9 Sons Lines

9 Sons of the Dragon

Date: December 2014

Media: Ink + Digital Color

Size:1920 x 1080

Voice: Amanda Piel

Categories : Animation / Printed Scroll


This was a student project created to tell the story of The 9 Sons of the Dragon - a Chinese legend. Each 'son' was drawn traditionally with ink, and then color and scenery was applied digitally. The end product as both a printed scroll, and a digital animation.

In the story, each son had a unique appearance and purpose in daily life. They are, in order of appearance:

Bi Xi, the eldest son, is often depicted as a dragon tortoise; the hard shell of the turtle represents resilience, longevity and good fortune.

Chiwen, the second son, controls the water element.

Pulao, the third son, has a mighty roar that warns people of nearing disturbances or disasters.

Bi’An, the fourth son, is the guardian of justice and righteousness.

Taotie, the fifth son, enjoys eating.

Gongfu, the sixth son, is a fantastic swimmer whose world is water.

Yazi, the seventh son, is the dragon god of battles and victory.

Suan’ni, the eighth son, is often found near incense burners.

Jiaotu, the ninth son, is the guardian of the household.


Traditional Gallery