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1 Chapter 1 : Chinese Brush Paintings: History and Techniques Beautiful book! It begins with basic information on Chinese equipment and techniques and then gives examples of landscape elements found in Europe and the US, all treated in the Chinese brush style. History[ edit ] Shan shui painting first arose to prominence during the 5th century, [1] in the reign of the Liu Song dynasty. It was later characterized by a group of landscape painters such as Zhang Zeduan, [2] most of them already famous, who produced large-scale landscape paintings. These landscape paintings usually centered on mountains. Mountains had long been seen as sacred places in China, [3] which were viewed as the homes of immortals and thus, close to the heavens. Philosophical interest in nature, or in mystical connotations of naturalism, could also have contributed to the rise of landscape painting. The art of shan shui, like many other styles of Chinese painting has a strong reference to Taoist imagery and motifs, [4] as symbolisms of Taoism strongly influenced "Chinese landscape painting". No one cares whether the painted colors and shapes look like the real object or not. Shan shui painting is a kind of painting which goes against the common definition of what a painting is. Shan shui painting refutes color, light and shadow and personal brush work. Shan shui painting is more like a vehicle of philosophy. All shan shui paintings should have 3 basic components: Paths â Pathways should never be straight. They should meander like a stream. This helps deepen the landscape by adding layers. The path can be the river, or a path along it, or the tracing of the sun through the sky over the shoulder of the mountain. The Threshold â The path should lead to a threshold. The threshold is there to embrace you and provide a special welcome. The threshold can be the mountain, or its shadow upon the ground, or its cut into the sky. The Heart â The heart is the focal point of the painting and all elements should lead to it. The heart defines the meaning of the painting. Page 1

2 Chapter 2 : Chinese Brush Painting â TeachKidsArt Contains advice and help on choosing and using Chinese painting materials, as well as stage-by-stage painting demonstrations and a chapter on all the different elements of a landscape painting. Jane Evans is the author of Chinese Brush Painting. The apprentice must copy these items strictly and continuously until the movements become instinctive. In contemporary times, debate emerged on the limits of this copyist tradition within modern art scenes where innovation is the rule. Changing lifestyles, tools, and colors are also influencing new waves of masters. Early pottery was painted with spirals, zigzags, dots, or animals. It was only during the Warring States period â BC that artists began to represent the world around them. Calligraphy and painting were thought to be the purest forms of art. The implements were the brush pen made of animal hair, and black inks made from pine soot and animal glue. In ancient times, writing, as well as painting, was done on silk. However, after the invention of paper in the 1st century AD, silk was gradually replaced by the new and cheaper material. Much of what we know of early Chinese figure painting comes from burial sites, where paintings were preserved on silk banners, lacquered objects, and tomb walls. Many early tomb paintings were meant to protect the dead or help their souls to get to paradise. Others illustrated the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius or showed scenes of daily life. Luoshenfu by Gu Kaizhi â AD During the Six Dynasties period â, people began to appreciate painting for its own beauty and to write about art. From this time we begin to learn about individual artists, such as Gu Kaizhi. Even when these artists illustrated Confucian moral themes â such as the proper behavior of a wife to her husband or of children to their parents â they tried to make the figures graceful. Keep in mind that this was written circa CE and refers to "old" and "ancient" practices. The six elements that define a painting are: Xie He said that without Spirit Resonance, there was no need to look further. In his day, the art of calligraphy was inseparable from painting. Sui and Tang dynasties â [ edit ] Further information: Tang dynasty painting During the Tang dynasty, figure painting flourished at the royal court. Artists such as Zhou Fang depicted the splendor of court life in paintings of emperors, palace ladies, and imperial horses. Figure painting reached the height of elegant realism in the art of the court of Southern Tang â Most of the Tang artists outlined figures with fine black lines and used brilliant color and elaborate detail. However, one Tang artist, the master Wu Daozi, used only black ink and freely painted brushstrokes to create ink paintings that were so exciting that crowds gathered to watch him work. From his time on, ink paintings were no longer thought to be preliminary sketches or outlines to be filled in with color. Instead, they were valued as finished works of art. In these landscapes, monochromatic and sparse a style that is collectively called shuimohua, the purpose was not to reproduce the appearance of nature exactly realism but rather to grasp an emotion or atmosphere, as if catching the "rhythm" of nature. Liao, Song, Jin and Yuan dynasties â [ edit ] Guo Xi is a representative landscape painter of the Northern Song dynasty, depicting mountains, rivers and forests in winter. This piece shows a scene of deep and serene mountain valley covered with snow and several old trees struggling to survive on precipitous cliffs. Painting during the Song dynasty â reached a further development of landscape painting; immeasurable distances were conveyed through the use of blurred outlines, mountain contours disappearing into the mist, and impressionistic treatment of natural phenomena. The shan shui style paintingâ "shan" meaning mountain, and "shui" meaning riverâ became prominent in Chinese landscape art. The emphasis laid upon landscape was grounded in Chinese philosophy ; Taoism stressed that humans were but tiny specks in the vast and greater cosmos, while Neo-Confucianist writers often pursued the discovery of patterns and principles that they believed caused all social and natural phenomena. Distant mountain peaks rise out of high clouds and mist, while streaming rivers run from afar into the foreground. There was a significant difference in painting trends between the Northern Song period â and Southern Song period â The paintings of Northern Song officials were influenced by their political ideals of bringing order to the world and tackling the largest issues affecting the whole of society; their paintings often depicted huge, sweeping landscapes. Adherents to Neo-Confucianism focused on reforming society from the bottom up, not the top down, which can be seen in their efforts to promote small private Page 2

