From the sketch and with help of some reference shots, I worked on my preliminary design. This drawing is done on a sheet of tracing paper with a 2B mechanical pencil. Yes, I'm lazy. I never draw directly on the canvas. I want to be absolutely sure that I won't screw up, and won't have to redo it. Pencil does not erase well off a gessoed illustration board. Come to think of it, it pretty much doesn't erase period, and I can't do a drawing without an eraser to save my life. It's especially true for this painting, because the flower design on her kimono alone nearly drove me insane. :)

As with many of my pieces, there was a lot of reference and research involved in the creation of this painting. Throughout the years I have accumulated tons of photos, some found online, some I have taken myself, of scenery, people, traditional dress and ordinary objects pertaining the Orient. Having lived in an Asian neighborhood in Brooklyn for a few years left me with a number of mementos such as charms, traditional art, household objects, and sundry knick-knacks. Collecting stuff is one of the ways I let lose my obsession with Asia. And it's all highly useful because it aids me regularly in my work as reference.

Below are examples of some of the reference used for this painting. I used the kimono in the topmost photo for the design, while the second from top photo it initially meant to serve as color guide (later, I went for a much brighter shade of blue). The third from top is the reference shot of the hairstyle, and the bottom-most one is the little girl I would use for the reflection.