I took my watercolor set to Japan and did a series of paintings, mainly derived from photographs taken in Japan. However, an important aspect of non-photographic art (and even photographic art given enough "photoshop") is that you can paint things that were not in the original scene. I think this is very powerful and coming from photography is quite freeing. For example, the cherry blossoms were not in bloom at Yokohama when we landed and went through the Sankeien Garden, but I can draw a scene from there and color in the cherry blossoms as if they were.
I find this also freeing when taking run-and-gun photographs where I do not worry as much about people being in the photographs that are just for me and my own memory more than being "fine-art" photographs (or even ones that would get uploaded here!).
All (but the koi) here have original photographs, or inspiration, uploaded in the prior "Trip to Japan" series, so if you go looking you should be able to find my inspiration.
The last one I don't consider finished and plan to fill in the top margin with cherry blossoms or other foliage.