article about how to trick the kappa into spilling the water in its dish. This peculiarity of kappa is what inspired my choice of words, and connects in a wordplay-sort-of-way to the theme of health.

The idea for this etegami came to me when I was watching a health show on TV this morning about the dangers of dry skin and dry mouth. And you know how I Luv Word Play.

3 comments:

  1. Your posts always make me smile, I do love your word play!

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  2. I think living in Japan would be so much more colorful... So many legends, beliefs, so much lore! I read the Wikipedia entry-- yikes!!!
    I think JK Rowling 'stole' the "show great respect with a deep bow" for her scenes about the hippogriff! If one doesn't do a deep respectful bow, the thing will kill you!

    I really had to laugh about the dry skin pun, since I really have very dry skin, especially in winter! 😄

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  3. Your colors and paints bring these creatures to life (thankfully, only metaphorically).
    Yikes, a triple adverb.

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