3 academies during the Southern Song instead of the large state-controlled academies seen in the Northern Song era. The poet and statesman Su Shi â and his accomplice Mi Fu â often partook in these affairs, borrowing art pieces to study and copy, or if they really admired a piece then an exchange was often proposed. From their time onward, many painters strove to freely express their feelings and to capture the inner spirit of their subject instead of describing its outward appearance. The small round paintings popular in the Southern Song were often collected into albums as poets would write poems along the side to match the theme and mood of the painting. Yue Fei is the second person from the left. It is believed to be the "truest portrait of Yue in all extant materials". The scholar-artists considered that painters who concentrated on realistic depictions, who employed a colorful palette, or, worst of all, who accepted monetary payment for their work were no better than butchers or tinkers in the marketplace. They were not to be considered real artists. One of the greatest landscape painters given patronage by the Song court was Zhang Zeduan â, who painted the original Along the River During the Qingming Festival scroll, one of the most well-known masterpieces of Chinese visual art. Emperor Gaozong of Song â once commissioned an art project of numerous paintings for the Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute, based on the woman poet Cai Wenji â AD of the earlier Han dynasty. Yi Yuanji achieved a high degree of realism painting animals, in particular monkeys and gibbons. During the Mongol Yuan dynasty â, painters joined the arts of painting, poetry, and calligraphy by inscribing poems on their paintings. Yuan emperor Tugh Temur r. Narrative painting, with a wider color range and a much busier composition than Song paintings, was immensely popular during the Ming period â The first books illustrated with colored woodcuts appeared around this time; as color-printing techniques were perfected, illustrated manuals on the art of painting began to be published. Jieziyuan Huazhuan Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden, a five-volume work first published in, has been in use as a technical textbook for artists and students ever since. Some painters of the Ming dynasty â continued the traditions of the Yuan scholar-painters. This group of painters, known as the Wu School, was led by the artist Shen Zhou. Another group of painters, known as the Zhe School, revived and transformed the styles of the Song court. Shen Zhou of the Wu School depicted the scene when the painter was making his farewell to Wu Kuan, a good friend of his, at Jingkou. During the early Qing dynasty â, painters known as Individualists rebelled against many of the traditional rules of painting and found ways to express themselves more directly through free brushwork. In the 18th and 19th centuries, great commercial cities such as Yangzhou and Shanghai became art centers where wealthy merchant-patrons encouraged artists to produce bold new works. However, similar to the phenomenon of key lineages producing, many well-known artists came from established artistic families. Some artists who studied in Europe rejected Chinese painting; others tried to combine the best of both traditions. Among the most beloved modern painters was Qi Baishi, who began life as a poor peasant and became a great master. His best-known works depict flowers and small animals. Some Soviet Union socialist realism was imported without modification, and painters were assigned subjects and expected to mass-produce paintings. This regimen was considerably relaxed in, and after the Hundred Flowers Campaign of â 57, traditional Chinese painting experienced a significant revival. Along with these developments in professional art circles, there was a proliferation of peasant art depicting everyday life in the rural areas on wall murals and in open-air painting exhibitions. During the Cultural Revolution, art schools were closed, and publication of art journals and major art exhibitions ceased. Major destruction was also carried out as part of the elimination of Four Olds campaign. Since [ edit ] Following the Cultural Revolution, art schools and professional organizations were reinstated. Exchanges were set up with groups of foreign artists, and Chinese artists began to experiment with new subjects and techniques. One particular case of freehand style xieyi hua may be noted in the work of the child prodigy Wang Yani born who started painting at age 3 and has since considerably contributed to the exercise of the style in contemporary artwork. After Chinese economic reform, more and more artists boldly conducted innovations in Chinese Painting. Page 3

