Ink painting on hard surfaces like clay or wood goes back thousands of years before the birth of Christ. But, the development of crude paper about 2,000 years ago brought forth an ink and wash technique that is still in use today. The cradle of this art is China and Japan, but highly-skilled practitioners of it can be found all around the world.
Make an outline sketch of the subject in your sketch book;it may take more than one sketch. It is important to, first, accurately record the shape and outline of your subject matter. Once you feel comfortable with the contour of your drawing, practice shading the dark areas of your sketch with your pencil to create form.
Create a very light pencil sketch on the watercolor paper. Only draw the outline of the subject and do this as lightly as possible.
Mix a small bit of ink with water to create a light wash. Make some test brush strokes on a separate sheet of paper until you get a light tone that you like. Now, use this mixture to create areas with a light gray tone.
Create a medium tone by mixing slightly more ink with the same amount of water. Again use a test strip to test your mixture for its gray value. When you have the tone you desire apply the ink-water mixture to the paper. This can be done while the previous layer is still wet or after that layer has dried, but beginners may want to choose the latter process.
Put together an even darker tone by blending more ink with less water and apply this to solid dark areas of the wash painting. Again this step can be attempted while the previous sections are still moist or after they have dried. In general, overlapping different wash areas creates more gradation in the painting.
Dip the tip of a pointer brush into the ink. Apply fine black lines to the painting with the brush. It's a good idea to practice this technique first on a scrap piece of paper.
