Lately, I've been fascinated with Obake - Japanese ghosts and shapeshifters. They feature a lot in modern manga and anime, but their roots are in Shinto. The thing that makes them so much fun to draw is that they have a cute and comical side that sometimes masks a mischievous or outright predatory nature. Hoping that folks who aren't familiar with these incredible creatures can have some fun with the ideas as well!
For a LONG illustrated, searchable list of obake, go here: www.obakemono.com
For this post, I'm focusing on my first piece of digital sketch art inspired by stories of obake. I'm hoping to put up more as time goes on.
---
The Bakeneko:
Having a cat is like having the creepiest roommate you can imagine. Secretive and observant, they burst unexpectedly from cabinets, stare at things that only they can see, and tear ass around the upstairs every night at midnight for absolutely no reason. They also dispense affection and cuteness and encourage frequent naps. It's no surprise then that the traditional bakeneko, or shapeshifting cat, (From obake - lit. "thing that changes" and neko - "cat") exists on a spectrum from loyal protector to homicidal maniac.
 | |
| I kin haz merderz? - Image ca. 1754, Japan. Source: Wikimedia Commons |
Modern manga and anime have versions that range from cute to pornographic, but often the bakeneko is a mostly-human female and portrayed with cat ears and a tail that illustrate her emotions in much the way a real cat's would. In fact, cat-like features such as fangs and ears may appear at any time on human characters to illustrate comical cuteness or mischief.
 |
| The pencil sketch. I try not to erase anything at this point. |
I went with the cuteness factor for my bakeneko, combining chibi elements (chibi is an art style in manga and anime where a character is portrayed in a childlike manner with a large head and tiny body) with my own take on things. Also, I just love drawing kimono with pretty obi bows. This bakeneko's name is Michi, and she's in a sort of semi-traditional "shy" pose with her paw-hand covering her mouth. The coloring needs a lot of work, but I was overall pretty pleased with the result for an early attempt.
Like a lot of folks who use computers for art...um...ing...whatever...I do a fast pencil sketch first, then overlay using drawing software. In my case, I'm learning from the free trail version of DrawPlus, primarily because I'm a cheap-ass, but also because I don't need a lot of features to play around and learn the basics. There are a lot of other programs that do very similar things - Photoshop and its free clone GIMP are two that spring readily to mind. You can download the latest version of GIMP at www.gimp.org.
 |
| The finished product. Coloring within the lines is for chumps, apparently. |
Back to the fun monster stories:
A bakeneko with two tails (nekomata - split-tailed cat), was also said to animate the recently deceased. Interestingly enough, other Japanese animal shapeshifters are also portrayed with multiple tails. Kitsune, or fox-spirits, could have as many as nine tails depending on their age and power.
My next obake project will be some sort of take on the hari-onago (hook-haired woman). What is it with Japanese ghost women and creepy hair??
 |
| GAH! And crawling out of home electronics! Source: www.toptenz.com |
Love,
Pinnotheres
No comments:
Post a Comment