DIY Special Edition Bloombie: Exploring the Art of Sumi-e

Bloombies are all about capturing the moment in a simple form, and what better way to do that than channeling the spirit of a samurai warrior?

Growing up on epic manga like Lone Wolf and Cub and Vagabond, I was always struck by the confidence in each brushstroke. It's a confidence that comes from being present, calm, and channeling the flow. There are no mistakes, just the freedom of the moment.

This is exactly the vibe we're going for with this Bloombie art project! We'll be using sumi-e brushstrokes, a traditional Japanese ink painting technique, to transform your Bloombie into a fierce samurai.

Remember that amazing art style in Vagabond, the manga about the legendary swordsman Musashi Miyamoto? That's the kind of vibe we're aiming for. Musashi was more than just a fighter; he was a strategist (check out his book, The Book of Five Rings!), artist, and writer. His later-life paintings were done in the sumi-e style, and that's what inspires us here.

Get ready to unleash your inner samurai and create a Bloombie masterpiece!

Transform Your Bloombie into a Fearless Samurai: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to unleash your inner artist and create a truly unique Bloombie? Let's transform it into a mighty samurai warrior with bold sumi-e brushstrokes! Here's everything you'll need to get started:

Materials:

• White acrylic paint or multi-surface craft paint
• Small paintbrush
• Japanese style brush marker (one end brush tip, other end fine tip)
• Small bowl for paint
• Scissors
• Black coated craft wire
• Pliers
• Double stick tape or glue gun

Step 1: Embrace the Minimalist Samurai (Painting the Body)

1. Paint your Bloombie's entire body white and let it dry completely. This creates a clean canvas for your samurai masterpiece.

Step 2: Mastering the Eyes (Practice Makes Perfect!)

1. Grab some scrap paper and use your brush marker to practice drawing simple eyes and eyebrows.
2. Once you're comfortable, switch to your Bloombie. Steady your hand by placing your pinkie finger against the figure for support. 
3. With a confident stroke, create the first eye. Remember, there's no need for perfection! Embrace the flow and boldness of the moment. Repeat for the second eye. If you really don’t like what you painted, you can paint over in white and try again. You can also use black masking tape to cut out your eye shapes. That way you are just sticking on features that can be removable.
4. Feeling fierce? Add expressive eyebrows by pushing down and releasing the brush as you draw upwards.

Step 3: Wild Ronin Hair (Let the Brush Flow!)

1. Time for the ronin’s iconic wild hair!
2. Using the brush marker's thick brush tip, create curved strands of hair flowing down from the "hairline" near the eyes and cheeks.
3. Now, switch to the back of the head and add some hair strands pointing upwards, mimicking a ponytail. Let the brush dance freely – imperfection is part of the ronin’s wild spirit!

Step 4: A Simple Mouth (One Stroke is All You Need)

1. Ground your hand on the Bloombie again for stability.
2. With the fine tip of the marker, create a single, confident stroke for the mouth.

Step 5: The Kimono (Embrace the Power of Negative Space)

1. Let's explore the power of negative space (the areas left uncolored).
2. Channel your inner samurai and make bold strokes with the brush marker to suggest the kimono. Remember, it goes left over right for the living (right over left signifies the deceased).
3. Create a diagonal line from the Bloombie's left neck ( Bloombie's perspective) that goes down across the body.
4. Next, draw a shorter diagonal stroke from the right side of the neck, stopping before it meets the first line. This is all you need to capture the essence of the kimono.

Step 6: The Samurai's Ponytail (Go Bold!)

1. Feeling brave? Now's the time!
2. Grab a separate piece of thick paper and use the brush marker to create flowing, thick strands for the ponytail. Some strands can go up and curve, while others can flow down and swoop upwards. Remember, a messy ponytail is a true ronin’s signature look!
3. Cut out the ponytail shape, leaving a little white space around the edges and a "post" at the bottom to fit into the Bloombie's head. (Optional) If you prefer a pre-made ponytail, you can print out a template and cut it out.
   TO DOWNLOAD THIS TEMPLATE CLICK HERE

Step 7: Extra Hair Details (Optional)

1. Feeling extra creative? Cut small sections of the black craft wire and bend them to resemble hair strands.
2. Gently insert these pieces into the designated hair holes on the Bloombie's head.

Step 8: Swords – A Samurai's Weapon of Choice!

1. Our samurai needs his swords! Inspired by Miyamoto Musashi's two-sword style, let's create a pair for our Bloombie.
2. On another piece of thick paper, draw simple sword shapes with the brush marker.
3. Cut out the swords and use sticky tape or a glue gun to attach them to the sides of your Bloombie warrior.

Congratulations! You've successfully transformed your Bloombie into a fearless samurai warrior to watch over you.