Class #6, 7, 8

We worked through the stages of this landscape painting.

Initial ink work and color glazing.

Some more ink and color work...  Then the final wet wash process: distant fuzzy mountains and clouds between layers of landform are created.

This represents a pen-ultimate stage.  To reach the ultimate effects, we need to scrutinize the overall composition, and make some minor additions as needed.  Here, for example, the lower left corner can use more work (too empty).  The cloud pattern on the left also seem too repetitive.   

This will involve further ink and color work, followed by another layer of wet wash.  Optimally, we target a total of three washes to attain the final results.  The slow buildup of color adds depth, variations and richness.  Keep in mind that Chinese watercolors are mostly transparent, and the layers of color are additive. 

 

Brush Painting Class #5

Today we worked on trees and landform techniques.  

Trees: 

• Note the overall shape; trees have posture and gesture attributes.
• Note the branching structure, and use the main fork to anchor the form.
• Start at the middle of the tree-- the main fork; work progressively upwards and downwards, mindful of the natural variation of girth from bottom to top.
• Based on the overall shape, start dotting the leaves from the outside inwards,  to pin down the periphery.
• Add some branches in between the leaf clusters, to connect to the main tree.

Landform/Rocks:

• Line the upper/outside edge of forms of various shapes: round, square, skewed, sharp etc.
• Illusion of depth/3-D space: Each near-form partially blocks the far-form.
• Vary the forms, in terms of size, separation and alignment (do not line up in a line)
• Texture lower part of form (shade and shadows) according to the desired 3-D shape of the landform/rock.

Pictured involved today:

SIMPLE LANDSCAPE

 

Brush Painting Class #4

We practiced Canada Geese as the focus of an expansive lake scene.  Then we did willows in a loose style.

The second one was done during class, which is in an intermediate stage.

GEESE: Geese's long neck and white patch in the "chin" area are characteristic.  So, using dark ink, we do the head first, and then connect to the long neck, while leaving a blank area in the transition.   Then the body/back/wing area is done by some loose stroke, using medium/light ink.  The chest, belly and rear of the goose also are white.   Thus we use light ink to draw/line the chest, which remains white.  The rear white is set off by doing the tail with black dashes while leaving some blank spots.  Black ink dots help to show the feathers.  Then the goose is set in water which is shown by light ink strokes and horizontal lines for reflections etc.  See below.

Also shown are distant flying geese/ducks and birds.

The above also shows the vertical light-ink feathering strokes to depict the weeping willow.  This can be done in two ways.  One is by opening up the brush into a broad shape and using a light sweeping action.   A dry brush in a sideways scrub will also produce the effects. 

Brush Painting Class #3

 We did a generic bird yesterday.  The bird shape is a combination of an egg shape (body) and a sphere shape (head).  The approach is to first do the chest/belly with a light stroke, and then complete the egg shape using a series feathering strokes.  Then do the head using a dark ink tone with two strokes, one for the top and front of the head, the a small stroke for the lower head, leaving a gap for the beak and eye, by a dash and a dot.  The positions for these determine the orientation of the head.  Use dark ink strokes for the wing feathers.  Then a blunt stroke for the tail.  A few dashes indicate the feet below the belly.  Then a branch to anchor the bird.

We use the bird as an interest elements in a bigger picture.  We chose a waterfall background.

After the ink work, we added color; the color sets off the white.  Otherwise the white of the waterfall will not show.

In the next class, we shall demonstrate another wash on top of this, to produce the mists and atmosphere, and to integrate the composition.

Brush Painting Class #2

 Class 2.  Flowers on tree branches, such as Plum, Cherry, Forsythia etc.

A plum composition is composed of bright red round shapes interspersed in a network of black branches.  The branches are from a series of straight side strokes of various widths, lengths, angles, etc connected to yield the gnarled feel of an aged plum tree.

Here's is the prototype shown in class.

Note distributed in class.

Class 1: Bamboos and Rocks

 Today we practiced bamboos and rocks.  My demo pictures are below:

There is some notes about Bamboos in my other blog:

https://paultong.blogspot.com/2018/10/class-notes-10-5-2018.html

Welcome to the CCA class of April 2025

Welcome to the Chinese Brush Painting class at the Center for Contemporary Art

April- May 2025

Supplies can be bought at Amazon.

See the following document:

Supplies document

To see Paul's art, go to this Blog

Lesson 1: class notes click here