Master the Brush Stroke Technique -- Ink Painting Project

Chinese ink painting, also known as literati painting, was practiced by highly educated scholar gentlemen or literati. Motifs and visual imagery in this genre of Chinese art show the impacts of Confucianism and scholars' pursuit of high virtue. Ink painting pursues impromptu's beauty based on long-time-practice skills, indicating Chinese culture's emphasis on hardworking and self-controlling.

Students start by following the Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden [芥子园画谱], a printed manual of Chinese painting compiled during the early-Qing Dynasty. Many renowned later Chinese painters, like Qi Baishi, began their drawing lessons with the manual.

Students learn the basic Chinese ink painting techniques in this unit by exploring how to draw bamboo and plum blossom. After that, students enhance their brush techniques by drawing a bird.

Student's practices. In this image of birds, you can see how a student got his ink painting techniques improved.

Ink Painting Class

Basic Chinese Ink Painting Techniques:

1.Chinese Ink Brush Technique 笔法和笔锋

Students practice the technique to use the brush tip/whole brush/side of the brush, and control wrist to press down and lift to create clear and smooth outline and sharp tips (different techniques applied on bamboo leaves and stalks as well as on plum blossom flowers and the plum blossom tree trunks).

2.Shade and Tonality 色调和深浅

Students learn to adjust ink density to create different shades to show an understanding of tonality.

Students' Final Ink Painting Artworks: