Usui Sensei Artwork

Hi All,

I'd like to show my latest piece of artwork today...a portrait of Mikao Usui.  I titled it, "Usui Sensei."

One of the bodywork modalities I practice in my holistic therapy practice is Reiki.  Mikao Usui is the person who "developed" Reiki.  Stories vary, I'll let you do your homework on it, but in brief, he discovered/was given reiki while on a 21 day trip up on Mount Kurama in Japan in the early 1900s.

Final Artwork - 15"x15"- available as giclee print

photo of Mikao Usui

Reiki is an energy work modality.  You apply Universal Life Energy - commonly referred to as Ki, thru your hands to your client.  It's great work - soothing and can be so healing on many levels.  Beautiful stuff!

I produced this on a 6 yr old I-Mac with 4Gb Ram and Photoshop CS3.  I started with a sepia tone and built up Master Usui's image in layers.  Each layer a different color (e.g.: red, black, yellow, orange, etc).

And, it started to come together, looking a little more lifelike.

I wanted a little bit of Mount Kurama and sky in the background.  Very basic, but at this point all that I really wanted to have in the picture.

I then used some really cool textured brushes to build up a really nice texture around the portrait. (at least I like the texture - some may not, and that's ok).  In the end, I had over 20 layers....then I flatten it all down.  Now one key to working in the textures is working with a certain level of transparency in the brush itself and then I may or may not adjust the layer transparency.  Really adjusting to what I feel is right for the piece.

Finally, I add the Japanese Kanji symbols that spell Reiki, and put the finishing touches on it.  I'll be selling giclee canvas prints at 15"x15," or 18x18.
I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and artwork.  Also - call me if you would like a reiki session also...it's so good.
Take care and have a great week everyone.
Peace,
Tom