- Published on
My last post offered suggestions on Chinese brushes, ink and colors. This time we’ll explore the mysterious and richly rewarding world of Chinese papers.
Paper for Chinese brush painting comes in varying thicknesses and absorbency, depending on its purpose. I use mostly raw (unsized) paper for quick-stroke flowers and birds, and a selection of raw and semi-sized papers for my landscapes. There is no right or wrong. You find out what works best for you by trial and error.
Tip: When you start off, you may find that a good practice paper in a roll, which imitates the handmade rice papers pretty well but is a lot cheaper, works best for you.
Paper for Chinese brush painting comes in varying thicknesses and absorbency, depending on its purpose. I use mostly raw (unsized) paper for quick-stroke flowers and birds, and a selection of raw and semi-sized papers for my landscapes. There is no right or wrong. You find out what works best for you by trial and error.
Tip: When you start off, you may find that a good practice paper in a roll, which imitates the handmade rice papers pretty well but is a lot cheaper, works best for you.
Tip: You can also practice on newsprint, but the danger there is that you get used to that surface and then have to make a big adjustment when you move to rice paper. You may also create a masterpiece on newsprint, only to find it yellowing and turning brittle in a couple of years. Regular watercolor paper does not work because it does not absorb the moisture of the stroke.
Terminology:
Xuan or shuen are just different spellings for what we in the West call ‘rice’ paper. It is named after the city of Xuan, where the paper was made. In fact, 'rice' is a misnomer, since rice straw is only used in the cheapest, lowest grade of paper. Many fibers are used to make the xuan papers – cotton, hemp, wingceltis bark, bamboo, pineapple and mulberry fibers, to name a few. All the different papers react differently to water and ink. Some papers are called raw or unsized and soak up the water, the colors spreading and bleeding and giving all sorts of interesting effects. Other papers are called semi-sized (using alum) and allow the water and ink to sit on the top of the paper and give sharper outlines. Sized paper is non-absorbent and best for outline (gongbi) technique.
Xuan or shuen are just different spellings for what we in the West call ‘rice’ paper. It is named after the city of Xuan, where the paper was made. In fact, 'rice' is a misnomer, since rice straw is only used in the cheapest, lowest grade of paper. Many fibers are used to make the xuan papers – cotton, hemp, wingceltis bark, bamboo, pineapple and mulberry fibers, to name a few. All the different papers react differently to water and ink. Some papers are called raw or unsized and soak up the water, the colors spreading and bleeding and giving all sorts of interesting effects. Other papers are called semi-sized (using alum) and allow the water and ink to sit on the top of the paper and give sharper outlines. Sized paper is non-absorbent and best for outline (gongbi) technique.
Absorbent (raw or unsized) xuan paper is best for quick stroke flowers, bamboo and birds - that’s how you get those lovely soft petal effects.
Tip: To start off with, you will probably find the ‘double xuan’ paper easiest, or else buy a roll of student practice paper. This will help you to control the moisture.
Tip: To start off with, you will probably find the ‘double xuan’ paper easiest, or else buy a roll of student practice paper. This will help you to control the moisture.
Waterfall on Oatmeal Mulberry Paper
Landscape on Single Raw Xuan Paper
Semi-sized papers work wonderfully for landscapes. While you can create great landscapes on raw xuan paper, the semi-sized specialty papers such as Ma, Jen Ho and various mulberry papers will stand up better to multiple washes to create mist, water and cloud effects.
Tip: Buy a sampler pack so you can find which ones work best for your masterpieces.
Tip: Buy a sampler pack so you can find which ones work best for your masterpieces.
It’s good to start with quality brushes, ink and paper, but you can get by with cheaper options on other needs.
Tips: I go to yard sales and pick up old saucers and bowls, and if I need a lid, I’ll stick a piece of aluminum foil or a plastic container lid on top. I have a couple of ceramic water dishes, but I find them too heavy to empty out easily, so I use plastic instead. However, the ceramic mixing dishes are worth buying because the plastic dishes allow the colors to dry out too quickly. My friend Emily picked up two ceramic ‘devilled egg’ dishes at a yard sale and gave me one: perfect for color!
Tips: I go to yard sales and pick up old saucers and bowls, and if I need a lid, I’ll stick a piece of aluminum foil or a plastic container lid on top. I have a couple of ceramic water dishes, but I find them too heavy to empty out easily, so I use plastic instead. However, the ceramic mixing dishes are worth buying because the plastic dishes allow the colors to dry out too quickly. My friend Emily picked up two ceramic ‘devilled egg’ dishes at a yard sale and gave me one: perfect for color!
Basic Beginner’s Supply list: At least 3 Chinese brushes (1 medium or large hard bristle brush for bamboo/orchid, 1 small soft bristle brush for peony petals and plum blossoms, 1 “happy dot” brush for veins and stamens), 1 roll of practice paper (Moon Palace is good), 1 bottle of Chinese ink, 1 box of Marie’s Chinese watercolor tubes. All these can be purchased online from Oriental Art Supply or Blue Heron Arts. Although based in the United States, they both ship internationally. If you want to read up on the different papers and what is best for your needs, check out inkston.com. Yan Luo, the creator and owner of the website is based in Shanghai. She sources artisan-crafted papers and brushes and her English is excellent, so don't be shy about contacting her with your questions. She tells me that she also speak French and Spanish. She also sells through Amazon.com and warehouses some of her stock in different countries round the world, so your shipping costs will not be huge.
Asian suppliers who have a great variety of goodies and that I have had good experience with (helpful English-speaking staff): Man Luen Choon in Hong Kong (check out their inventory of books!), HMay Art and Asian Brushpainter in China. Guanghwa Co, 112 Shaftesbury Avenue in London has a good inventory of painting books but I was unimpressed by their stock of paper and colors. They had recently moved so they may have reorganized since I was there last year. Be aware that if you are ordering from Hong Kong or China, the items themselves may be cheaper than in the US, but you will pay a lot in shipping and it may prove difficult to return items that you are not satisfied with. Get paper samples first before ordering large quantities.
My overall advice to you is to get the right materials from the start so that your joy in learning something new is not hampered by the wrong tools. Most of all – have fun!
1 Comments
I just found your book:sumi-e and I am amazed, I can't wait to start practicing. thank you.