Asian Brush Painting: An Introduction and Exploration
In-Person Class | Available (Membership Required)
Explore basic Asian brush painting techniques, subjects and styles in a comfortable setting. We begin with copying, to learn to control our materials. Mastery is not expected, but we can all learn and enjoy exploring the process. A repeated course.
- Week 1: Orchid - Use of a bamboo brush to make different strokes and achieve a series of values
- Week 2: Bamboo
- Week 3: Cherry blossom
- Week 4: Chrysanthemum
- Week 5: Horizontal landscape
- Week 6: Vertical landscape
- Week 7: Birds
- Week 8: Free choice
Supplies:
- 1-2 Bamboo brushes
- Paint – watercolor or inks
- Palette and pans for washing
- Paper – white or buff, drawing pad or printer paper
- Scrap paper for practice
- To protect surface and reduce clean up: newspaper, paper towels or rags
Suggested books (often available from libraries or used book sites):
The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, by Mai-mai Sze, or any book on Asian brush painting; Hokusai Manga, by Hokusai, or any book on Japanese prints.
Supplies:
-
- 1-2 Bamboo brushes
- Paint – watercolor or inks
- Palette and pans for washing
- Paper – white or buff, drawing pad or printer paper
- Scrap paper for practice
- To protect surface and reduce clean up: newspaper, paper towels or rags
Suggested books (often available from libraries or used book sites):
The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, by Mai-mai Sze, or any book on Asian brush painting; Hokusai Manga, by Hokusai, or any book on Japanese prints.
Notes from Louise:
This is a suggestion, not a requirement. Bamboo brushes are available at art stores like Jerry’s, and there are wide varieties on Amazon. Here is a link to some brushes on Amazon.
Choose paper that is not too thin or too thick; for example, one student uses Trader Joe's bags for painting.
For the paint and the ink, India ink works as a dark watercolor.
And as always with painting containers for water towels, or rags to shape and dry your brushes, and junk paper for your first marks
And I strongly recommend getting a book from the library about Asian painting; both how-to books and examples of art can be very useful.