Sketchbook of Ink Wash Painting. Peony in Ink Wash

Author: Liu Juqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-08-01
Features: White ink floral painting fully utilizes the performance characteristics of the unique tool of Chinese painting—the brush—to achieve complex variations in line, such as firmness and flexibility, lightness and heaviness, slowness and urgency, solidity and void, subtlety, or boldness, thereby depicting the structure, form, texture, volume, and spatial sense of flowers and plants. It is the fundamental expression method in flower-and-bird painting. It requires strict structural precision and meticulousness, achieving the goal of "every stroke is deliberate, with no hasty brushwork; where strokes are not deliberate, they are all extremely natural." This means the brushwork should be rigorous and expressive but not overly refined or meticulous, appearing stiff and contrived. It should also not be too rough or excessively delicate, appearing flimsy and weak. The key is to achieve a balance of firmness and flexibility in brushwork, the ability to contract and expand; to hide sharpness within softness, conveying subtlety and depth; and to ensure brushwork and artistic spirit are both extremely natural. The purpose of this emphasis on brushwork is to express the artistic spirit and vitality of flowers and plants through fully depicting their beautiful forms. Peonies, with their magnificent and noble charm, unparalleled beauty, profound cultural heritage, and of good wishes, have been a popular and enduring theme for painters across generations. To paint white ink peonies well, one must first familiarize themselves with and appreciate them through observation; second, through white ink painting, master and understand brushwork techniques while enhancing expressive ability. For example, when painting flowers, use the technique of "needle hidden in cotton" to depict the delicate yet lifelike posture of petals. For new stems, employ brushwork that is firm yet flexible to convey the roundness and resilience of the stems. For old trunks, which have weathered storms, even dry brushwork with side strokes can be used to express their rigid, rough texture and inner strength. This book is part of the "White Ink Painting Spectrum" series. It consists of seven parts, introducing the ecological structure of peonies, white ink peony sketches, artistic handling of line drawing, composition, examples of white ink peony paintings, and compositional formats.