Chinese Painting Class – Ink, Yarn & Beer

A Bit of Color, i

The Book and the Paints

I’ve been doing sumi-e for awhile, and now with my return to my Chinese painting class, the urge to paint is getting stronger, and the need for color is making itself known. However, it never hurts to refresh one’s skills; given this, I dug out a book I’ve had for some time: Watercolour by Patricia Monahan. This is a good book for standard watercolor techniques. So, I’m going through it, front to back, in my spare time. It’s a good refresher. As well, these techniques are important to remember as I know many will be used in any subject done in the Chinese style.

In watercolor, I’ve encountered different approaches to how to work – light to dark (Monahan’s approach) and dark-to-light. Personally, I find that I work more logically light-to-dark, but the truth is that working dark-to-light just confuses me. Maybe it is something I should deliberately try. For now, though, I will hold that thought and practice a few simple techniques.

Monahan’s book is broken down into sections. Currently I am on Washes (having read the introduction and chapter on equipment), which include techniques and then subject matter, such as rain clouds and the beach. I’ve done a solid wash, into which I’ve done

wet-into-wet
wet-onto-dry
dark to light stripes (not a wash) by adding water to a dark color to lighten it
gradated dark-to-light wash

I’m using pan paints, made by Pelikan, and I think they are technically opaque, but I find that they work fine and have a nice degree of transparency when diluted. They are convenient and easy to use on my crowded desk. For paper, I have a 7 x 10 inch block of hot press, 140 pound, Arches. I’m using both sides of the sheet for the exercises.

Washes: Solid, Wet-into-Wet, Dry-onto-Wet

The very first exercises in the book are reviews, or introductions, of the wash. The solid wash is explained, and demonstrated. From there, the author moves into wet-into-wet. Below, you will see it in the upper left corner of the picture. Wet-onto-dry is also done, with a wash laid down, allowed to dry, and then another color applied over it. This is illustrated by the weird circles in the lower left corner. Finally, layering of color is done, which you will find on the right. I kept the same strength of color for the layers, and applied about eight. The results are quite nice.

Diluting a Dark Wash

This next exercise was actually one I’ve never encountered before. This consisted of creating a fairly dark wash, and continuing to dilute the wash with the same amount of water. Each stripe in the picture below shows what occurs as the intensity of pigment is weakened. I was not scientific because I did not measure out specific amounts of water, but I did add two brushes full of water to the pan as I moved along. It seems to have worked out well.

Gradated Wash Using Flat Brush and Round Brush

Next was the ever-popular gradated wash. Onto dry paper, color is placed at the top and diluted as the color is worked down. I did this twice, using a flat brush on the left, and a large round on the right. Both have their merits.

Two Gradated Wash Methods

This next exercise consisted of placing a gradated wash onto dry paper and moving it into damp. This is on the left side of the picture below. I used a small sponge to dampen the lower half of the paper, and then at the top began my wash on dry paper. As I moved down the dry section, I added a bit of water, and then continued on down into the damp section, moving left to right and back. When I got to the damp section, I did not add any more water, nor pigment, but just let it become weaker. This was a brand new technique for me. On the right I did the dampened paper with a gradated wash. The paper was dampened with a sponge, allowed to dry a bit, and then a standard gradated wash done.

First Exercise: Monochrome Rain Clouds

Finally, the first exercise: monochrome rain clouds. Using black, I laid down a gradated wash onto dry paper. Before I let it dry, I used the sponge to lift up some of the color. I squeezed the sponge out into my waste water jar and continued. After I let this area dry, I laid down some medium and darker washes, doing some wet-into-wet, some lifting, and so on.

I was pretty nervous doing this as I was sure it would all be a disaster, but decided to trudge on rather than freak out! I always over do my watercolors – or nearly. I get sooooo frustrated! However, I am rather pleased with the results, and will do a few more monochromes before moving onto the next exercise which is the same thing – rain clouds – but with a limited palette.

Chinese Painting Class: Tiger Painting, i

Tigers in Chinese Culture

This is the Year of the Tiger. Tigers are representative of generosity, power, energy, royalty, illumination, unpredictability, and protection. There are, apparently, five types of tigers, all with different meanings and powers to keep the cosmic forces balanced.

