Manga comic books have become immensely popular and a big business in Japan. The style is definitely influenced by more traditional art, especially the "Ukiyo-e." This style was popular in the 17th century, during the "Edo" period in Japan. Many of these paintings, most often done by woodblock print on cloth, depicted quite animate scenes of daily life and popular stories, as well as portraits of beautiful women and celebrities. Some, especially those by Hokusai, also used the same technique but depicted more classical scenes of nature. Mountainous and water scenes are popular subjects for these.
China is famous for its pottery and jade carvings. The most famous example is the mostly blue and white porcelain vessels made during the Ming period. Many of the designs feature nature scenes or dragons. The overall style of traditional Chinese paintings, called "guo hua," is similar to that of the Japanese, but the subjects tend to be more ornamental and the technique is with a brush instead of a woodblock. These include nature scenes and depictions of important events in history. Calligraphy is often featured on the paintings as well.
Vietnam has its own unique style of woodblock print called "Dong Ho." Traditionally, the paint comes from natural sources. Therefore many such paintings have a limited color palette that includes many greens, reds and yellows and sometimes blues. Animals are a main subject matter as well as human scenes that have allegorical natures. The images themselves have far less detail than in Japanese woodblock prints. Painting on silk is also a popular medium in Vietnam. These scenes tend to be tranquil and feature water prominently.
Traditional Indian paintings, often done as murals, are full of vibrant, bright colors and usually depict scenes of Hindu deities. While these paintings do tell a story, the action isn't active. The figures often have a placid, serene look on their faces. Sculpture, usually made of dark stone or gilded, has a similar theme.
Tibet is steeped in Buddhism, so it's no coincidence that the art is mainly religious. The "mandala" is perhaps the most famous art form to come from Tibet. They are based on a circular form and have a function in meditation. Mandalas are either painted or created meticulously and temporarily out of multicolored sand.
Indonesia, especially Bali and Java, has some of the most unique art in Asia. The "Wayang" style depicts scenes from Hindu texts such as the Ramayana. These paintings were often used in puppet theater. Since the early part of the 20th century, however, Indonesian art has branched out considerably. Smooth wood-carved statues of human figures with elongated features have been made with similarities to African wood carvings, interestingly enough. The "Ubud" style of painting is tied to Western-style realism more than other Asian art. It has much more of a 3-D perspective. The style that has become known as "You Artists" features colorful scenes that lack intricate detail, similar to some works of Matisse in that respect. "Keliki" paintings are always very small yet have immense and meticulous detail. Usually the whole space is filled. One aspect of Indonesian art that ties it all together is that, more often than not, the backgrounds will be dark in color.