How to Get Started in Chinese Brush Painting

Different types of Chinese brushes create different effects.

Chinese brush painting utilizes techniques that stretch back thousands of years and takes much practice to master. Typical subject matter of Chinese brush painting includes bamboos, butterflies and other animals, irises and other flowers. Beginner's kits are available to buy which consist of all the supplies you will need to start in Chinese brush painting. Lessons are available online, some of which are free, such as at Chinese Tools. Beginners lessons will also sometimes be readily available in your local area.

Things You'll Need

• Ink stick
• Ink stone
• Brush rest
• 7-inch Chinese paintbrush
• 9-inch Chinese paintbrush
• Chinese flat brush
• Chinese cut brush
• Ceramic water dish
• Pan watercolor paints
• Tube watercolor paints
• Watercolor paper

Instructions

1. Learn basic types of brushstrokes as well as the general philosophy and history behind Chinese brush painting. The idea is not to accurately capture the object like in a photograph but rather to capture the object's essence.

2. Soak the brush in water. A flat brush comes in all sizes from 1 to 5 inches. A 2-inch brush is good for painting bamboo stems, while a 1-inch brush can create leaf blades of flowers.

3. Touch the brush in the pan paints and then mix them together on the ceramic plate to make the perfect color.

4. Angle the brush to create different types of strokes and use different size brushes according to the size of the stroke you desire. Create long leaf blades by stroking in a downward or upward direction. Paint in alternate directions to create tension in the painting.

5. Add a light shade and darker shade of the same color on the same brush, which will allow you to create depth and shadow in your painting if you stroke correctly.

6. While the leaf blades are still slightly wet, take a cut brush -- which is used as a versatile liner -- and paint darker lines onto the leaves. Use a liner with a different color to add definition to flowers, like adding yellow dots to represent the pollen of the flower.

7. Dip your brush into the black ink and draw another object beside the flower like a butterfly, using the liner brush to create very bold strokes.

8. Embed color onto the ink picture by painting over the black ink in dabs of mineral opaque paint like blue or green.

9. Add more color to an ink painting without going over the ink by painting it on the back of the watercolor paper under the ink painting.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash the brush between colors if you only have one brush, but if you have more than one brush use a different color on each brush.

References

• Art Instruction Blog: Chinese Brush Painting Lesson: How to Paint Blue Irises
• Chinese Tools: Learn Chinese Painting