Picture Postcard Exhibition

There are at least a few classes in my town to practice what is called e-hagaki, or picture postcards. It's similar to watercolor painting but using a type of paint also used for sumi-e or ink painting. e-hagaki are much more colorful but also use sumi for their black outlines. The main difference is the painting style and way of holding the brush.

In one local community center, I get to see a colorful e-hagaki exhibition at least once a year. This year the exhibition is during the tanabata season so postcards are hung from bamboo branches. The images are usually of seasonal foods, plants, and everyday events. They have such a playful quality to them.

The displays are arranged in a fun way too. This one shows a train going from one place to another, painted on larger pieces of paper.

Of course these are postcards, so messages written in conversational style are usually blended in with the images. 

This exhibit had paintings on several other items in addition to postcards. Colorfully painted squid bones (cartilage, not sure what it's called?), ceramic bells, and fans were also shown. One unique thing was the local manhole cover rubbings that were then colored in.

Because I've studied shodo in the past and watercolor painting is my hobby, I'm hoping to join one of the nearby classes when my schedule allows it. The classes are at the same time I work right now. I've only participated in a taiken lesson during a cultural festival. It will require buying some art supplies I don't have, but this is a neat Japanese art form.