Still in Hokkaido, Japan on our nature photography tour! For a few days, we were in Rausu on Shiretoko Peninsula, and one evening wanted to watch and photograph some owls there. The area is known for its Blakistons Fish Owl, apparently one of the world’s largest species. Naturally, we were very excited. We went to the observatory and waited and waited for a few hours. Of course we knew this is all nature so it’s always a hit and miss. And that evening was a miss sadly.
So I thought I’d “drown my sorrows” by painting a cute owl instead! Whilst traveling minimally, I bring my sketchbook and coloured pencils as well as my iPad. I was in the mood of doing some mixed media work so opted for my iPad since the Procreate app is furnished with a variety of f mediums to work with. I started with a grey background and started drawing in symbols and patterns of what I’ve been observing since being in Hokkaido : straw, shells and crabs!
Next I began drawing my owl. And why not make it kawaii? That’ll certainly make me feel better. The medium I mainly used was stucco for the owl’s body. Of course I made my owl pink too! Then some gouache for the smaller areas like the eyes and feet. Small details were further drawn in ink. This time I wanted to make my drawing simple and hence the quick sketching. And now, my version of a quirky owl!
Having the iPad with me whilst traveling indeed proved handy. It may not be the same as the “real thing” but digital painting gives a different edge by enhancing the illustrations further in terms of colour intensity . Happy with the outcome, I’m planning on drawing more on my iPad during this trip!
My Kawaii Quarter 