About 10 years ago I bought a little Daruma Doll for myself.
Daruma Dolls are either super big or super tiny but all have the same function. Designed after a chinese Monk named Bodhidharma, they are now typically associated with the function of bringing luck and perseverance. It's body is eggshaped. With no Arms and Legs, as a reminder that Bodhidharma was losing his limbs in his quest to reach enlightment through self-sacrifice and meditation. Daruma dolls are designed in a way that it's impossible to be tipped over and it will always swing back in its original position. This function serves as a reminder, that no matter how many times you could get knocked down, one must always endure and stand back up. In order to achieve your goal. Freely after the Motto "You fall down seven times but stand up eight"
Darumas come with no eyes. The way the talisman works is by placing a wish with drawing one eye (it can be any eye but typically the left eye is) and only if you fulfill your wish or goal, you can draw the other eye.
Anyway, back to my story. About 10 years ago I bought one for myself. My goal? "Becoming a professional artist and making sure that I can make a living off my art". It's a giant goal that I placed upon my little Daruma doll. A goal that almost seems unreachable but no matter what, I will keep persistant and will keep going. No matter how foolish people say it is to do, I will believe in myself. In the hope that one day I'll be able to fill the other Eye of my little Daruma doll!
This was the feeling that I wanted to capture in this illustration. The contrast between me, a tiny human with a big goal. And the Daruma, that represents that seemingly unreachable goal.
Daruma Dolls are either super big or super tiny but all have the same function. Designed after a chinese Monk named Bodhidharma, they are now typically associated with the function of bringing luck and perseverance. It's body is eggshaped. With no Arms and Legs, as a reminder that Bodhidharma was losing his limbs in his quest to reach enlightment through self-sacrifice and meditation. Daruma dolls are designed in a way that it's impossible to be tipped over and it will always swing back in its original position. This function serves as a reminder, that no matter how many times you could get knocked down, one must always endure and stand back up. In order to achieve your goal. Freely after the Motto "You fall down seven times but stand up eight"
Darumas come with no eyes. The way the talisman works is by placing a wish with drawing one eye (it can be any eye but typically the left eye is) and only if you fulfill your wish or goal, you can draw the other eye.
Anyway, back to my story. About 10 years ago I bought one for myself. My goal? "Becoming a professional artist and making sure that I can make a living off my art". It's a giant goal that I placed upon my little Daruma doll. A goal that almost seems unreachable but no matter what, I will keep persistant and will keep going. No matter how foolish people say it is to do, I will believe in myself. In the hope that one day I'll be able to fill the other Eye of my little Daruma doll!
This was the feeling that I wanted to capture in this illustration. The contrast between me, a tiny human with a big goal. And the Daruma, that represents that seemingly unreachable goal.
