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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.
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Trumpet Vine and Bees
CLICK ON ARROW BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO
See how I create trumpet vine in Chinese brush painting spontaneous style. This means there is no pre-planning or pre-sketching, just the brush dancing on the paper.
See how I create trumpet vine in Chinese brush painting spontaneous style. This means there is no pre-planning or pre-sketching, just the brush dancing on the paper.
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Red Bamboo
We are now officially in the Year of the Monkey! In China my friends will be traveling round to visit family, cooking and eating banquets, giving and receiving red envelopes of money and lavishing attention on babies and grandparents. The Spring Festival surrounding the turn of the Chinese Year will last a month, students and teachers will be out of school, many restaurants and businesses will be closed as will many local government offices. Beautiful calligraphy specially written on red paper for the occasion will festoon homes and stores and good-luck paintings of red bamboo will mark the occasion.
If you enjoy reading blogs about life in China written by ex pats, I highly recommend reading the New Year Blog Hop organized by Two Americans in China.
If you enjoy reading blogs about life in China written by ex pats, I highly recommend reading the New Year Blog Hop organized by Two Americans in China.
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Landscape by Tereza Mitry
After reading my blog post about the creation of my painting “Wolf Howls at Sundown”, Tereza Mitry was inspired to try her own version, using my composition as her model.
Wolf Howls at Sundown by Virginia Lloyd-Davies
Terry is new to Chinese brush painting and no teachers are available in Egypt where she lives, so she is intuiting her way into a new art technique with the help of the Facebook community and Youtube videos. I am very impressed at how good her eye is and how skilled she is already at handling the rice paper. This is her first big landscape and she is leaping hurdles that would make many students blanch. Her strokes are confident and her waterfall is excellent. Here are the tips I gave her when she asked me for my feedback:
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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
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I am painting red grapes on thin, unsized rice paper. For the grapes I mixed Marie’s rouge tint with indigo; for the leaves I used indigo, gamboge, burnt sienna and black. Use a small soft brush for the grapes and a larger soft brush for the leaves. Use a springy, hard bristle brush for the branches and vines. To find out more details on how to paint grapes in Chinese brush technique, see this post. To view more grape paintings, go here.
I am painting red grapes on thin, unsized rice paper. For the grapes I mixed Marie’s rouge tint with indigo; for the leaves I used indigo, gamboge, burnt sienna and black. Use a small soft brush for the grapes and a larger soft brush for the leaves. Use a springy, hard bristle brush for the branches and vines. To find out more details on how to paint grapes in Chinese brush technique, see this post. To view more grape paintings, go here.
If you enjoyed watching the video and want to try painting grapes yourself, be sure to check out my blog post for tips and illustrations. If you have questions, please ask! I enjoy your comments!
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Be ready for excitement! Allow the vigor of the grapevines to jump out of your brush. Painting grapes in Chinese brush style is about the boldness of the leaves contrasted with the lushness of the fruit. You can have fun with the twisting vines. They can go anywhere!
Read my tips on painting grapes, leaves and vines by clicking on "read more".
Watch me paint grapes here
See more of my grape paintings here
Purchase my How to Paint Grapes video here
Read my tips on painting grapes, leaves and vines by clicking on "read more".
Watch me paint grapes here
See more of my grape paintings here
Purchase my How to Paint Grapes video here
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This short video demonstrates two styles of Chinese brush painting: outline for the flowers and 'splashing ink' or 'boneless' technique for the leaves.
Tip: This combination is often used for plum and lotus and is particularly useful if you are painting white or light-colored flowers.
I'm using a bunch of brushes in this video, including the 'Happy Dot' for the outline petals, and a small, soft brush for the leaves. The paper is a thin, raw xuan or absorbent rice paper.
Click on the arrow below for the video
Tip: This combination is often used for plum and lotus and is particularly useful if you are painting white or light-colored flowers.
I'm using a bunch of brushes in this video, including the 'Happy Dot' for the outline petals, and a small, soft brush for the leaves. The paper is a thin, raw xuan or absorbent rice paper.
Click on the arrow below for the video
Please let me know if you have questions or feedback. I am always happy to answer. Who knows, your comment may inspire another post!
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Click on the arrow below to watch the video
I am using a small Mountain Horse hair brush and liquid Chinese ink in this quick stroke Chinese brush painting. The paper is semi-sized cotton xuan. Because I am right-handed, it is most comfortable to start my brushstroke from the lower left and move in a clockwise direction. You may find it easier to do it in reverse if you are left-handed.
You can see more of my rock paintings in my gallery.