4 Chapter 3 : Shan shui - Wikipedia Chinese brush painting is an ancient art that continues to fascinate contemporary artists. The basic strokes can be learned in moments and require years to master. Simple beauty, harmony, serenity and tranquility may be discovered in a symbol, a bird, or a landscape. Brush Ink cake Water Inkstone. Over the centuries, the practice of countless artists made it an art subdivided into a multitude of schools with some traits in common. Characteristics The essence of traditional Chinese art, Chinese painting also named Chinese xuan painting, Chinese Brush painting, or Chinese ink painting offers a view into the artistic aesthetics, cultural background and religions of ancient China. Painters normally painted on the silk or rice paper, and mounted it to make it a meticulous scroll painting. The materials and tools for traditional Chinese painting include brush, ink, ink stick, traditional Chinese painting pigment, treated xuan paper, silk, seal and others. Humans, landscapes, flowers and birds are top four subjects for traditional Chinese painting. Chinese landscape painting The origin and early ages Chinese painting originates from the ancient pictographic characters. In the neolithic age, pottery was created and showed evidence of early Chinese painting. On the colored pottery basin excavated from Sunjiazhai, Qinghai Province, we see a picture of three groups of five people hand in hand singing and dancing. They are the prime sources to study traditional Chinese painting. They were artifacts, and also ancient Chinese arts and crafts. Yanyue Copper Pot kept in the Palace Mueseum has pictures of ancient war. The artistic techniques shown on the bronze ware paintings had inspired and greatly influenced the stone carving and brick carving of Han Dynasty. Early paintings had laid the foundation of traditional Chinese painting - the lines were the basis of drawing modeling. Later in Han Dynasty and Wei Jin dynasties BC - D, the collision and fusion of the input and native culture made religion the main theme of Chinese painting. Landscape painting and flower-and-bird painting also sprouted at this time. Traditional Chinese painting kept on developing during the Sui and Tang dynasties -, when China was at the height of economic prosperity and culture development. Landscape painting, flower-and-bird painting had matured. Chinese painting reached its peak during Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties -, literati paintings and genre painting gradually became the mainsteam. A multitude of painters sprang up. They enjoyed the life and loved the arts, and created numerous high-quality paintings. The main schools of Chinese painting In terms of mode of expression, traditional Chinese painting mainly falls into two schools. Chinese figure painting has a history of over years with the appearance of frescoes, and mainly include religious figure painting e. Buddha painting, maidens painting, portrait painting, genre painting and historical story painting. Maters good at figure painting include Gu Kaizhi, Wu Daozi and Hanwo, who have made great contributions to Chinese figure painting. In the early ages, the patterns of flowers, birds and some animals frequently used on the potteries and bronze wares had a peculiar mystical significance - to worship the gods and sovereigns. The first high-quality flower-and-bird paintings with independent spirits emerged in Wei and Jin dynasties, and demonstrated unique aesthetics and superb painting skills. Ink and Wash Painting is also widely known. As the name implies, it uses ink and water to paint. Mountains, rivers, plants, animals, birds, flowers, etc. They are not only four plants, but also present the four seasons and the personality and conduct Chinese people appreciate with. The plum of blossom, stands for bravery and the messenger of spring, the symbol of grace and nobility in Chinese culture; orchid, a modest flower, stands as the symbol of secluded charm because it is often found in a deserted shady valley; bamboo symbolizes integrity and simplicity; chrysanthemum, for elegance, righteousness and longevity. Besides, there are another three kinds of plants are used as themes of Chinese painting, they are: The pine tree stands for the uprightness and immortality. The peony presents wealthy and honors. The lotus, coming out of the mire without being smeared, stands for kindness, harmony, purity and both the blooming lotus and the luxuriant lotus leaves symbolize prosperity and continuity. Among them, the murals of landscape painting take the highest achievement. Page 4

5 Chapter 4 : An Introduction to Chinese Brushpainting Techniques Asian Art Museum Education Contains advice and help on choosing and using Chinese painting materials, as well as stage-by-stage painting demonstrations and a chapter on all the different elements of a landscape painting. Jane E. See Article History Chinese painting, one of the major art forms produced in China over the centuries. The other arts of China are treated in separate articles. These include Chinese calligraphy, which in China is closely associated with painting; interior design ; tapestry ; floral decoration ; Chinese pottery ; metalwork ; enamelwork ; and lacquerwork ; as well as Chinese jade ; silk ; and Chinese architecture. The present political boundaries of China, which include Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and the northeastern provinces formerly called Manchuria, embrace a far larger area of East Asia than will be discussed here. See also Central Asian arts ; and Southeast Asian arts. The first communities that can be identified culturally as Chinese were settled chiefly in the basin of the Huang He Yellow River. Gradually they spread out, influencing other tribal cultures, until, by the Han dynasty bceâ ce, most of China proper was dominated by the culture that had been formed in the cradle of northern Chinese civilization. Over this area there slowly spread a common written language, a common belief in the power of heaven and the ancestral spirits to influence the living, and a common emphasis on the importance of ceremony and sacrifice to achieve harmony among heaven, nature, and humankind. These beliefs were to have a great influence on the character of Chinese painting, and indeed all the arts of China. Chinese civilization is by no means the oldest in the world: But, while the early Western cultures died, became stagnant, or were transformed to the point of breaking all continuity, that of China