Treasure and Pleasure

01/30/2024

This illustration celebrates the Chinese New Year of 2024. As it’s the Year of the Dragon, I created two charming dragon characters set against the backdrop of a pair of whimsical, Ghibli-inspired treehouses.

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: sketch 1
Treasure and Pleasure: sketch 1

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: sketch 2
Treasure and Pleasure: sketch 2

At first, I considered adding wooden cabins to the background, but I realized this would cause the main characters to overlap with the houses, making them hard to see. So, I decided to replace the cabins with treehouses, elevating them above the ground to keep them separate from the characters.

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: sketch 3
Treasure and Pleasure: sketch 3

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: dragon 1
Treasure and Pleasure: dragon 1

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: dragon 2
Treasure and Pleasure: dragon 2

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: tree house
Treasure and Pleasure: tree house

I’m really happy with how the final piece turned out—it has a fun, unique vibe that I’m excited to share!

illustration of Treasure and Pleasure: completed illustration
Treasure and Pleasure: composition