2014 Week 1 Watercolor Postcards Kappa PREVIEW

INTRODUCING KAPPA

So I didn't get around to doing many more postcards in 2013. We downsized from a house to an apartment and the moving bit and year-end committments were a bit hectic, but I'm back and really enjoyed being active during the winter break. In fact, I finished two weeks of postcards in advance. So I hope to continue the activity and see to what day I'll make it this time! 

Day 1: Old Kappa

The Kappa is a magical being which lives in rivers and ponds. They say it has the back of the turtle and is roughly child size with human like arms and legs but webbed hands and feet. It has a reptilian head and a beak and has a dish on its head which should be full of water. If the kappa's dish goes unfilled for too long, they may die. There are both friendly and unfriendly kappa. For a new fiction I have in development I am researching the magical creatures of Asia, most specifically Japan but am open to learning about Korea, China, India, Thai, Vietnam, any interesting stories which may surface, as I know the mythologies likely feed one another, though Kappa appear quite unique to Japanese folklore. This week's pictures are studies of the Kappa and explorations of scenes I may write into the fiction.