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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.
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.
Misty Mountain Landscape
Then see what happens when I add a pinkish wash to the whole thing. The mood of the painting changes, adding a new dimension to the landscape. I'm not saying that one is better than the other, but mists and washes are a terrific tool for adding depth to a painting when you don't necessarily want to fill in with detail. In landscapes they create perspective and add mystery. In another post, I'll get into the details of how to create the mist, but meanwhile, see the tips below.
Dawn in the Mountains
Tips to create mist:
- You can spray the paper lightly with water as you go, to create different swirly mist effects, or wait until you finish all your main elements, then spray once they're dry
- Start off with very light ink. You can always darken it, or add accents
- Mist can be grey or subtle colors
- Avoid using opaque colors like mineral blues and greens for the mist
- You can repeat the mist several times; just be sure to spray your paper first to avoid harsh marks
2 Comments
This is stunning - I-Hsiung would say you better than the teacher.
Thanks, Charlene! He was so wonderfully encouraging. How lucky we are to have studied with him for so many years.