White Tiger: ruler of the Fall season and governor of the Metal elementals
Black Tiger: ruler of the Winter season and governor of the Water elementals
Blue Tiger: ruler of the Spring season and governor of the Earth elementals
Red Tiger: ruler of the Summer season and governor of the Fire elementals
Yellow Tiger: the supreme ruler of all these tigers and symbolic of the Sun

People born in these years are Tigers: 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022.

A Bit About Tigers

In and of themselves, tigers are beautiful animals whose very existence is threatened worldwide. Here is a brief bit of information from the Wikipedia article about tigers:

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family; the largest of the four “big cats” in the genus Panthera. Native to much of eastern and southern Asia, the tiger is an apex predator and an obligate carnivore. Reaching up to 3.3 metres (11 ft) in total length and weighing up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds), the larger tiger subspecies are comparable in size to the biggest extinct felids. Aside from their great bulk and power, their most recognisable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes that overlays near-white to reddish-orange fur, with lighter underparts. The most numerous tiger subspecies is the Bengal tiger while the largest subspecies is the Siberian tiger.

Highly adaptable, tigers range from the Siberian taiga, to open grasslands, to tropicalmangrove swamps. They are territorial and generally solitary animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey demands. This, coupled with the fact that they are endemic to some of the more densely populated places on earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans. Of the nine subspecies of modern tiger, three are extinct and the remaining six are classified as endangered, some critically so. The primary direct causes are habitat destruction and fragmentation, and hunting. Their historical range once stretched from Mesopotamia and the Caucasus through most of South and East Asia. Today it has been radically reduced. While all surviving species are under formal protection, poaching, habitat destruction and inbreeding depression continue to threaten the species.

Tigers are among the most recognisable and popular of the world’s charismatic megafauna. They have featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore, and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. Tigers appear on many flags and coats of arms, as mascots for sporting teams, and as the national animal of several Asian nations, including India.

Painting Class – Back At Last!

It was so nice to get back to class after so many months away! Most of the core class was there – Connie, Fong, Paulina, Ann Marie, Jan, Paula, Philip, Cathy – and Teacher himself, Harris. The fact that is was pouring rain shows the dedication of all these painters. Teacher drives up from south of Los Angeles, and Paula comes in about 30 miles. The rest of us sort of radiate out 10-15 miles. Driving in, though, was far easier than driving out – buckets of rain to the point the roads were flooded and it was nearly impossible to see at times.

Teacher with Painting and Sketch in Charcoal and Ink

Foundations of the Painting

Teacher does a general outline of the subject with charcoal. He lays in the shapes and sets up the overall composition of the painting. Then he begins to use ink to outline the subject – in this case, of course, the tiger. In the picture you will see the picture which we are copying, and Teacher’s work.

Before any color is added to the painting, liquid ink is used to define outlines and fur. Teacher told us to use a large brush for the lines, and a finer one as well. The brushes were very dry, which gives the effect of the fur, as well as keeps the ink from bleeding into the paper, which is an unsized Chinese paper. It may look easy, but for those of us used to watercolor or acrylics, the entire process of dry brush is difficult because the dry brush in Chinese painting is really, really dry! It seems to be far dryer than what I would use in watercolor, but the absorbancy of the paper makes my “dry” brush seem sopping wet!.

Dry Brush Ink - Brush is Flattened to Create Furn

To indicate fur, Teacher flattens the brush between his finger tips, at the same time removing any extra water from the brush. He holds the brush perpendicular to the paper, or at an angle, depending on what he wants to do. This detail of the tiger’s tail shows you the effect this produces for fur. You will also see that different shades of ink have been used to create dimension. Finally, after about an hour, the foundational inking of the painting is completed.

Coloring the Tiger

In our Chinese painting class, we use Marie’s Chinese Colors. These are inexpensive paints, and often we can buy them as we need them in class because our group keeps them in supply. These paints are opaque, and when dry, do not bleed when wet. The colors we usually get are in boxes of 12, with names like burnt sienna, indigo, carmine, and so on. They are rather thick, but work very well in creating thin, transparent washes as well as opaque spots for details, such as leaves.

