Chinese Zodiac

So, I was at an Indian/Chinese lunch buffet with my boss the other day, and on my placemat were these really cool, cut-paper-looking symbols/icons of the animals within Chinese Zodiac. I'm not into astrology or The Signs of the Zodiac at all, but I did think it'd be cool to design my own symbols/icons of the 12 animals.

For me, this piece really wasn't about subject-matter. Although I do like drawing animals a lot, it was more of a study in the creation and execution of a set/series of like images. My favorite assignments in art college were when we had to create lots of mini images that all appeared together. I guess I just think there's just something cool about seeing all of your artwork lined up and lookin' purdy. One style...one palette...harmony...unity. Cool.