Chinese brush painting is an ancient art form, practiced for thousands of years. In China and Japan, the black ink used in brush painting is traditionally compressed into a tubular or square stick. Vegetable oil or pine resin is burned to produce soot called lampblack to make the ink. Pine-soot-based ink has a characteristic bluish-black tint. The soot mixed with binders and glue is molded into the desired shape and dried. Chinese brush painting is a simplified and meditative style that developed from calligraphy.
Get some Chinese rice paper from an art supply store. Select rough, absorbent paper for working in an impressionistic, freehand style to suggest the essence of the painting's subject. Choose a smooth surfaced paper to slightly repel the ink and allow highly detailed, meticulous brush strokes. Assemble a set of different sized Chinese bamboo brushes. Buy brushes made of soft animal hair such as goat or fox, for soft, broad strokes. Use stiffer wolf hair brushes for fine detail work.
Pick high-quality ink sticks that are lightweight with brittle textures. Look for handmade ink sticks that have been aged for several years or more. Match the size of the sticks to the ink-grinding stone. Use a very smooth and hard ink stone, preferably a black one from China's Anhui district. Scrape or wash off the ink stick's outer coating before using.
Prepare fresh ink for each painting session. Cover the bottom of the ink stone's well with clean water. Use enough water to make an appropriate amount of ink for one sitting. Moisten one end of the ink stick in the water. Grip the stick tightly and hold it perpendicular to the stone. Grind the stick against the stone with regular, clockwise circular motions. Dip the stick in water if it adheres to the stone.
Gauge the amount of grinding to fit the desired type of brushstrokes and effects. Grind the ink to a thick, oily consistency for deep tonal values and a glossy texture. Dilute and thin the ink for painting broad, translucent washes. Dip the brush's bristles in the ink, letting it absorb about halfway up. Hold the brush upright in a vertical position over the paper as you paint. Vary tones and values by applying different pressures to the brush tip.
Paint with a sure hand, using rhythmic, confident brush strokes. Use a small fine-pointed brush to draw the outlines and general forms in the painting. Fill in the shapes with graduated washes and varied brush strokes. Focus on the essential elements of the composition and leave everything else out. Ignore perspective and work to suggest an atmospheric, birds-eye view of the scene. Strive for a sense of serenity, balance and unity in the painting. Leave the background blank or fade the painting's edges into a vignette for a floating effect.
