New Mustard Garden Painting Manual, Volume 2: Flowers and Birds

Author: Chief Editor: Jiang Zhengmeng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-03-01
Features: Preface
Three hundred years ago, the Jieziyuan Huapu (also known as Jieziyuan Huazhuan) was hailed as the "golden needle of painting studies," guiding countless beginners to gradually enter the world of art through step-by-step copying. Many renowned Chinese painters, when recalling their early days of learning painting, still consider obtaining this painting manual as "a treasure found," demonstrating its immense influence and irreplaceable contributions. However, history inevitably moves forward, and traditional Chinese painting techniques have evolved through the practices of generations of painters. Today, when we revisit this manual, its shortcomings are unmistakably exposed. Due to the limitations of printing technology at the time, its colorless and monochromatic illustrations fail to showcase the subtleties of Chinese painting techniques. Moreover, the low starting skill level and monotonous brushwork of the illustrators failed to convey the spirit and charm of works from different schools. Additionally, its outdated modeling methods, no longer in harmony with the times, have led to its neglect and abandonment by many beginners of Chinese painting. They urgently seek a new manual that can enable them to quickly and effectively grasp the essence of Chinese painting. In light of this, we have compiled the New Jieziyuan Huapu.
The New Jieziyuan Huapu is divided into three volumes: Volume 1: Landscape, Volume 2: Flowers and Birds, and Volume 3: Figures. Each volume presents the development of its respective subject—landscape, flowers and birds, and figures—with distinct emphasis on the origins of these art forms, historical theories, brushwork techniques, modeling methods, and learning approaches. It includes both text and illustrations, methods and steps, progressing from simple to complex, and systematically introduces the fundamental techniques of Chinese painting in landscape, flowers and birds, and figures. It emphasizes copying, stresses observation from life, and advocates for creative expression. The new manual features numerous masterpieces by renowned artists from past generations, including full-page illustrations and detailed close-ups, as well as black-and-white and color images, providing excellent examples for beginners to study and copy.
The New Jieziyuan Huapu presents itself to readers in a fresh new light. It serves not only as a textbook for beginners to self-study Chinese painting techniques but also as a systematic and practical teaching manual for transmitting the skills of Chinese painting. At the same time, it functions as a reference book and resource for professional and amateur artists to research Chinese painting.
Anhui Fine Arts Publishing House October 1996
Excerpt:
Chinese painting has long emphasized the use of the central brushstroke (zhongfeng yongbi), which involves holding the brush upright with the tip primarily in the middle of the line. This type of brushwork produces full, substantial, and robust lines, characterized by roundness, thickness, and weight, often used to depict the main structures and dynamic lines. The side brushstroke (cefeng yongbi) involves tilting the brush, even lying it flat, using not only the tip but sometimes the entire shaft or even the base of the brush to contact the paper. The tip often leans toward one side of the line. This brushwork offers rich variations, capable of creating both lines and surfaces, with strong expressive power and dynamic versatility. The reverse brushstroke (nifeng yongbi) involves moving the brush forward with the tip leading in the opposite direction to the usual stroke. It can produce both central and side brushwork. Due to the tip scattering as it encounters resistance while advancing, this technique creates a variety of flying white effects. This brushwork is relatively sluggish and bold, often used in combination with other techniques.
The three types of brushwork mentioned above are frequently used in combination during painting. Some flower-and-bird paintings may primarily employ the central brushstroke, but using only the side or reverse brushstroke alone is less common. It is essential to appropriately combine multiple brush techniques based on the expressive needs of the subject to achieve rich and compelling results.
The point (dian) and daub (du) techniques, derived from these brushwork variations, are commonly used in freehand flower-and-bird painting:
Point (dian): The point is a highly important brushstroke in Chinese painting. It involves dropping the tip of the brush from above to the paper with the central brushstroke, lifting it immediately after without hesitation—any pause results in stiffness. There are many types of points in flower-and-bird painting, such as:
- Kissed point (wen dian): Gentle and slow, suitable for depicting flowers, leaves, and bird bodies.
- Stabbed point (chuo dian): Forceful and quick, ideal for showing the feathers of birds and dynamic leaves.
- Lying point (wo dian): One side of the brush belly contacts the paper, suitable for larger surfaces.
- Twisted and kneaded point (nian dian and rou dian): The brush is twisted or kneaded after touching the paper, suitable for small petals and leaves like plum, peach, apricot, and cherry blossoms.
- Scattered point (san dian): The tip scatters, suitable for irregular shapes like moss and grass.
All types of points should be used in conjunction with the principles of calligraphic brushwork, ensuring each stroke harmonizes with the next, creating a seamless flow where the brush may pause but the intent continues.
Daub (du): This refers to the bold and decisive application of the brush, allowing ink or color to spread broadly across the paper. It is a crucial technique for rendering large areas of ink or color in freehand painting, producing unrestrained and vibrant effects. It also easily generates the qi (vitality) of ink, color, and water, shaping the overall atmosphere of the painting. Daubing can be done with ink alone, color alone, or a mix of both, and is well-suited for depicting large images like banana leaves, lotus leaves, rocks, large flowers, and big leaves.
(II) Ink Techniques (Mofa): Ink techniques refer to the methods of using ink. The Qing dynasty painter Shen Zongqian said, "The art of ink lies in its harmony with the brush," highlighting the inseparable connection between ink and brushwork. Ink techniques are achieved through brushwork. The relationship between ink and water is also significant. The skillful combination of brush, ink, and water gives rise to the saying, "Ink has five colors." This means that due to variations in the amount of water mixed with ink, the ink can exhibit five shades from darkest to lightest—extreme black (jiao), dry (gan), damp (shi), dense (nong), and light (dan). This is a general classification, but actual applications allow for even richer variations in depth.
The use of ink should seek complexity within simplicity and variation within unity. Generally, one shade of ink is used as the base, supplemented by others. Local variations should not be too extreme, as excessive contrast may result in a "scattered" and "chaotic" effect, losing the overall coherence.
Requirements for ink usage:
- Dry ink should not be brittle; it must be rich and moist, avoiding restlessness.
- Damp ink should not be slippery; it must be firm and avoid being overly diffuse or lacking brush force.
- Dense ink should not be murky; it must be lively and distinct, with clear brush traces.
- Light ink should not be thin; it must have depth and reveal underlying strength.
Common ink techniques in flower-and-bird painting include:
- Dense ink technique (nongmo fa): Ink with minimal water, resulting in deeper color, used to depict the shaded sides, recessed areas, and close objects.