has grown continuously from prehistoric settlements into the great civilization of today. The Chinese themselves were among the most historically conscious of all the major civilizations and were intensely aware of the strength and continuity of their cultural tradition. They viewed history as a cycle of decline and renewal associated with the succession of ruling dynasties. Both the political fragmentation and social and economic chaos of decline and the vigour of dynastic rejuvenation could stimulate and colour important artistic developments. Thus, it is quite legitimate to think of the history of Chinese painting primarily in terms of the styles of successive dynasties, as the Chinese themselves do. General characteristics Aesthetic characteristics and artistic traditions Art as a reflection of Chinese class structure One of the outstanding characteristics of Chinese art is the extent to which it reflects the class structure that has existed at different times in Chinese history. Up to the Warring States period â bce, the arts were produced by anonymous craftsmen for the royal and feudal courts. During the Warring States period and the Han dynasty bceâ ce, the growth of a landowning and merchant class brought new patrons. At this time a distinction began to arise between the lower-class professional and the elite amateur artist; this distinction would have a great influence on the character of Chinese art in later times. Gradually one tradition became identified with the artists and craftsmen who worked for the court or sold their work for profit. The scholarly amateurs looked upon such people with some contempt, and the art of the literati became a separate tradition that was increasingly refined and rarefied to the point that, from the Song dynasty â onward, an assumed awkwardness in technique was admired as a mark of the amateur and gentleman. One effect of the revolutions of the 20th century was the breaking down of the class barriers between amateur and professional and even, during the Cultural Revolution of â 76, an emphasis on anonymous, proletarian-made art like that of the Tang dynasty â and earlier. Page 1 of Page 5

6 Chapter 5 : A Visual Vocabulary of Brushstrokes Asian Art Museum Education Traditional Chinese Brush Landscape Painting Chinese landscape painting, in general, is the famous paintings art that take landscapes as themes, treats the natural mountains and rivers as major description objects. Starting around B. Its growth has inevitably reflected the changes of time and social conditions. In its early stage of development, Chinese painting was closely related to the other crafts, from pottery to the decorations used on the bronzes, carved jade and lacqerware. Following the introduction of Buddhism to China from India during the 1st century A. The range of subject matters dealt with in figure painting was extended far beyond religious themes during the Song dynasty,. Paintings of historical character and stories of everyday life became extremely popular. Techniques were also further refined. Landscape painting had already established itself as an independent form of expression by the 4th century. The blue-and-green landscape used bright blue, green and red pigments derived from minerals to create a richly decorative style. A great many artists painted in this genre during the Song dynasty and their subject matter included a rich variety of flowers, fruits, insects and fish. Many of the scholar painters working with ink and brush used a great economy of line. Modern painters have often mixed several colors on one brush or mixed their colors with black inks. As a result, they have obtained more natural and richly varied colors. Such techniques have been widely adopted and further developed in the contemporary period. Artistic Character and Techniques One of the important factors contributing to the evolution of the distinctive style of traditional Chinese painting has been the close relationship between the materials used and their influence on artistic forms and techniques. Chinese Brush First, there is the Chinese brush. Though similar to the brush used for watercolor painting in the West, it has a finer tip suitable for dealing with a wide range of subjects and for producing the variations in line required by different styles. Since the materials used for calligraphy and painting are essentially the same, developments in calligraphic styles and techniques can also be used in painting. These show the significance of the meaning for the two terms pi brush and mo ink. The brush techniques so much emphasized in Chinese painting include not only line drawing but also the stylized expressions of shade and texture cunfa and the dotting methods dianfa used mainly to differentiate trees and plants and also for simple embellishment. At the same time, they reveal the individuality and style of the painter himself. Type of Painting Brushes: Crab claw brush, large and small sizes Hua jan pi: Ink has been used in calligraphy and painting for over two thousand years. Thick ink is very deep and glossy when applied to paper or silk. Thin ink appears lively and translucent. Paper and Silk Third, there is paper or silk. Chinese painting may be done either on Chinese paper or silk. Chinese Paper The original paper around AD. Modern paper is often machine made. It is classed in degrees of weight and amount of size used. The paper is very absorbent and the amount of size in it will dictate the quantity of ink used for strokes on the paper. Different paper produce different results; some are rough and absorb ink quickly like a sponge, others have a smooth surface which resists ink. Chinese paper is usually known as rice paper in English. Chinese Silk Before painting on silk, the silk should be treated with alum and glue before use. Brushstroke is best shown on paper. Chinese Color Fourth, there are the colors. There are differences in the use of color between Chinese painting and modern western painting. Chinese painting aim is not to express the various shades of color of the subject in relation to a fixed source of