This was my submission for the Manifest 2006 Program Cover contest- unfortunately it didn't win (though this could in part be due to my submitting it 24 hours late - I have trouble discerning 'midnight' deadlines ).

The theme was folklore in a domestic context; I thought it was particularly interesting so I decided to give it a go - sadly nothing came to mind and this was the best I could come up with! It's based on the Japanese folktale of Urashima Tarou, the fisherman who upon saving a turtle gets carried under the sea, only to find out when he returns to land that 100(?) years have passed. The idea behind this is that the story mirrors the journey through time and space that traditional folklore elements have undergone, to appear in the contemporary anime/manga/game contexts we're familiar with them today. (Highly vague and abstract, I know, but I was trying to be clever.)

In terms of style this was another one of my experiments, with the uber-thick lines and simple colouring designed to mimic the more traditional japanese art styles (as well as being a massive time-saver!). The background (gum trees and the Melbourne Arts Centre spire) was done to emphasise the 'domestic context' aspect of the theme... again, it was done last minute.

I did this during exam period, so it was a welcome distraction after a bout of studying.