Chinese painting is a tradition that has been continuously developed for around 6,000 years. The earliest artists focused on landscapes, while later painters favored figurative work. A naturalistic genre of flower, animal and bird painting flourished during the 9th-century A.D. The art of Chinese bamboo brush painting is known as sumi-e in Japan. Brush painting evolved from the practice of calligraphy writing. The same tools, ink and paper are used. The two traditions share the same set of basic types of brushstrokes.
Dip an ink stick in water and grind it in a circular motion on the grindstone. Move the stick in the same direction until the ink is a creamy consistency. Use less water for thicker ink that dries glossy. Add more water to produce translucent ink. Dip a Chinese bamboo brush in the ink until it absorbs about half-way up the bristles.
Grip the brush firmly between your thumb and index finger. Hook your middle finger around the brush handle. Hold the brush perpendicular to the rice paper as you paint. Push the brush up and down with your thumb to apply more pressure to the tip for lighter or darker brush strokes. Move the brush from side-to-side with your fingers. Use your other hand's wrist as a support when painting small details.
Practice the basic calligraphy strokes until you are confident enough to construct a painting with the simple strokes. Paint dots, dashes, the hook and the wave-like stroke, along with the left, right and perpendicular down-strokes. Drag the brush across the paper to create textured or smooth strokes. Press down on the brush for darker strokes. Make your strokes decisive and fluid. Rest your elbow on the table as you paint. Stand up and paint with expressive arm movements when working on large pictures.
Draw your composition on the rice paper using linear strokes for the basic forms and shapes. Think of Oriental painting as a contemplative exercise. Try to capture the essence of your subject, whether it's a landscape, people, or flowers. Paint subjectively, ignoring the rules of perspective and the correct placement of light and shadow. Try to achieve balance, rhythm and harmony with your brushstrokes as you work.
Give your painting value structure by suggesting shadows and light with short cross-hatched lines. Lay down graded washes to create a sense of depth. Start the wash with thick, dark ink and dilute with water as you lay it down to lighten its tone. Work from light to dark, overlapping washes to build up volume. Finish the artwork by painting in the fine details with your smallest brush.