light, but to express the characteristics of the different subjects. For example, the adding of traces of brown or green to rocks, trees, leaves, grass and moss in a painting is used to reinforce the feeling of a particular season or state of the weather. Composition and Space Fifth, there are composition and space. Since the creative requirements of Chinese painting do not demand strict adherence to reality or to a particular angle of view or source of light, the painter has complete freedom in terms of artistic conception, structural composition and method of expression. To give prominence to the main subject, it is quite permissible to omit the background entirely and simply leave it blank. At the same time, since the sizes and shapes of the spaces in the painting are different, the very absence of content can itself create rhythm and variety. Sometimes the variety and balance created in this way is further enriched by the addition of inscriptions in the empty space. In artistic conception and structural composition, most landscape paintings create the impression that the scene is viewed from high in the air, as if seen through the Page 6

7 eyes of a bird. With flower-and-bird paintings, sometimes a single flower hangs as if suspended in space, or the flowers and plants of different seasons appear together. The laws of these things must come second to the requirements of artistic creation and should not become shackles that bind artistic expression. Seal and Calligraphy One of the distinctive characteristics of Chinese painting is the use of inscriptions in poetry of calligraphy and of special seals as part of the painting itself. This was a major contribution made by scholar painters. In ink-and-wash paintings, the bright red seal adds a final touch of beauty. When preparing the inscription and seal, therefore, the Chinese painter, in addition to considering their content, has always given great thought to the placement, length and dimensions of the inscription and the position of the seal on the painting. Sometimes the inscription could include the occasion for the painting and the name of the person for whom the painting was done. It could be about the subject and style of the painting. Quite often the artist might include a piece of poetry or a literary allusion. The seals can be carved in stone. It can contain a name, poetical saying, a design or symbol which has a connection with the painting. The seals are pressed into a pot or tin of cinnebar paste, a scarlet red color, and are impressed onto the painting. The paste contains mercuric oxide, ground silk and oils. It required a careful stamp as it is rather permanent. When using red seal on a monochrome painting, it is said to be "adding the eye to the dragon". Page 7

8 Chapter 6 : Chinese Brush Painting Syllabus The essence of traditional Chinese art, Chinese painting (also named Chinese xuan painting, Chinese Brush painting, or Chinese ink painting) offers a view into the artistic aesthetics, cultural background and religions of ancient China. Bring fact-checked results to the top of your browser search. Characteristics of painting The character of Chinese painting, like that of Chinese calligraphy, is closely bound up with the nature of the medium. The basic material is ink, formed into a short stick of hardened pine soot and glue, which is rubbed to the required consistency on an inkstone with a little water. The painter uses a pointed-tipped brush made of the hair of goats, deer, or wolves set in a shaft of bamboo. He paints on a length of silk or a sheet of paper, the surface of which is absorbent, allowing no erasure or correction. He must therefore know beforehand what he intends to do, and the execution demands confidence, speed, and a mastery of technique acquired only by long practice. For example, to broaden the brushstroke, the painter applies downward pressure on the brush. Such subtle action of the highly flexible but carefully controlled brush tip determines the dynamic character of the brushwork and is the primary focus of attention of both the artist and critical viewers. In painting, colour is added, if at all, to make the effect more true to life or to add decorative accent and rarely as a structural element in the design, as in Western art. Brighter, more opaque pigments derived from mineral sources blue from azurite, green from malachite, red from cinnabar or lead, yellow from orpiment or ochre, all produced in various intensities are preferred for painting on silk, while translucent vegetable pigments predominate in painting on paper indigo blue, red from safflower or madder, vegetable green, rattan and Sophora yellow and produce a lighter, more delicate effect. Whereas painting on dry plaster walls or screens is an ancient art in China, more common formats in the past millennium have been the vertical hanging scroll, perhaps derived from the Buddhist devotional banner, and the horizontal hand scroll, which may be of any length up to about 15 metres 50 feet. Other forms are fan painting and the album leaf. In Chinese eyes a picture may gain considerably in interest and value from the colophons added by later connoisseurs on the painting itself or, in the case of a hand scroll, mounted after it. The mounting of paintings is a highly skilled craft and, if carefully done, will enhance the appearance of a scroll and ensure its preservation for many centuries. From the Shang dynasty to ce Zhou dynasty â bce The arts of the Zhou dynasty, the longest dynasty in Chinese history, reflect the profound changes that transformed Chinese society during this period of nearly years. The first Zhou rulers virtually took over the Shang culture; indeed, the earliest bronze vessels bearing Zhou inscriptions might, from their style, have been made in the Shang dynasty. The Zhou kings parceled out their expanding territory among feudal lords, each of whom was free to make ritual objects for his own court use. Thereafter, as the Zhou empire was broken up among rival states, many local styles in the arts developed. The last three centuries of the Zhou dynasty, known