NINE...

TOOLS:
Done in coloured pencils, acrylic paint glaze, matte glaze, white paint, scanned into Photoshop for slight colour correction.

TIME-FRAME:
7 hours.

INSPIRATION:
There is an old Japanese ghost story that tells of broken trust and broken promises. Aoyama has fallen in love with Okiku. Aoyama has promised to marry Okiku, but has recently received an auspicious marriage proposal from an Aunt. Aoyama promises Okiku that he will honor their love, and refuse the proposal.

Okiku doubts this, and tests him by breaking one of the 10 heirloom plates that are the treasure of the Aoyama household. The traditional punishment for breaking one of the plates is death, which is demanded by Aoyama's family.

At first, Aoyama is convinced that Okiku broke the plate by accident, and pardons her, but when Okiku reveals that she broke the plate as a love-test, Aoyama is enraged and kills her. He then throws her body down a well.

From then after, Okiku’s ghost is seen to enter the house and count the plates, one through nine. Encountering her in the garden, Aoyama sees that her ghostly face is not one of vengeance, but beauty and calm. Taking strength from this, he commits suicide and joins her in death.