Beaverton Creek, Vine Maple Trail

Vine Maple Trail is the main path that leads to Beaverton Creek from the parking lot.   It is a paved blacktop that enjoys filtered sunlight and cooler temperature in the summer and non soggy, non slippery surface in the rainy season.  It is my playground, my gym, my treadmill.

There is this bend in the road where boughs from opposite sides of the road embrace each other to form a series of archways.  With the morning fog and the low angle of light, it is simply ethereal.

I recently got a hold of some really thin and translucent Xuan.  The kid in me urges me to experiment with it.  I wanted to see if I could reassemble this image of depth and light and shadows by using this Xuan as a layer, as in photo editing .

So on this "background" layer, which is a fiber board with glued on canvas, I started to write down what I considered background information; footprint of the trail, trees in a distance.

There was a large fir tree flanking the right side of the trail.  At first I was ambiguous as whether to treat it as background or top layer.  But then I thought what the heck, I laid it down anyways.  If I wasn't happy with it sitting in the background, I could paint it again on the top layer.  Perhaps the 2 layers combined would give it more depth? 

Just to be sure, I found a partially painted piece of this special Xuan and laid the vacant portion over the fir tree.  It did not show through at all, to my horror!  Then I wet down the Xuan to make it more translucent.  Now the bottom image is coming through! 

So this little test validated my concept of top and bottom layers and now I can forge ahead.  My next concern is whether the bottom layer will come through like the way I envisioned it to be.  After all this is not not Photoshop where I can adjust the degree of opacity of the different layers.

Beaverton Creek Napolean

I can fondly remember the Napoleon ice cream in my days as a kid growing up in Hong Kong.  Strawberry, vanilla and chocolate flavors in pink, white and brown stripes.  The challenge was how to savor the treat for the longest duration before it melted away in the non-air-conditioned room.

I did the 3 styles of Beaverton Creek ( Beaverton Creek, Beaverton Creek Yellow, Beaverton Creek Classical ) to hopefully answer my own question; What is Chinese Brush painting.

I know I had discussed this topic in my last few blogs, I thought I would use these 3 pieces to illustrate my assertion.  The givens were, all three were done using Chinese brush and pigments on Xuan.

The most impressionistic of the 3 belongs to this one done in green.  The painting exudes a strong "feeling" that is abstract and yet tactile at the same time.  One can almost paddle the kayak through the water and be mesmerized.  Aside from the split hair and splash ink technique, it does not look very Chinese.  I'll submit this work looks more western than Chinese, despite Chinese brushes being employed.

There is definitely a lot more traditional Bi-Fa in the Beaverton Creek Yellow although the composition is not very Chinese.   It should be evident that the artist had  training in Chinese Brush landscape and uses "chuen" and contour lines to describe shape and topography.  Some of the lines depicting stalks and trunks showed center tip calligraphic characteristics.  So can we consider this one under Chinese Brush painting, even when its composition is identical to the top one?  Must a Chinese Brush painting look traditional?  When is this a "watercolor" as some might call it and not a Chinese Brush painting?

I am sure not a lot of people would have problem classifying this as a Chinese Brush painting.  So what is different about this one?

Granted the bridge was absent from the other two, but that does not make this more Chinese than the others.

We can't get very far from this discussion without addressing Bi-Fa again.  I still think this is the quintessential element in defining Chinese Brush painting.  One must show not only the presence, but the craftsmanship of the brushstrokes.  The traditional brush rendition of shrubs and shores helped to cement this in the Chinese Brush painting category.

We mentioned the Three Perspective concept in traditional Chinese Brush landscape paintings.  This work here employed all three.  The void space at the bottom of the woods in the distance added to the Level perspective.  The meandering shorelines and all the little details along the banks defined the Depth perspective.  Along with height described by the few stands of fir, one gets the birds eye view of Beaverton Creek; thus gently gliding over it, enjoying the little tidbits of information that each section gives off.

The composition falls within a classical doctrine..  a literal translation would be One River Two Shores.  The painting is dissected  somewhat diagonally by the creek, with contrast on both banks. Left bank is more densely vegetated, thus the Yang, The right side would be the Ying.   However the Ying side actually created conflict by harboring the attention grabbing pink trees. Leaves are present only on some of the trees, again creating contrast.   Complementing contrast is harmony;  opposite banks are linked not only by the bridge, but by tree trunks leaning towards each other, by the pink answering the blue, by sharing the ducks.

Although the painting employs many color, the overall feel is not "Su", or ostentatious.

I would not be so crass as to claim that I have thought of all these attributes before I laid my first brushstroke on this painting;  a lot of these points are anecdotal.  The fact remains that much thought has gone into these 3 paintings to raise a point, What Is Chinese Brush Painting.