as the Warring States period â bce, saw a flowering of the arts in many areas. The breakdown of the feudal hegemony, the growth of trade between the states, and the rise of a rich landowning and merchant class all brought into existence new patrons and new attitudes that had a great influence on the arts and crafts. Practically nothing survives of Zhou painting, although from literary evidence it seems that the art developed considerably, particularly during the period of the Warring States. Palaces and ancestral halls were decorated with wall paintings. The most significant development of the late Zhou, one among the most revolutionary of all moments in Chinese art, was the emergence of a representational art form, a departure from the ritualized depiction of fanciful and usually isolated creatures of the Shang and early to middle Zhou that is evident in the bronzes of this period. In decorating ceremonial objects, artists began to depict the ceremonies themselves, such as ancestral offerings in temple settings, as well as ritual archery contests important in the recruitment and promotion of officials, agriculture and sericulture, hunting, and the waging of warâ all activities vital to a well-ordered state. Such representations were cast with gold or silver inlay or engraved onto the sides of bronze vessels, most notably the hu, where all these themes might be combined on a single vessel. This conceptual transformation began by the late 6th century bce, at about the same time Confucius and other philosophers initiated humane speculation on the nature of statecraft and social welfare. The early representation of landscape, indicated only crudely on bronzes, appears in more Page 8

9 sophisticated fashion on embroidered textiles of the 4thâ 3rd centuries bce from south-central Chinese sites such as Mashan, near Jiangling in the state of Chu modern Hubei province. There, as in the Han dynasty art that followed, landscape is suggested by rhythmic lines, which serve as mountain contours to organize spatially a variety of wild animals in front and back and which, while structurally simple, convey in linear fashion a sophisticated concept of mountain landscape as fluid, dynamic, and spiritual. Further indications of the subject matter of Dong Eastern Zhou pictorial art are given by objects in lacquer, chiefly from the state of Chu and from Sichuan, on which hunting scenes, chariots and horsemen, and fantastic winged creatures drawn from folklore were painted in a simple but lively style natural to the fluid character of the medium. Large painted lacquer coffins with such creatures depicted were present in the 5th-century-bce royal tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng. The labour required for these coffins is suggested by the set of nested coffins from the Han dynasty found at Mawangdui two bearing exquisite landscape designs, described below, which are said to represent one million man-hours. A painted lacquer storage box from the Zeng tomb bears the earliest depiction of two of the Chinese directional animals formerly thought to date from the later Han, together with the names of the 28 stars used in Chinese astrology previously believed to have been introduced at a later time from Iran or India. Drawing of ancestral offering scenes ritual archery, sericulture, hunting, and warfare cast on a ceremonial bronze hu, 6thâ 5th century bc, Zhou dynasty. In the Palace Museum, Peking. Those scenes concerned with ceremonial archery and ritual offerings in architectural settings, sericulture, warfare, and domestic hunting, however, seem to be essentially Chinese. These renditions generally occur with figures in two-dimensional silhouette spread evenly over most of the available pictorial surface. By the very late Zhou, however, occasional examplesâ such as the depiction of a mounted warrior contending with a tiger, executed in inlaid gold and silver on a bronze mirror from Jincun c. The few surviving Zhou period paintings on silk â from about the 3rd century bce, the oldest in all East Asiaâ were produced in the state of Chu and unearthed from tombs near Changsha. One depicts a woman, perhaps a shaman or possibly the deceased, with a dragon and phoenix; one depicts a gentleman conveyed in what appears to be a dragon-shaped boat; and a third, reported to be from the same tomb as the latter, is a kind of religious almanac the earliest known example of Chinese writing on silk decorated around its border with depictions of deities and sacred plants. Page 9

10 Chapter 7 : How to Start Chinese Brush Painting: 8 Steps (with Pictures) Chinese painting DVD samples - landscape, rocks, mountains, and trees with colors and calligraphy techniques. Culture Chinese spirit of ink and wash paintings Ink and wash paintings are works of art created with merely water and ink, in which ink is also used to make colors and varying ink density produces astonishing variations in tonality. The Chinese art style featuring simplicity and light color is rooted in an important and unique traditional Chinese painting, that is, ink and wash painting. Traditional Chinese ink and wash paintings are noted for their delicate nuance in tonality of black, grey and white and variations of ink strokes, thick or thin, fast or slow, square or round, and spaces left untouched, and their portrayal of landscapes, figures and flowers and birds. Just as its name implies, ink and wash paintings are works of art created with merely water and ink, in which ink is also used to make colors and varying ink density produces astonishing variations in tonality. The dark ink is then diluted with light ink or water. Alternatively, dark ink can be applied after applying light ink. As dark ink takes on a deep black, light ink takes on a silvery grey and rice paper is white. As only ink is used in ink and wash paintings, the quality of the painting depends on the quality of the ink. When making paintings, it is necessary to apply dark and light ink ingeniously. Otherwise, a painting with pure dark ink or pure light ink would look quite dull. The dark part and the light part