Happy new year! Thanks to everyone that has been with me this year...new friends, old friends, everyone. I feel like I've grown as an artist as well. Thank you all. :) I created this card...and although it's for Hi-chan's religious challenge, it does indeed deal with the New Year. A new tomorrow, a better tomorrow, a better future, a better new year, a fresh start...all those sorts of things.

I used this scan. I fell in love with the style. It's gorgeous. I'm not sure if that's a boy or a girl...could be either, but I noticed that his/her hands were together as if he/she were praying. And the look on her [I'm making it a her for the rest of this description lol!] face, looking up to the sky...it really did fit. I felt like she was praying for something good, for something better. There is my religious context. I hope that that works. ;___;

Anyhoo, I duplicated the scan, set the top layer on blur and 'soft light,' And then I sharpened the main layer so it wasn't too blurry. I used textures and other layers of color to make it more blue, bright, and have some more gray to it. Added some lighting and bokeh, too...then the text, nothing special, but I think it turned out really well. Really pretty. :) I'm happy with it.

Dedicated to the wonderful creator of this challenge, and my dearest Dashy. <3 Enjoy! Happy new year again!