"Happy Birthday!" is part of a concept in development, a series of one spread-one paragraph short stories about uncommon friendships.
In this story, a hippopotamus surprises her friend - a carpincho - by showing up on their birthday party with a kiddy pool. Carpinchos are a South American animal, so it felt like a fun idea to bring these two together through illustration.
Watercolor and colored pencils doodle, scanned and digitally improved to bring out the colors and contrast.
The short story is a metaphor for internet friends, who have become a real support for many in the recent years and specially in the context of 2020.
