I don't really want to go into huge explainations over this character. The people that know who it is know who it is and that's fine by me. But just so I don't have to say it and then hear it all again, this was the conversation a guy friend and I had regarding this picture (in its early stages):

Kaiser says:
[the sash would normally be tied in the back] because if its tied in front it means she's a whore
Emily says:
he
Emily says:
*hides*
(long pause)
Kaiser says:
you need to be shot
Kaiser says:
*gets gun*

So yeah.... there you go.

This started as a simple drawing from my head as some filler in my sketchbook for my drawing class. I wasn't absolutely in love with the sketch, but the left foot--an evil, evil pose--turned out looking really good despite my not-so-firm grasp on perspective. I had spent that day in class looking at old Japanese art and was intrigued. Who else to draw but my beloved Kage?

This picture went through several (*counts* SIX!) stages in it's production. The original figure drawing, the drawing of the figure with clothes/hair, those lines inked, the kimono designs drawn in and further inking done, the background drawn in and then the final colored version you see. I might post all the other stages in my scraps to show the progress of the peice (if I do, it'll all be in one picture). Maybe...

This took forever! A challenge for myself in colored pencil techniques, inking techniques, backgrounding (HOORAY!! ART NOUVEAU!) and that Japanese art feel (which I'm not sure if I got or not... oh wellz). Over 15 hours of work! No joke!