Today's Theme: "Natto Beauties" July 10th is Natto Day

Good evening, this is Ainaru Taimoku.

July 10th is "Natto Day".
Since it's an anniversary based on the wordplay of "Na (7) tto (10)," I decided to generate illustrations themed around natto, a staple of the Japanese dining table.

I've packed four different expressions into a single situation: natto as a familiar breakfast, the fun of stirring it vigorously, the figure of a craftsman supporting traditional production methods, and a fantasy world where golden threads dance.

This time, I'm delivering "Beauties Coloring Natto Day," which crosses between daily life, tradition, and fantasy.

Assumed Prompts and Ingenuity

Beauties Coloring Natto Day

• Background: A composition that travels from a daily morning to a craftsman's handiwork and then to an extraordinary fantasy space, including the veranda of an old folk house where the summer morning sun shines in, a steaming kitchen, a traditional natto workshop lined with straw bundles and wooden tubs, and a fantastic, otherworldly space where golden light swirls.

• Costume: A composition where the way of engaging with natto is reflected in the attire for each situation, including a cool-looking white-based dress, a light apron style, a craftsman style with an apron layered over an indigo-dyed kimono, and a fantastic outfit adorned with Japanese designs.

• Props: A composition that uses props to distinguish the atmosphere of the scene while keeping the stringy natto itself as the protagonist in every scene, including steaming miso soup, small bowls, freshly cooked rice, wooden bowls with chopsticks pulling long threads, large-grain natto wrapped in straw bundles, wooden tubs, and sparkling gold grains with swirling bands of light.

• Light Source: A composition that distinguishes four expressions related to natto by changing the quality of light, including the soft morning sun of summer shining onto the veranda, sunlight streaming into the kitchen from the window, soft natural light enveloping the workshop, and golden light particles filling the fantasy space.

• Atmosphere: Expressing the diverse emotional movements related to a single ingredient called "Natto Day," including a gentle smile coloring the start of the day, an irrepressible brightness, quiet pride as a craftsman, and a sense of exhilaration as if dancing in an extraordinary world.

Let's try generating

Beauties Coloring Natto Day

On the veranda of an old folk house where the summer morning sun shines in, she relaxes her cheeks while staring straight at the threads of natto scooped up with her chopsticks. Then, in the kitchen holding a wooden bowl, she laughs out loud as if enjoying the threads she stirred vigorously stretching high. Changing scenes to the natto workshop lined with straw bundles and wooden tubs, she, in an indigo-dyed kimono, holds a freshly wrapped bundle to her chest and looks back softly with the noren curtain behind her. And in the fantasy world where golden light swirls in layers, she wears a Japanese outfit adorned with sparkling threads and smiles quietly while gazing at a distant shrine. The threads tied by a single bean seem to spin many expressions, from the morning dining table to the craftsman's hands and into a dreamlike world.

My favorite one👇

Amidst the swirling golden light, what she looked up at was a dragon formed by the gathering of countless threads. In the black bowl she held, glossy natto was heaped to the brim, and a hanging scroll inscribed with "Natto Day" shone under the fantastic light. The contrast between the gold grains dancing in the night sky and her expression filled with surprise created a worldview like a scene from a fairy tale.

At first glance, I was like, 'Oh! It's a dragon!!' lol
Honestly, I didn't expect it to go this far with the idea of a dragon being born from threads. I thought it was such a novel idea! The way each sticky strand became a particle of light and swirled was a worldview different from any other, and I couldn't help but choose it.

Impressions

Impressions of the illustrations

Beauties gracing Natto Day:From the serenity of breakfast to the dynamic movement of hands stirring, the quiet pride of an artisan, and even the fantasy of swirling golden light, I never grew tired of comparing them, realizing how much variety in expression can be drawn from the same natto. I especially like the softness in the gaze of the woman holding the straw bundle in the workshop piece. Also, above all else, the natto dragon in my favorite piece sounds a bit underwhelming when written out, lol, but I thought it was an interesting illustration!

Points of struggle and ingenuity

Beauties gracing Natto Day:It was difficult to create four worlds from just a single ingredient, so I decided on the angles of breakfast, cooking, artisan, and fantasy first, and then made sure the appearance wouldn't become monotonous despite the same "natto" theme by significantly changing the lighting and costumes for each.

Summary

• I generated illustrations based on the theme of "Natto Day" on July 10th.

• I composed them in four patterns: breakfast, stirring, artisan, and fantasy.

• I depicted the different charms of natto, from an everyday dining table to a traditional workshop.

• For my favorite piece, I chose the one where a dragon emerges from the golden natto threads.

• Even with something as familiar as natto, I was able to develop it into a grand story depending on the idea.

Thank you for reading until the end! If there was a girl you liked, please feel free to press the "Like" button!

Perhaps the day when natto threads turn into dragons isn't so far off after all.