One of my favourite things to do was get up early—5:30 or 6am, before it was too punishingly hot—was get a “mega-size” iced latte at the Lawson's closest to the Kitaoji bridge due north from the rental, then paint while sitting on the banks of the Kamogawa (literally, Duck River) around which Kyoto, Japan's capital for a millennium, was built. People have been enjoying this serene setting for a very long time, and, along with the ducks, herons, and cranes, so have the tombo, or Japanese demoiselles, (scientific name) Calopteryx japonica, who appreciate the slow moving water.

watercolour on postcard sized watercolour paper; aug 2026; photographed with lumix LX100, squared up and cropped in gimp. One of the cool things about Japan, or at least Kyoto, is the plethora of postcard sized watercolor paper products. This one is not especially high quality, but I was very charmed by the deckled edge; others included some very interesting working qualities, quite unlike any western watercolour paper I'd encountered.

The US has similar insects, with the lovely name of ‘Ebony Jewelwings’—given their iridescent green bodies and velvety-black wings, it seems altogether apropos.

The pinkish reflection on the water suggests it was pretty early, enough for sunrise colours to reflet on the water; but I evidently didn't take any reference photos, and don't precisely recall where I was sitting when I made this sketch.

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.