Sumi-e Painting

Ink and Wash Painting

Sumi-e •  Sumi-e means “ink picture” •  Ink and wash painting practiced in Japan,

China, and Korea •  an art form that strives to distill the essence of

an object or scene in the fewest possible strokes.

•  At its purest, sumi-e is black ink on white paper, but color may be added.

•  Usually on rice paper.

•  Western artists influenced by it: Van Gogh, Mary Cassatt, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec

•  The paint strokes out of which most paintings can be made are called the Four Gentlemen; these are bamboo, wild orchid, plum tree and chrysanthemum

•  “Four Gentlemen” represent all forms and shapes in the universe

•  Each stroke should be as beautiful as you can make it-exist on its own

Bamboo

Wild Orchid

Chrysanthemum

Plum Blossom

Other Subject Matter

Brushes: •  Fude (foo-day) round base tapers to a

fine tip •  Hake (hah-kay) flat wash

Technique: •  in brush painting, the brush is held

perpendicular/vertical to the paper, almost at a right angle to the hand

•  Grasp the brush by the thumb, index and middle finger.

•  During the process of painting, the fingers remain almost immobile and the work is done by the arm unsupported.

Practice Page

Haiku •  Haiku is a type of poetry from Japan •  Usually 3 lines with syllables 5-7-5 •  Haiku does not rhyme •  A Haiku must "paint" a mental image in the

reader's mind. •  Common themes: 1.  Nature-flowers: orchids, cherry blossoms,

bamboo, trees, leaves, rivers 2.  Seasons 3.  Nature: birds, animals, insects

Suminagashi & Sumi-e

Marbling and Sumi-e