Delicate Watercolor Scenes of Japan by Masato Watanabe

Masato Watanabe is an artist who lives in Ashiya, a small city in Hyogo, Japan, where he practiced perspective drawing and illustration for over 25 years. But in 2009 Watanabe discovered watercolors. Attracted by the transparency of the medium, Watanabe continued to work and now, 6 years later, he creates wonderfully complex scenes of Japan that feature lines so crisp its hard to believe they were made from watercolors.

Ashiya is adjacent to the water and is situated near the port of Kobe. This is perhaps why boats and water are a recurring theme in his work. But aside from that, Watanabe also brings to life everyday scenes like a single-car train passing by, a motorcycle stopped outside a small restaurant, or a group of bicycles riding down the street.

In the video below, published just last week, Watanabe gives us a glimpse into how he creates his vibrant works of art. The time-lapse video is about 9 minutes but actually captures about 1-hour of work.