Chinese Brush Painting by Caroline Self, Susan Self Read Free Book Online

left, leaving a wide space from the first stroke.

4. Stroke 3. Make the third stroke to the right of the main one. Start it close to the main and go to the right.

5. Stroke 4. Make the fourth stroke start very near the main and swing to the left, almost horizontal.

6. Stroke 5. If there is a fifth stroke, make it come off the top of the cluster as if it is going straight out the back of the cluster of leaves.
Try making different clusters of leaves your own way so that the final picture will have variety. Decide on three different clusters for your picture.

    Other Ways to Paint Leaves
    After you have practiced painting the basic stalks and leaf clusters, you can try painting them in different ways.
    Painting Cross-Over Leaves
    In painting orchid, the Buddha’s eye adds interest to the leaf design. In painting bamboo, crossing a leaf over another within a bamboo leaf cluster also adds interest. Practice painting cross-over leaf patterns like the ones shown below. Do not paint the cross-over leaf until the lower leaf is slightly dry. Otherwise, both leaves will blur.

    Painting Many-Layer Clusters
    A cluster can seem to have many layers going back in space. To create this effect, you paint a layer of larger leaves in front, a layer of smaller leaves behind that, and a layer of even smaller leaves behind or above that. Leaves painted with lighter paint also seem to be further back in space than the strong, dark leaves at the front.
    Whenever you paint many layers of leaves, paint the large leaves first, let them dry slightly, paint the smaller leaves, let them dry slightly; and last, paint the smallest leaves at the back.
    Can you find the three layers?

    Painting Dry Brush Stalks
    One way to paint bamboo stalks is to use a dry brush with dark paint to make the bone strokes. The dry brush makes stripes that represent the fibers of the bamboo. The white areas defined by the strokes are called “flying white.”

1. Load the large brush with the medium mix. Lay the brush against the paper towel to get out some of the moisture. Stroke the brush on the towel to see if it is still too wet.
2. Start the vertical bone stroke for a stalk section to see if you can produce flying white.
3. Keep practicing to get the right amount of moisture to create the effect.
    Painting Rounded Stalks
    Shading one side of the bamboo stalk makes it look rounded.

1. Load the brush with medium light mix and tip the end of the brush into the dark mix.
2. Stroke a section of a bamboo stalk. Notice the dark area on the left side, which makes the bamboo stalk look more rounded.
3. You can also make a second, narrower stalk by holding your arm up slightly and using only a portion of the brush.
    Adding Leaf Clusters to Stalks
    Now that you have practiced leaf clusters, you can add them to stalks.

1. Paint one or more bamboo stalks.
2. Plan where you will place each of your three clusters.
3. Paint the leaf clusters. Start with the top left clusters and then do the right clusters. Be careful not to smear the strokes with your hand.
4. Add the branches that attach the clusters to the bamboo stalk at the joint. Load the small brush with dark paint and roll it to make a fine point.
5. Pick a joint on one side and paint a thin line toward the center of the cluster to make a small branch.
6. Add other branches from a joint to a cluster as needed. Remember to put no more than two branches from the same joint and to change sides with each joint.
7. Practice different designs of leaf clusters attached to stalks and branches.
    Painting Bamboo on Rice Paper
    When your practice painting is the best you can do, go ahead and paint the whole design on rice paper. Practice using less water on the brush by tapping it on a paper towel to take out some of the water. This action will keep the paint from running too much on the paper and making a fuzzy blob. Remember to paint on the smooth side of the rice paper for best results.

Painting
Pine

    Pine belongs to the set of