should be interpenetrating into each other to form a rich tonality, so that the flexible brushwork of Chinese paintings can be displayed. Why choose monochrome ink instead of brilliant colors to make paintings? As the universe is infinite, it is impossible for us to depict the universe. Ink and wash paintings encompass more than simplicity. Instead, the paintings convey vividness and rhythm of nature using a great economy of brush strokes. Shrimps created by Qi Baishi are priced on a per-shrimp basis. It is said that a person once asked Qi Baishi to draw one more shrimp free of charge. To this request, Qi Baishi drew a lifeless shrimp for him. The person observed that the lifeless shrimp differed from the others. Qi Baishi told him that he had drawn a dead shrimp because the shrimp was free of charge. On the contrary, ink and wash paintings adopt a freehand style and are capable of portraying scenes of what you may choose without visual constraints. The painting centers on a river and shows a busy downtown city and suburb, pedestrians on a bridge and boats under the bridge, pavilions and trees nearby and lanes and river harbors in the distance, all of which bear a resemblance in size and distance. It is impossible to portray these scenes in oil paintings. The Mona lisa The freehand style of ink and wash paintings has many forms of expression. Compared with oil paintings, ink and wash paintings put less importance to the background and the drawn figures often look like they are standing in the air. When painting, oil painters attach great importance to showing the countenance of figures, whereas ink and wash painters give priority to portraying the character of figures. Philosophical masterpieces favored by the literati Ink and wash paintings are representative of traditional Chinese paintings and are also philosophical masterpieces favored by the literati who would express their feelings about the universe and depict life in the universe using a brush. This also explains why ink and wash paintings have no background. Actually, it is the universe itself that serves as the background in ink and wash paintings. There were a good number of royal painters who attached importance to outward appearance whereas the literati most of them were officials looked down upon royal painters and longed to create works in a freehand style to express thoughts and feelings, cultivate morality and relieve the pain and anguish of officialdom. Therefore, appreciating ink and wash paintings differ from viewing oil paintings. Oil paintings originate from huge frescos and it is recommended to view oil paintings from a distance. On the contrary, appreciating ink and wash paintings means sharing private works.. This decides how to appreciate ink and wash paintings. Just like tea appreciation, ink and wash paintings convey feelings beyond description and need careful observation and probing into the hidden philosophy of life. On the contrary, appreciating ink and wash paintings means sharing private works. To that end, the literati would chose auspicious dates, invite good friends, burn incense, wash their hands and take out artistic works from their collection for appreciation and critique. Those of the literati who possessed painting scrolls and made comments can be found in most of ancient Chinese literature and this is why the ancients were keen to collect small painting scrolls. Contemporary painters adopt novel painting Page 10

11 techniques and enrich the creation of ink and wash paintings. You may start with this film if you plan on exploring the world of ink and wash paintings. Published in Confucius Institute Magazine Magazine Page 11

12 Chapter 8 : Chinese Paintings at China Largest Online Chinese Painting Gallery Chinese Brush Painting dates back to BC, with techniques being handed down from master to student. In contrast to what most of us are taught about art today, copying and perfection of technique was more important and more highly valued than self-expression. The beautiful city of Huizhou has been home to a lot of intellectuals and many famous painters in Chinese history. In this article, Wang Zirang is going to tell us how to use Xuan Papers, brushes, inks, and ink stone. Painting should be a hobby and an interest, skill is needed with pen and ink, effort and artistry with warm affection to capture the true emotion of Nature. Persistence and perseverance is also very important. People crazy for painting need to get outside into Nature, to understand the nature of the mountains and rivers, plants and treed, to observe changes in the different seasons of nature and find inspiration in careful thought and sentiment. Xuan Paper Chinese painting and calligraphy use Xuan paper. The thousand year old paper is Xuan paper which can be kept forever. This paper is very different from other papers and allows a large number of Chinese paintings and calligraphies to survive for thousands of years without any chemical treatment. Fine Xuan paper is generally produced by Chinese specialists such as the fine Red Star company paper. After you have mastered Chinese painting techniques, then you can use the special Red Star paper, that would be the recommended sequence. Of course Chinese painting uses ink but you also have to have to be proficient in the technique and rules of using ink well. In contrast, oil painting can be adjusted and modified throughout the creative process. Each has its own distinctive features. Learning to paint on Xuan paper seems to be very complex and interesting. Xuan paper can also be graded into different types according to the bark content. Different types of paper are suitable for different types of painting and calligraphy. This process although it may seem repetitive is in fact very interesting. Once entering this field, it is like entering another world, your eyes will be wide open not wanting to miss any point. Shexian is the birthplace of Hui ink. Shexian produced many famous historical calligraphers, taking advantage of the good quality ink. There are many varieties of Hui ink, especially the useful black inkstick, large