From what I have seen in many of my classes with Teacher, color is an addition to a painting, not the main focus. Ink provides the “bones” of the painting; color is like a condiment – something added for piquancy. This proves to be true for this tiger. The colors used were burnt sienna, carmine, and indigo. Straight ink was used for the tiger’s black and the bamboo leaves, and pure white was done at the very end to enhance the whiteness of the whiskers and fur.

Another element of painting on the unsized paper is that the colors become lighter as they dry. In the very beginning, Teacher painted the nose of the tiger with burnt sienna. This picture shows the paint very wet, and certainly the first thought you might have is that the picture is ruined, the paint is waaaaay too dark! But, as it dries, it lightens up, and is very balanced in the final painting.

Tiger - Drier Paint on Nose, and Carmine for Pink of Nose

You can also see that the burnt sienna is a good contrast for the carmine used for the tiger’s nose, as well as the fact that as the sienna dries, it becomes lighter, and quite nice. I think that teacher may have mixed a small amount of carmine with the sienna, but I did not make note of that.

The final painting was completed with ink bamboo leaves. Pure ink was used for the very dark leaves, and diluted ink for the greyer ones. A thin wash of indigo was used to outline the tiger, to make him “pop” out of the paper. Whiskers were added after everything else was done, using a very fine brush and pure white paint. These had to be done when the paper was dry, otherwise the whiskers would bleed into the background, or onto the tiger himself. White was also used to create the effect of fur on the tiger’s body, and, again, to help create a stronger image.

Finally, the tiger is finished, and set aside to dry. At this point, we students have the opportunity for critique of the previous month’s work. Teacher does calligraphy if we want – after all, what is is a Chinese painting without a poem? He also shows us how to correct our paintings, by demonstrating where they might be weak. He will paint over our pictures (with out permission), and sometimes just a subtle wash will show us how to improve. He also will show us how to do something we might be struggling with, such as flower petals and how to load a brush with colors.

Altogether, it is a great experience to watch a gifted painter in the process of creating a painting. Taking notes and photos certainly helps to recall what was done in class. I plan to do this tiger, partly because I think he is a very handsome tiger and I like the composition, but also to practice different elements in painting. I will post pictures of my progress, as well as evidence of my practice strokes and work on paper before I even begin this painting!

And now, here is the final painting of the tiger. Click on the photo and you will be able to see it in greater detail. Depending on your browser, you will see the picture enlarged, and then if you hover over it, a magnifying glass should appear to bring it to its original size. If this works for you, you will be able to look at the different areas of the tiger in fine detail.

Enjoy!

The Weng Collection and Chinese Garden at the Huntington Library

I have a fairly decent knowledge of different time periods in western art history, and some familiarity with many forms in which it is produced. I’ve worked with oils, acrylics, watercolors, done etching, stone lithography, and other forms of printmaking. Being familiar with techniques gives an appreciation of the process the artist goes through to create a work. I’ve also studied art history a bit, and know what occurred in what time and place, understand the evolution of styles, and can recognize a fair number of renown western artists.

Studying Chinese painting is very different because there is not the cultural context of brush and ink, nor a sense of the symbology of many of the subjects. To the western eye, it has been written, much of the painting and ink art of Asia is not understood. I’m inclined to agree, because although I love the elegance and simplicity of sumi ink painting, my cultural background and training can make the art of Japan and China at times difficult to appreciate.

The Weng Collection – “Treasures Through Six Generations – at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, was eye-opening. Spanning about 900 years in time, from the 1200s to present day, calligraphy and paintings, large (a 53′ scroll) and small, filled a couple of rooms. There wasn’t so much that it was overwhelming, but enough to appreciate a sense of time and history in Chinese painting. It was through this continuum of paintings that I got a sense of history and development, as well as an appreciation for the symbolism, the individuality expressed within traditional subject matter, and, I think, a sense of Chinese cultural time. I was able to look at a painting and recognize how it was done – the movement of brush and ink, the addition of color. Brushwork and style was recognizable, as both fine line and more spontaneous styles were shown. The calligraphy was beautiful, ranging from “letters home” to loved ones, to a large, magnificant scroll of “hu” – tiger.

