WELCOME TO THE JOY OF THE BRUSH!
A Sumi-e and Chinese brush painter for over half a century, Virginia Lloyd-Davies has remained true to the traditional techniques of brush painting which she studied under master painter I-Hsiung Ju, (朱一雄 or Zhu Yixiong in Pinyin) for 26 years. See his artwork and biography.
As a Westerner living in the USA, her style also incorporates elements of Western painting perspective, as can be seen in her P’o Mo gallery.
In her blog she offers short tutorials on Chinese brush painting techniques, how-to step-by-step, and materials advice. Her book, “Sumi-e Painting: Master the Meditative Art of Japanese Brush Painting” published by Walter Foster Books and available on Amazon, is a world favorite among brush painters and students.
Chinese Brush Painting and Sumi-e, also known as ink and wash painting, are techniques created through the beauty of calligraphy strokes. Over the centuries, calligraphic writing with a bamboo brush and black ink became an artform of its own. Scholars, poets and artists expressed their thoughts and dreams through many different styles. Some formal styles developed by government officials for official documents of the Chinese Imperial Court are bold and easily read. Some forms such as “grass style” and “running style” are full of vitality and individual expression, sometimes making them very hard to read!
Through the practice of these calligraphic strokes, exquisite paintings evolved to include mountains and waterfalls, flowers, birds and animals. Originally created in tones of black ink, colors created from natural dyes and ground minerals began to be added as artists explored the possibilities of depicting the natural wonders that surrounded them.
Silk was used as a painting surface almost exclusively for many centuries. The earliest known paintings on silk date back over two millennia. Over time, however, the developing skills of the Chinese and Korean papermaking craftsmen offered a versatile variety of handmade papers from natural fibers such as rice straw, mulberry, bamboo and cotton.
This encouraged the development of different styles and “schools” of brush painting techniques. “Xie-yi”, or “paint the idea” and “Mogu Xua” meaning “boneless painting” encourage spontaneity of the brush and personal expression and are known as Southern School of Painting techniques. Northern School of Painting focuses on outline and meticulous detail and was more traditional among Imperial Court officials, though still practiced and appreciated today.
As a Westerner living in the USA, her style also incorporates elements of Western painting perspective, as can be seen in her P’o Mo gallery.
In her blog she offers short tutorials on Chinese brush painting techniques, how-to step-by-step, and materials advice. Her book, “Sumi-e Painting: Master the Meditative Art of Japanese Brush Painting” published by Walter Foster Books and available on Amazon, is a world favorite among brush painters and students.
Chinese Brush Painting and Sumi-e, also known as ink and wash painting, are techniques created through the beauty of calligraphy strokes. Over the centuries, calligraphic writing with a bamboo brush and black ink became an artform of its own. Scholars, poets and artists expressed their thoughts and dreams through many different styles. Some formal styles developed by government officials for official documents of the Chinese Imperial Court are bold and easily read. Some forms such as “grass style” and “running style” are full of vitality and individual expression, sometimes making them very hard to read!
Through the practice of these calligraphic strokes, exquisite paintings evolved to include mountains and waterfalls, flowers, birds and animals. Originally created in tones of black ink, colors created from natural dyes and ground minerals began to be added as artists explored the possibilities of depicting the natural wonders that surrounded them.
Silk was used as a painting surface almost exclusively for many centuries. The earliest known paintings on silk date back over two millennia. Over time, however, the developing skills of the Chinese and Korean papermaking craftsmen offered a versatile variety of handmade papers from natural fibers such as rice straw, mulberry, bamboo and cotton.
This encouraged the development of different styles and “schools” of brush painting techniques. “Xie-yi”, or “paint the idea” and “Mogu Xua” meaning “boneless painting” encourage spontaneity of the brush and personal expression and are known as Southern School of Painting techniques. Northern School of Painting focuses on outline and meticulous detail and was more traditional among Imperial Court officials, though still practiced and appreciated today.