"Kunoichi" is a female ninja.

This painting is inspired in part by my ridiculous obsession with ninjas. And in part by Jun'ichiro's short story, "Tattooer." It is about an artists' creation of his ultimate masterpiece: a terrifying tattoo of a spider on the back of a beautiful young woman.

"'To give you beauty I have poured my whole soul into this tattoo,' Seikichi murmured. 'From now on there is not a woman in Japan to rival you! Never again will you know fear. All men, all men will be your victims..."
Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, 'Tattooer'

Seductive and dark, beautiful and grotesque, and with just the right amount masochism to keep it from being cliched fluff. I tried to capture the essence of his story. My limited talents, of course, doesn't do the story any justice.

(might reupload later with retouches)