Newly completed in 2008, the Garden of Flowing Fragrance is nearby the exhibit. After leaving the exhibit, we wandered down the hill, and into a grove of pine trees – so like the ones depicted in the scrolls in the exhibit, and so like the ones shown as samples in The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting. From there, a setting of young black bamboo.

The grove leads to the ponds and streams which have numerous koi, trees (willows and native oak), pavilions, and bridges. The eye is led here and there. Details small and large wait to be noticed. Architecture, plants, and water create a living handscroll.

The Weng Collection, the Chinese garden, The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, and my monthly Chinese painting class have conjoined into a single experience. Somehow, I understand the history of Chinese painting better – nearly a millenia of tradition has been seen (and who has touched these paintings? who made them? who unrolled them in lantern light to enjoy them?) – a garden of trees and flowers, an earthly aesthetic – a “how to” book that is about 500 years old, and still being printed – and finally, doing the brushwork myself, as generations have before.

The catalog which accompanies this exhibit is well worth the 25.00 price – I know I will continue to enjoy this exhibit long after it leaves the Huntington. It gives the history of the collection, and detailed information about the work displayed. These pictures will give a sense of the contents.

If you ever have the opportunity to see this exhibit, go! And if you are in the Los Angeles area, visit the Huntington Library. The grounds are incredible. The gardens are beautifully laid out, one leading to another. We went on a Friday, had a picnic on the lawn (you cannot bring food into the gardens), and wandered through galleries, gardens, and had a peaceful time. In four hours we could not see enough. We shall return!

Chinese Painting Class: Dragon

What really happened . . .

My last Chinese painting class had the assignment of peony, but that lasted about 20 minutes. A student requested Teacher demonstrate a dragon, and had brought in a painting by a famous artist as a sample. This turned into an incredible class demonstration!

Chinese Dragons 龍

Chinese dragons are different than western dragons. In fact, they really are not dragons by western standards. The pronunciation for dragon in Chinese is “lóng” – like “long” with a long “o” and a rather French “n” sound, like in “fin” – sort of nasal, by what I recall hearing. Wikipedia sums it up:

The Chinese dragon or Oriental dragon is a mythical creature in East Asian culture with a Chinese origin. It is visualized these days as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with four legs and five claws on each (though it did not always have five claws). In contrast to the European dragon which stands on four legs and which is usually portrayed as evil, the Chinese dragon has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art. The Chinese dragon is traditionally also the embodiment of the concept of yang (male) and associated with the weather as the bringer of rain and water in an agriculturally water-driven nation. Its female counterpart is the Fenghuang (usually translated as a phoenix).

Dragon Painting

The original painting, from a calendar of twelve monthly dragon pin-ups, is to the right. Copying a painting is a traditional method for learning techniques.

When a painting is done with both ink and color, the ink is laid down first. This ink creates the foundation for the painting, the color is added last. Different papers have different qualities, some being unsized, others not. Sized papers resist bleeding. Our dragon was painted on unsized paper, so Teacher’s brush was very dry. Even when diluted ink was used, the brush was blotted on paper towels to pull out excess moisture. When the colors were applied, they were diluted as well, but the brush was blotted, and the wash applied in quick, short strokes.

Beginning the Painting

The initial part of the painting was a rough outline in charcoal, lightly applied to the paper. Proportions were determined, and placement. Then the major outlines of the painting were started – the “bones” of the painting. These lines were both thick and thin, and applied with relatively dark ink. Even though the face was the starting point, the eyes were not completed until the painting was nearly done.

Take a look at how Teacher holds his brush. This is very different than how we hold our brush in the west. Also look at how his left hand is placed on the paper. Those of you who have done calligraphy, or spent countless hours in the classroom in your childhood during penmanship, remember this position.

Teacher uses his brush vertically, using only the tip, as well as sideways. All of this can be done with a large brush tapering to a fine point. This point can be shaped by wiping it along the edge of the dish, twirling it in the process of removing extra ink, as well as with the fingers. Narrow lines are done with the brush tip, but broader areas of ink are done with the length of the brush.

