New Painting: "Manekineko - The Beckoning Cat"

Here is a new painting I did over the weekend. This is Manekineko, the beckoning cat that you often see in various Asian stores.


Here are a few of the Japanese symbols in the painting. Big kudos to Aya for being my art director on this. :-)

• When the cat is holding up the left paw, it is beckoning people to come in.
  
• When the cat is holding up the right paw, it is beckoning money. I've noticed that most of the cats I see are holding up their right paw. Hmm...
  
• Both paws beckons both money and people. I love it when ancient symbolism works out so logically.
  
• Red is a lucky color
• Calico cats are lucky.
• Turtles and cranes together are lucky
• The hammer is a traditional festival hammer.
  
• The cushion is a traditional square Japanese sitting cushion.
  

I painted this one primarily in Painter and Photoshop at 16" x 20" at 300 DPI. It should make a nice print.

take care
Danc.