Photoshop CS5 - Intuos 4 Large - Many hours - various brushes, primarily custom multi-dot brush, squeezed on the Y for texturing.
Japanese culture interests me - moreover their mythology. I like how many local creepy stories they have (like lanterns that laugh constantly or a stirrup that waits for its master to return) and it really fuels my imagination. But because I was coming off the back of environment painting, I wanted to do something relatively simple, and twist it slightly.
One myth I read was an obscure reference to a mountain pass demon (yokai), that is discernibly feminine, but otherwise demonic looking, covered in a kind of fur, and who could be either friendly or violent, but whose intentions were never clear.
I explored that, and settled on this :) I liked the flexibility in intent in the design; you could imagine the yokai befriending someone then turning suddenly. I think she has room to play both roles equally well.
I don't like the hands ;)
