Graves of Fireflies Div. II, Second place, Drawing

This is and pen and ink and ink wash painting. This painting was inspired by a photo by Joe O’Donell, an American photojournalist in 1945 that was taken in Nagasaki, Japan after the Atomic Bomb destroyed the city. The pen and ink drawing depicts a young boy about 10 years old traveling though the countryside trying to survive. Unfortunately, his brother did not make it.
This painting depicts the older brother traveling through a bamboo forest filled with fireflies (Graves of Fireflies). Attempting to keep his younger brother distracted from their difficult journey, he captures some fireflies in a jar. Look below the boy’s feet and you will see the jar.
I created this picture where the viewer can have a range of interpretations; one where the younger brother may have survived and continued on their journey or another showing the moment the young boy has passed away as the brother was leaving the forest on his way to a crematorium. This was a very emotional piece to complete.
I used seven to eight washes with Bombay colored India Ink along with color pens, and black India ink on Arches Watercolor.

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