As well as being one of humanity's oldest art forms, Chinese brush painting is full of expression and life. While the techniques associated with Chinese brush painting have been practiced for centuries by well trained experts, it is possible for any aspiring practitioner, from beginner to professional artist, to take advantage of the beauty and grace of the Chinese brush line.
Paper
Although traditional Chinese paintings were executed on different media, those completed on rice paper are most common. Rice paper is very absorbent, allowing for the ink to dry very quickly. It comes in many different levels of thickness, but beginners should stick to the stiffest varieties as these are easier to work with. You can find rice paper at most art supply stores. It is possible to use the Chinese painting techniques also on a smooth watercolor paper.
Brushes and Ink
The Chinese brush has a few key differences from the brushes commonly used by Westerners: The shaft of the brush is usually equal in thickness throughout, unlike Western-style brushes, which taper at the end. This allows for artists with different hand sizes to grip and properly hold the brush. The bristle end of Chinese brushes also tapers quite a bit more than Western-style brushes. It is because of this increased tapering that Chinese brush artists are able to get such a variance in line width. Both brushes and ink suitable for Chinese brush painting can be purchased at most art supply stores.
Ink specifically made for Chinese brush art usually comes in the form of a tightly packed powder, which needs to be mixed with water before use. However, commercially available inks such as Sumi inks can also be purchased, and are easier to use since they are already in liquid form.
Subject Matter
Although you can paint anything you want using the Chinese brush painting techniques, there are some subjects which are more appropriate for this art form. Landscapes take advantage of the flowing and peaceful aspects of the technique, while expressive caricature type pieces work well with the quick, choppy strokes required by this technique. Calligraphy, particularly of Eastern alphabets (Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, etc.), also works well with Chinese brush painting.
Technique
Holding the brush is much like holding a pair of chopsticks. Your forefinger, middle finger and ring finger are all used in conjunction with your thumb to hold the brush, palm side towards the paper. Because of this grip, it is almost impossible to use your wrist while painting, creating more fluid strokes. When practicing this technique, you should make sure that the majority of your strokes are being made by movements at your shoulder, not your fingers or wrist.
Your strokes should be expressive and minimalistic. When creating a Chinese brush painting, only paint the lines that are essential in creating the image.