numbers which are also the same shape, so how to identify them? Generally standard Hui ink is light to hold, delicately scented, and rubs smoothly. To identify the ink, firstly look at its appearance, secondly distinguish the colour of the mixed ink. Ink is very important for Chinese calligraphy and painting techniques. Natural Color Ink Sticks In painting, ink can be thick or light, the ancients used to classify five grades: To make good use of Su ink, pay particular attention to this. Pine soot ink is not ideal for painting, after diluting it can turn gray and less glossy. Some works require both dark and light effects and can use both oil soot and pine soot inks together for good results. There are two methods for rubbing ink, pulling and twisting ie rubbing up and down, or twisting rotation. Hui ink stored properly improves with age. Different sizes and types are suitable for different painting styles. Brushes can be categorized as large, medium, and small. You should choose the proper brush for different purposes. Normally you should prepare the whole set of brushes of different sizes. Red Star brushes set When holding a brush be careful not to hold it too tight. Studying painting you should prepare brush, ink, paper, inkstone and books. Normally students go through several learning stages, first learning to copy rocks, trees, mountains, grass, houses etc. Once students are competent in copying then they can start free sketching, and then creation of new works, and in the long term find their own creative skill and their own language of brush and ink. The creative process of painting is difficult but joyful, lonely but happy. For more stories and information about brushes, please click and read Xuan Brushes. Ink Stone Inkstones can be made from different materials. Sheyan has been famous in China since the Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago. Sheyan has many variations, there are gold or silver stars, rings, lines or other striations. Apart from choosing the effects of the rare precious stone, there are also wonderful artistic sculptures. Sheyan is not only a useful tool for Chinese painting and calligraphy but also an artistic treasure in its own right. It has a very high artistic value and also a solid value from its usefulness. If you have to use Su ink, cover with a lid to avoid dust entering which would affect the ink purity. For more about inkstones, please click and read Ink Stone, a work of art used for making art. Use flexible clever technique for line drawing, ink painting and so on. Beginner students should start to Page 12

13 master the techniques for painting trees, rocks, water, clouds, scenery, grass and so on, then they will be better able to grasp the composition of Shanshui landscape painting, the skills of Chinese brush and ink painting and at the same time they can try to use Su ink to paint. Be careful on the turns when doing the drawing. In this way you can draw down your ideas in one go, continuously drawing until you are satisfied. Su ink painting has a thick black and bright texture. Sometimes you can use two different blacks to create a painting, this effect is also good, this is according to ones own preferences and the needs of the painting. Freehand painting attempts to achieve a an impressionistic effect, apparently formless close up but stepping back creates a beautiful view. If the painting is in colours, wait for the paint to dry before doing the next colour. A good Chinese painting needs good brush, ink, paper, stone as tools to support it, and give full expression. Hu Kai Wen natural mineral ink stick, colors Choose Colours Landscape painting normally use these natural colours: If you do Gong Bi Hua, you will use more colours. Normally you should create your colours by combining different colours according to the needs of your painting. I normally use water and ink, as well as color. Because Chinese landscape paintings are normally expressed through water and ink. You have to understand well the traditional use of inks and add your own characteristics into the colours. This painting uses the two kinds of ink, the fresh ground ink and the Su ink, the picture is heavily painted and the lines flow smoothly. This house is treated as the central point to the whole picture. The thick woods and the simple brushstrokes of the house form a strong contrast. The white area in the center of the painting is a broad flowing river. On the water people are punting a small boat which adds a sense of movement, a sense of the breath of life which appears to draw people into the picture to enjoy it. Painting misty rain with brush, the whole scene emits poetry. A farmer is freely wandering along the country lane, in front are the beautiful landscapes, apparently a heavenly wonderland. On the upper left side there is a pavilion painted to draw the eye, step by step climbing up the hill. Temporarily set aside your worries and rest. It suggest people should pay attention to rest and recuperation, and then continue again with high spirits, up to the mountain top. This paper is Red Star Xuan paper. The longer you preserve the Xuan paper, the better the paper will become. When you paint on the old Xuan paper, the paper will reveal the best effects of ink. Xuan paper has little cotton and a lot of tree bark. Therefore, the paper is very good. This paper is around 20 years old. Now it is great. This painting is also done with Su ink and fresh ink. This painting, I use different brushes to create the local village. This is Huangshan yellow mountain. Also, I added pine trees in these places. This painting is full of stories which can keep you reading all the time. The ink in this painting is also very vivid. Mountain peaks with abundant water flow. Chinese painting, painted with Su ink and fresh ink. Landscape Painting products and stories Older Posts. Chapter 9 : Chinese Brush Painting - Parks & Recreation Fine antique Chinese small landscape painting on silk; unsure of date but likely 19th Century. Acquired years ago from a large San Francisco bay area collection of Asian Antiques. Page 13