Kasuga Taisha in Nara - Royal Talens
Kasuga Taisha in Nara - Royal Talens

Painting deer at Kasuga Taisha

This illustration depicts a common scene at Kasuga Taisha: deer following people around while they walk around the temple grounds. Get inspired by the dreamy imagery in this step-by-step plan!

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What you need

  • Sakura Koi Water Colors Pocket Field Sketch Box in 48 colours
  • Sakura Pigma Micron fineliners in various colours
  • Sakura Gelly Roll in white
  • Ecoline brush pens
  • Watercolour paper in A3 size
  • Graphite pencil
  • Eraser
  • Watercolour brushes
Step 1 - Kasuga Taisha in Nara watercolour drawing

Step 1

Sketch your drawing with the graphite pencil.

Tip: try sketching different poses for the deer and other elements in a sketchbook before starting on your final artwork. This helps minimize the number of erased lines in your drawing and keeps it neat.

Step 2

Add your linework.

Once you are happy with your drawing, trace the lines of your sketch using Pigma Micron fineliners in different colours to compliment your drawing. Now you can erase the pencil lines in the background for a cleaner look.

Step 2 - Kasuga Taisha in Nara watercolour drawing
Step 3 - Kasuga Taisha in Nara watercolour drawing

Step 3

Let's add some colour!

Colour in the background using the Koi watercolour set and add details to the background buildings with Ecoline brush pens.

Wet the part of the paper you are working on before adding the watercolours and Ecoline to create a smooth colour gradient. For an even more blended effect, use your watercolour brush and some water to spread out the pigment.

Step 4

Work on the details.

Use the Koi watercolour set to add colour, shading and details to the rest of the drawing.

Step 4 - Kasuga Taisha in Nara watercolour drawing
Step 5 - Kasuga Taisha in Nara watercolour drawing

Step 5

Add the final touches.

Use Pigma Micron fineliners to add small details to the roofs and the stone lanterns, and then use the white Gelly Rolls to add highlights.

That completes your drawing!

We hope this step-by-step plan inspired you to create your own watercolour drawing. If you try something like this, let us know by sharing it with #RoyalTalens. This stunning artwork was created for Royal Talens by Kamerim (@kamerim11)!

About deer in Nara

Nara is a city in Japan near Osaka that is known for its historical buildings, traditional imagery, beautiful landscape and temples. Yet, one of the most noticeable things about Nara is the deer that walk around everywhere. This includes the temple ground of Kasuga Taisha, one of the most famous temples in Nara.

The deer are believed to be sacred messengers of the Shinto gods, so they are treated with the utmost respect. Vendors around Nara even sell treats to feed the deer with, which has made them very friendly to humans over the years.

Step 6 - Kasuga Taisha in Nara watercolour drawing

Video tutorial: Kasuga Taisha by Kamerim

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