Haiga (Japanese: 俳画; literally ”haiku picture”). Traditionally, a drawing representing an extension or elaboration of a haiku, accomplished by the poet him/herself and most commonly using sumi-e (black-ink brush drawing).
1. Painting or drawing that incorporates elements of haikai, most commonly a setting of a haiku, directly or obliquely, with sumi-e (black-ink brush drawing). Traditionally the drawing is a continuation of the brushwork calligraphy of the haiku by the poet, although the text and the drawing of the haiga may also be by different artists.
2. More recently, especially in the West, a haiga may be combination of graphic arts with any of the forms of haikai. The range of haiga today includes settings of any Japanese short form poetry in a variety of graphical settings, including traditional brushwork, oil and watercolor art, photographs, computer-generated images, and even crafts such as needlework, although there is controversy over whether these modern adaptations should be called “haiga.”
Note: This brief definition represents an abstract of a full-length Haikupedia glossary article to come.