- Published on
How did that crane get there? How does a landscape develop? Where do the ideas come from? Have you wondered sometimes just where the image came from? In some centuries, artists were encouraged to 'follow the masters' and not invent their own compositions. Some contemporary Chinese painters start off with a clear plan in mind; others - like myself - allow the story to unfold stroke by stroke.
In most cases, the landscape starts off with trees and rocks, establishing the foreground. Here, I have suggested either a path or a stream with the rocks; I am leaving my options open because I have no composition in mind yet.
With a bouncy brush (Inkston #0503) I am letting my strokes dance on the paper - the rocks are hard and forceful, the trees are vigorous and intertwining. This is the most fun part! I don't have to think too much because I still have plenty of options. One tree has outline leaves, one has green leaves which will get veins added later, and above all arches a sprightly willow.
Aha! The crane has popped in! The way the rocks arrowed down to a V made a natural place for a focal point. I could have continued the path or stream to lead the eye back into the painting, but given the size of the rock on the right that option seemed a bit cramped - options are starting to narrow! Putting the crane there looking towards the front gives another layer of depth to the composition.
Time to color: I'm using Marie's indigo and yellow tubes, and brown and orange chips from Blue Heron Arts. The colors are a little pale at the moment and I will strengthen them when I put a wash on the back of the paper. This is a thin, raw xuan, with a high percentage of Wingceltis bark which allows for a good flow of color, while still maintaining crisp outlines (Inkston Perfect 70 xuan).
Closeup of Trees
I noticed that the grasses round the crane's legs were too jumbly - this is one of the disadvantages of not planning things out! - so I have used some mineral green to make the grasses more defined. I have also added white to the crane so that it will stand out when I add a background.
Now it's time to tackle the background. I've boxed myself in with the rock on the right and the green leaf tree on the left so there's no room for dreamy, meandering streams or misty mountains.
Now it's time to tackle the background. I've boxed myself in with the rock on the right and the green leaf tree on the left so there's no room for dreamy, meandering streams or misty mountains.
I've flipped the paper over and misted it lightly but thoroughly with water. It can be a bit disorienting, painting on the back, but if you want a soft background on a thin paper, this is the best way to do it. A soft brush is preferable when painting on wet paper, to avoid tearing. Inkston 0305WsW1 is the one I used.
With a mixture of grey ink and indigo I have created misty pine trees in distance. The colors are wet, therefore darker, and this is the back side. It will be much lighter when dry and viewed from the front. I have also added more green to the willow tree to increase the depth of color.
With a mixture of grey ink and indigo I have created misty pine trees in distance. The colors are wet, therefore darker, and this is the back side. It will be much lighter when dry and viewed from the front. I have also added more green to the willow tree to increase the depth of color.
Crane Guardian - Completed Painting
The finished painting, dry and viewed from the front. It measures 23"x27". My final tweak has been to divide the rock on the right into two rocks and close off the small gap at the bottom. By doing this, I make the front rock less massive and the rest of the rock recedes into the background.
It's always an adventure when the brush starts dancing on the paper. I rarely know what story is going to emerge. I encourage you to allow the dance to take you where it wants to go. Who knows what saga you will find yourself in! In this case, I just realized that November 10 is the first anniversary of the end of my cancer treatment, so the fact that a crane - the Chinese symbol of longevity - appeared is very auspicious!
It's always an adventure when the brush starts dancing on the paper. I rarely know what story is going to emerge. I encourage you to allow the dance to take you where it wants to go. Who knows what saga you will find yourself in! In this case, I just realized that November 10 is the first anniversary of the end of my cancer treatment, so the fact that a crane - the Chinese symbol of longevity - appeared is very auspicious!
2 Comments
A beautiful painting and very nice guide! Thanks Virginia!
Thanks, Yan! I enjoyed using Inkston's paper and brushes for this. Very good quality! - Virginia