Naoshi DIY Sunae Kit

Today, I stopped by Q Pop to check out the Human Flower show since I missed the opening yesterday night. The show featured work from Naoshi, APAK, Minifanfan, (three artists who I totally love!) and a few others. While I was there, I picked up one of Naoshi's Sunae (Japanese sand painting) kits. I first saw these Sunae kits in San Francisco at New People, but wasn't interested in any of the available images. Q Pop had this ‘Bear Office Worker’ kit and I had to get him. He just looks so smug like he's too cool to be working in an office.

Note: The Challenge level of this is 2/3 stars

Each kit comes with instructions, a sheet of newsprint paper to use as a work surface (folded with the instructions), pre-cut artboard with an adhesive surface when the top layer is peeled off, 3 colored sands, a toothpick, and a ribbon twist-tie (I still don't get why this was included).

This kit makes it pretty easy to make your own Sunae. I would say the most difficult part is peeling off the top layer with the toothpick to expose the adhesive. The artboard looks like it was cut with a laser cutter and in some areas, it didn't seem like the top layer was cut all the way through. So in the detailed areas (mostly around the glasses) it was difficult trying to peel only the area that needed to be exposed for that color.

And in about 30 minutes, I had my very own Sunae.

This was a fun little activity to do on a Sunday afternoon. I'm thinking of going back and picking up a couple of kits for my nieces, because I know for a fact that they can't get stuff like this where they live. Not to mention, these are totally cute!