Using only one brush, Teacher completes the overall lines and shades of the painting before color is added. A sense of depth depends on all these elements working together.

Teacher completes one section before moving on to the next. First the head is outlined, then claws, and twisting body. Below the head, the rest of the dragon develops, body, tail, claws. Paper is left white so clouds, mist, and flame may be represented by light washes and color.

When the dragon is done, the eyes are added, very carefully. Ruin the eyes, ruin the painting!

Adding Color

After the dragon is completed, inking continues. The background is completed, final touches are added here and there. Once Teacher is happy with his painting, he begins to add color to the painting. He also has switched to a large, western watercolor brush!

One of the biggest challenges in watercolor is remembering that color becomes lighter as it dries. Unsized Chinese paper can become waterlogged and tear very easily. For the best results, the artist has to think ahead. Knowing about how light a color will dry comes with experience. Even so, as the painting develops, the need for darker color will be found. Patience! Let the paper dry, and then add more.

Teacher mixes an ochre, then moves into a cool blue.

Red is added.

Three hours later, teacher has completed his painting.

Abstractio

As I wrote a bit earlier in my posts about my Chinese Painting Class, there is a challenge to start painting a subject when the knowledge that is gained by practice and by painting has slid by the wayside. In an effort to stop feeling frustrated and stressed out by the process, I decided to play. Play is part of growing up – and part of any art or skill acquisition – a way to try, explore, experiment, learn. I forget this way too much!

Relearning

The subject was peonies. I have done a few good ones. This is what I did that led to tears. To put it politely, it sucks.

Becoming very frustrated, I decided to practice some strokes in classical subjects which are the foundation for Asian painting: bamboo, orchid, chrysanthemum, plum.

Some memory returns, but the brush is far too wet.

Break the Rules

Rules exist to be broken. Many sumi painters paint traditional subjects, which are beautiful in variety and subtlety. Others move into areas far beyond the traditional expressions, meeting either excitement or criticism. The beauty of ink is its immediacy, and how it lends itself to spontaneous expression. However, this element of spontaneity comes with practice and experience, and without either, the dilettante remains such. The artist combines the repeated practice, the knowledge, the experience with the moment. All artists are dilettantes and students at times, and other times, they move into that time and space when it all comes together in a moment of mastery.

Next Steps . . .

Given these thoughts, I let it go.

Absorbent xuan paper – washes – diluted ink – pure ink – pure pigment – mixed pigment – water – no water. Playing with paper, ink, paint is a form of reacqaintance with old friends. Not having a goal, just going somewhere, and letting it lead you into itself.

I am not an abstract painter, but I am not a realistic one, either. I prefer suggestion. Purely abstract adventures are rather frightening – nothing recognizable on which to get a toehold – only a plummeting in, down, out – moving with the moment.

First one done, very timid. I realize just how much I’ve forgotten! One thing that is very important to remember is that the color of Chinese paint becomes a lot light – mucho mucho! – when it dries.

These next few, I diluted the paint and ink considerably less. I sprayed the paper in some areas, applied ink and then painted over it, flicked the paint, pushed and smooshed and let the ink or color bleed in.

I rather like the above two paintings.

Continuing along the same path, I remembered that I have some acrylic paints, Golden Fluid Acrylics, which are a dilute paint (not less pigment, just thinner, like cream) and some others with sparkly effects. This painting is ink and dilute acrylic. Unfortunately, the sparkles don’t show up in the photo, but they do add a nice quality to the finished picture below. I’m actually rather pleased with this one. It makes me think of looking up into an oak tree, seeing the leaves against a bright sun.

And finally, this. I think this is my favorite. Unfortunately, the photo is not the best. This one was a bit more planned, with colors more carefully considered, warms and cools placed in some specific areas. Splatters, too, and drips were done with more conscious thought. Not all of it was planned out. Ink was added before, during, and after the colors. The paper was sprayed at various times. The point of this painting was to try to incorporate what I learned from all the above, and work to see if my thoughts would produce specific results. Did it work? Yes and no.