The story has three main characters: Yuki, Tsuru and the young wood-chopper.

Starting with some fabric tests, here a farm-girl’s kimono*:

Josiane Keller “farm girl kimono, fabric sample*” (2015)

(*actually later on I decided to use this fabric for the wood-chopper’s clothes)

sketch book page, Yuki:

Josiane Keller “Yuki, costume design sketch” (2015)

Tsuru:

Josiane Keller “Tsuru” (2015)

and the first scene:

Josiane Keller “leaving the house to go into the forest” (2015)

Actually, the idea for this film is not new, I had it already a few years ago in 2010 and started a basic story board, as well as drew a couple of related comic versions; the film back then was supposed to be drawn 2D animation, but I never got to do it until now.

This vintage woodblock print was giving me the idea for the village, you need to imagine it covered in snow:

unknown artist, woodblock print “village with bamboo forest” (1900’s ?)