Rongbaozhai Painting Spectrum. 166, Part of Figures

Author: Liu Guohui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The works selected here are roughly divided into two parts: one is mainly focused on sketches, and the other is on small compositions. In my opinion, these are all essential basic elements for learning figure painting. The former involves learning how to use brush and ink techniques to depict and shape people, as well as to portray different subjects in life—such as different ages, genders, social attributes, and personality traits. The expression of brush and ink is primarily aimed at better describing the subject, and in this context, visual expression is paramount. The aesthetic appreciation of artistic imagery and brushwork aesthetics coexist, with the former being greater than the latter. In the other part, small compositions, the situation is somewhat different. In such works, the author often pays more attention to the ornamental value of brush and ink, while the content is not deeply explored. The refinement of brushwork is the key essence of this type of painting. Therefore, as an effective way to learn traditional techniques and improve brushwork skills, small compositions naturally become a compulsory course for figure painters.
However, things always have two sides. Small compositions often have simple compositions, superficial figures, and uncomplicated scenes, so the required brushwork framework is also relatively straightforward, aiming only for aesthetic pleasure. Once one becomes very proficient in such brushwork formulas and gradually becomes too accustomed to them, another crisis lurks here. Because the simple brushwork framework of small compositions cannot handle large-scale, multi-figure, or complex-composition works, unless one only paints a single person in a half-body portrait—and this is not the ideal state of a qualified painter.