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Japanese culture has always been the one that I am obsessed with and want to know more about. Daruma dolls (达摩) are my favourite not only for their adorable looks, but also the blessing and the interpretation behind them.
A Daruma doll is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll. They typically are red and depicting with a beard, but vary greatly in colour and design depending on region and artist.
Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement.
In Japan, while making the doll, the artists fill in one eye upon setting the goal, then the other upon fulfilling it. In this way, every time they see the one-eyed Daruma, they recall the goal. One explanation of how this custom started says that in the ancient Japanese myth, in order to motivate Daruma-san to grant your wish, you promise to give him full sight once the goal is accomplished. Nowadays, it also means to keep track of goals or big tasks and motivate the people to work to the finish.
For the photograph that I chose to transfer onto a canvas and a cotton t-shirt is a tattoo of the Daruma which my friend got last year.
The background of the photo was erased using photoshop to make the emphasis focus on the main design of the Daruma, and some changes were made to the design based on my personal thoughts. For the decoration on the Daruma's body, I photoshopped a character "Fu" instead of the original design of the sakura.
"Fu (福)" is a widespread Chinese and Japanese character meaning "fortune" or "good luck". I truly wish everyone who wears this shirt can have the good fortune and luck with them forever.
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