Guyu Zine

Guyu is the sixth solar term in the Chinese nongli (农历/nónglì) calendar, representing the spring rain that nourishes newly-planted crops and will bring about a bountiful harvest in the fall.
Each solar term can be divided into three pentads: 初候 (chū hòu, “initial pentad”), 次候 (cì hòu “following pentad”), and 末候 (mò hòu, “final pentad”).
Pentads in Guyu are, in order:

萍始生 (píng shǐ shēng), duckweed begins to sprout 鸣鸠拂其羽 (míng jiū fú qí yǔ), cuckoos shake off their wings 戴胜降于桑 (dài shèng jiàng yú sāng), hoopoes perch in mulberry trees

Born from an idea by Tenshi and published by Ensquare Events, this multifandom & original zine features 60 pages of art and writing, explores the themes of Guyu and its three pentads, and the overarching topic of growth in spring.

Read the free digital zine at Guyu Zine - Harvest Rain

Sketch — Initial sketch for the project. I went for a comic-style page to include more elements from the pentads. Various references from Unsplash.

Lighting study — Capturing the light and the details of duckweed inside the forest, as part of the final rendered piece.

Rendering — References contributing to the background image, in particular Austen Marr for composition and Jimmy Cao for mood and main character.

Final render of the first painting created for Guyu Zine, featuring the three pentads and the hope for a bountiful harvest.