Adventures in Brush Painting

Published on
Image description
CLICK ON ARROW BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO

Quick stroke plum created on thin, single xuan rice paper, using Marie's Watercolor Rouge Tint and liquid black Chinese ink. Hard bristle brushes of different sizes.

See my tips and illustrations on how to paint plum here
See more plum paintings here
Published on
Are you struggling with too much/too little water on the brush? Wondering when to spray and when to use a dry brush? Water can be your friend or your foe in Chinese brush painting. Because Chinese colors dye the fibre of the rice paper when they are applied, they generally don't run if they are re-wetted after drying. In contrast, Western watercolors on sized watercolor paper will run and shift if rewetted.
​One of the obvious benefits to Western watercolors, then, is that you can change elements of your painting if you decide you need to alter your composition.  But what if you want to keep your composition just the way it is, but change the overall hue? This is where Chinese brush painting excels. Take a look at this little misty mountain landscape I painted recently, using just tones of black and grey ink.
Chinese brush painting of misty mountains on rice paper

Misty Mountain Landscape

Virginia
Lloyd-Davies

Painting in sumi-e and Chinese brush technique since 1976 in 'splashing ink' style has taught me to appreciate the delights of spontaneity. Just as in life, there is no 'perfection' in painting, but there is much joy. Come join me in this adventure!