Huo Chunyang Paints Chrysanthemums

Author: Hu Chunyang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: The chrysanthemum, as a flower, possesses an arrogant nature, exquisite colors, and a late-blooming fragrance. To paint it, one must possess a comprehensive understanding to capture its subtle essence. The essence of the whole, the flower should hang low yet not be overly dense, the leaves should be alternately hidden and revealed yet not disordered, the branches should intertwine yet not be, the roots should interlace yet not be crowded. This is the general outline. To go further, even a single branch, leaf, flower, or pistil must each possess its own essence. Although a herbaceous plant, the chrysanthemum has an arctic resilience, yet when compared to the pine, its branches should be solitary and strong, differing from the harmonious softness of spring flowers; its leaves should be lush, differing from the withered dryness of fading blooms. The flowers and pistils should combine containment and release. The principle of the branches' inclination or elevation: fully bloomed branches should hang low, while lighter flower-pistil branches should rise; the rising branches should not be overly straight, and the hanging branches should not be overly droopy. This discusses the method of the whole, while the calyx, branches, leaves, and roots will have separate painting methods detailed later.