character sketches (Chinese fairytale)

The bamboo illustration I posted earlier is giving me some trouble... the problem is with the leaves. i absolutely LOVE the way bamboo leaves are painted in traditional Chinese watercolors, but I don't seem to have a good PS brush that can emulate that sharp, tapered look. if anyone has any suggestions or a brush they could give me, i'd be eternally grateful!

i've been working on a few character sketches, once again for the Chinese fairytale project... trying to nail the designs for the Peasant (Lang) and the Goddess (weaver girl) before I tackle Emperor Jade's design. I love doing the "sketch" step the most... it's fun trying to get a good silhouette/pose before the detail rendering. gotta love the spontaneity of it!
this is the goddess/weaver girl... definitely the better of the two designs.

the peasant boy, Lang... no detail yet, just trying to get the pose to look laid-back