During his lifetime he called himself by more than 30 names. Hokusai was well known for sketching and painting ordinary daily scenes from his life and for making woodblock prints, which he later painted with watercolors or inks. He designed and illustrated lovely small greeting cards called surimono. Surimono were intended to be given as gifts from one friend or family member to another, especially as a greeting for a happy new year or other holiday wish. A poet would write the special verse or saying on the paper, and an illustrator like Hokusai would interpret the poem through drawings.
Process Read some greeting cards out loud to get some ideas about nice greetings.
Then make up a greeting and write it on the white piece of paper. The greeting should be easy to illustrate. I love when you're wrong, and even when you're right. If the artist is too young to write, an adult can take dictation and write it on the card for the young artist. The greeting and illustration may be on the front of the paper, folded inside the paper, or any other card design of choice.