Sumi-e & Watercolor
Sumi-e
Sumi-e is executed quickly, one stroke of the brush to suggest various tones and textures, and cannot be changed or “touched up” after the fact.
Sumi-e, or painting with sumi ink, is an ancient art that was first developed in the Song Dynasty in ancient China, then imported and adapted to Japan along with Zen Buddhism and other arts in about the thirteenth century.
In Japan, it represented a departure from the pre-existing indigenous style, yamato-e, which was more stylized and narrative in scope. Unlike previous styles, ink paintings are minimalist and usually not narrative in and of themselves (but are often accompanied by poetry, usually of a religious nature). Sumi-e is executed quickly, one stroke of the brush used to suggest various tones and textures, and cannot be changed or “touched up” after the fact. The technique demands careful titration of ink, water, dryness, and brush shape, speed, and pressure to communicate shades and nuances within each stroke.
Students of sumi-e are traditionally introduced to the art by way of the “four gentlemen”: bamboo, wild orchids, chrysanthemums (or pines), and plum blossoms.
Of course many of mine are of cats.
Watercolor
Watercolor is a totally democratic medium that offers limitless possibilities.
As a water-based art form, watercolor painting is perhaps the most ancient and most accessible art form, and continues to be one of the more accessible media to this day. People have been using pigments as long as there have been people, and water is an obvious and ready way to spread that pigment around. (Unless you live in a desert, in which case you are more likely to use sand.)
Today, any kid with a Fisher-Price art kit from Target can create colorful washes and impressions of textures with readily available watercolors and inexpensive brushes. Those of us with a little more fine motor control can also create more nuanced and delicate images with incredibly gentle and naturalistic quality.
In other words, watercolor is a totally democratic medium that offers limitless possibilities, regardless of the user’s age, gender, economic class, or even ability. Let’s explore the endless territory!
