TOKYO - A few brushstrokes on the round, swollen skintone canvas, and soon a colourful painting appears.
As a precious memory of their pregnancy, mothers-to-be are lifting their shirts for artists to paint a cute picture on their bellies, as a blessing for safe delivery and the healthy growth of their baby.
Artist Tomoka Tome, 26, is one such artist.
In 2008, she participated in an international body-paint tournament in the US and began painting professionally in Japan from the next year. She is usually at her studio in Tokyo, but also travels to Hokkaido, Kyoto Prefecture and other regions.
Tome has painted the bellies of more than 300 pregnant women so far. Typical motifs include healthy babies and flower petals, which are done in soft brushstrokes. She uses special pigments for watercolour painting, which do not harm pregnant women’s skin.
Each work takes her about 30 minutes to finish.
“I put thought into each brushstroke. I want my work to be an opportunity to deepen the family bond.”
Sachie Yano, 36, who visited Tome’s studio with her husband from Kofu, will name their first daughter Shiki (four seasons). She designed a picture with a theme of changing landscapes.
“When my baby grows up, I want to show her a picture of this painting and tell her: ‘You were blessed even before you were born.’”
Washington Post