Instructions of Chinese Brush Painting

Ink Shades

Ink is divided into five shades; burnt, thick, heavy, light and clear.

1. Burnt ink: The liquid ink is ground very thick. When used in a painting, it is black and glossy.
2. Thick ink: Next to burnt ink in blackness, but since a little moisture has been added, it is not glossy.
3. Heavy ink: Slightly blacker than light ink.
4. Light ink: Moisture is added until it becomes grey.
5. Clear ink: Only a light-grey shadow. In contrast to other ink shades it appears clear and vivid.
6. Dry ink and moist ink: The dryness and moistness of ink is the so-called ink charm. The dryness and moistness of the ink represents the dryness and moistness of the brush technique. The two are inseparable. The brush technique and the use of ink are closely linked. Both a moist brush and a dry brush can produce dark and light shades.

In addition, before light ink becomes dry, some thick or moist ink may be added, or before thick ink becomes dry, some light ink may be added, giving the painting liveliness and variety. Although the painting is dry, it is endowed with a sense of moisture.

Holding The Brush

To paint well, you should, first of all, learn how to hold the brush. The correct method of holding the brush is: keep the fingers firm and the palm relaxed. the thumb pressed the brush handle inward and the index finger presses it outward. Hold the hourth and little finger against the middle finger. Thus you will paint fairly fexibly.

Using The Brush

The tip of the brush is where the hair is most pointed. There are six ways of using the brush:

1. Central brush-point technique: The brush handle is perpendicular to the paper. When drawing a line, you should keep the brush tip in the middle of the line.
2. Side technique: In holding the brush, tilt the brush toward the paper. When drawing a line, keep the brush tip on one side of the line.
3. Revering th direction taken by the brush tip: Move the brush upward or toward the left. Though inconvenient when you paint in this way, your line will show richer variation.
4. Duo technique: This technique in freehand flower painting requires dipping the brush tip in ink or colours, very often one colour after another, so that one stroke can paint both dark and light colors.
5. Applying dots: Horizontal dots, vertical dots, round dots adn slanting dots.
6. Turn and twist:Turn the brush tip inward and outward.