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Some of my Favorite Brushes!
If you are trying Chinese brush painting or Japanese sumi-e for the first time, the most important item is the right natural bristle Chinese brush. It's worth spending some money on this, although you can get some okay brushes for $10 and others that will practically create the painting for you for $200. The good news is, if you’re just starting out, you don’t need a “Dragon brush” for $200.
I used just one brush for the first ten years, so there's no need to buy a handful to start off. I would go with a medium bamboo/orchid brush and a Happy Dot brush for veins, stamens and twigs. Natural bristle is essential so don't try to substitute with western brushes intended for watercolor or acrylic. Always soak your new brushes in cold water before using as they come with the bristles glued together to protect the point of the brush. Allow several hours for this - don't try to hurry it by using hot water (gasp!) or smashing the tip (double gasp!) on the bottom of your water container. Your brushes may need a little extra swishing after the first soaking if you let them dry before using them.
HIf you want to try painting peonies, then I would also get a small ‘soft’ brush for the flowers. If you want a springier brush for the leaves, then use the medium-sized bamboo/orchid brush (‘springy’ means it bounces back to a point). The Happy Dot will be useful for putting in the veins, stamens and signing your paintings. You will figure out with experience which brushes work best for you. I have dozens of brushes, but often pick one of the three mentioned here for bamboo and flowers, and ‘mountain horse hair’ brushes in various sizes for landscapes. Here is Blue Heron Arts' brush selection for beginners. Here are Oriental Art Supply's brushes.
Ink: You can get an ink stone and ink stick and grind your own ink while meditating on what you are about to paint, or you can buy yourself a good bottle of Chinese ink. It’s not very expensive and it will last a long time. Other inks may not work (they may run if the paper gets re-wet, or they may not give you the depth of black that you want.) I spent the first ten years just painting in black ink.
Colors: On my Joyful Brush DVD I mostly used silk dyes, hence the gloriously rich colors, but they are tricky to use, spread unpredictably and some have a tendency to fade; in my more recent videos I use a combination of Marie's Chinese watercolors, Chinese chip colors and a few western watercolors. Ning Yeh at Oriental Art Supply lists the western colors that he thinks are good substitutes for the colors from China. Both OAS and Blue Heron Arts sell a reliable range of paints, inks and dyes. I love the Chinese rattan or gamboge yellow that comes in a lump, but it is sometimes hard to obtain and does not always mix well with the indigo in tubes. A box of Marie’s Chinese Watercolors will keep you going for months.
Tune in next time to get my recommendations on the mysteries of different kinds of Chinese paper - raw, cooked, sized and semi-sized. To get started right away, you can use newsprint or buy a roll of practice rice paper.
I am experimenting with chinese watercolors and bought a medium soft brush. The bristles meaure 1.75" and i feel my peony takes up about half the paper 9.5x13. Should i be using a different size brush?
Thanks for your guidance.
Vinita
I admire your paintings.
home where I continue to paint. I have always loved Chinese paintings and art work since I was a child, but I never tried it until I
started to watch your videos. You are wonderful!!! Is there a way to get a copy of Bamboo and Bird? Thank you .
Marlene
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