Miss You, Bill

 

 

What is Chinese Brush Painting, not living in the past

Does Chinese Brush Painting have to mean Guo Hua?  I submit to you that time has changed and when we speak of Chinese Hua (painting) we are no longer limiting ourselves to the narrow definition of National Painting (Guo Hua).  This is especially true these days, with the influx of western influences, a lot of the strict rote doctrines have evolved into new windows of changes.  One thing that has not changed appreciably is the fundamentals of using the Chinese brush and the essence of Chinese calligraphy, hence Bi-fa or Gi Bun Gong.

It is not possible to think of Chinese brush painting and not talk about Qi Baishi (1864-1957).  Aside from being a personal favorite of mine, his style is so painfully honest and his brushstrokes so painfully plain.  As far as I am concerned, he "writes" all his paintings, and epitomized the Guo Hua art form.

Then there is the famous Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) who is famous for his landscape paintings.  In the following example, he was still employing the 3 perspectives concept and his small trees were still done in the styles shown in Mustard Seed Garden, despite his bold splashing of color.(click on the painting for enlarged view)

 

When  we talk about contemporary Chinese painter, Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010) comes to the forefront.  He is sometimes considered the father of contemporary Chinese painting.

 strong portrayal of brush strokes

                                                                                          (tree stump and chicks)

                   Banyan Tree             

 

 



Yang Ming-Yi is known for his Ink and Wash paintings.  Born and educated in China, he actually went to the US to further his studies and have exhibited all over the world.

 

 

  









There is a new evolving style in Chinese Brush painting, the Ling-nan style ( some would call it the Cantonese style ).  This style is characterized by vivid color;  colored backgrounds and exaggerated, boisterous brushstrokes.  From a glance it almost looks like a western watercolor painting but the brushstroke says otherwise.  The pioneer in this style was said to be Gao Jianfu ( 1879-1951).  Some of the more notable artists in this camp are Gao Qifung, Chen Shuren and Chao Shao-An for those of you who are interested in further research.

 

 

 

When we take a look at the following painting by Chan Yuk-lin,  does it remind us of  Chinese brush painting?  The composition and the color suggest that it might not be.

 

 

But then look at the textbook page from the Mustard Seed Garden on how to paint mixed foliage in the woods, coupled with the obvious Chinese Brushstrokes, what do you say now?  It showed the artist's superb ability to turn an etude into a piece that carries its own weight.

 

 

 

I'll conclude this series of  What is Chinese Brush Painting  by showing a couple of paintings by Wong Lui-sang.  The color and composition does not remind one of a traditional Guo Hua, but the brushstrokes employed, the trees, and the "chuen" lines ( brushstrokes used for denoting topography, see my "Mountain Lobes" blog on 2/29/13)  on mountains definitely affirm that this is a Chinese Brush painting.

 

 

 

I am writing this series to reiterate my feelings about the art of Chinese Brush, as I did in a previous blog " Beyond Exposure, Understanding".  I don't claim to be an authority in this subject matter.  The opinions here are what I perceive to be correct for myself.  I do not own any copyrights of the images used here and it is not my intention to pilfer them.  They are here for the purpose of illustrating my point.  Please also note that Chinese put our Last name first.  Thus Qi Baishi is Mr. Qi, he might appear as Baishi Qi in some literature.  I am hoping this would help with the appreciation and connoisseurship of Chinese Brush painting without being superficial or patronizing.

 

 

 

 



What is Chinese Brush Painting, learning by rote

Traditional Chinese Brush painting ( Guo Hua)  can be divided into two main styles; Gongbi ( Gong means craft, Bi means writing instrument ), a meticulous and formal brush style and Xieye (Xie means to write, Yi means sentiment, expression), which literally means writing with expression and spontaneity. Within these styles, there are divisions into different genres such as Floral and Birds, Personalities and Landscape.  Landscape paintings are deemed the most difficult.

Guo Hua is typically learnt by rote.  Practice, memorize and practice some more.  Copying is one of the methods employed in the rote system.  Students copy their teachers and other masters.  Anybody who is serious about studying Guo Hua has labored with the Mustard Seed Garden, copying and studying different techniques and styles, honing their Gi Bun Gong.  It is perhaps due to this forced feeding that a lot of the Chinese paintings look similar to each other, especially with regards to subject matter and composition.

Mustard Seed Garden on tree arrangement

Mustard Seed Garden on mixed foliage    

 

Mustard Seed Garden on mountains        

 

Mustard Seed Garden on painting falls   

 

Mustard Seed Garden on painting incidentals

 

 

 

More contemporary examples of "how to" text material:

how to paint peony and koi

 finished painting of peony and koi

 how to paint fish                

Unfortunately we have so-called teachers these days using these as their templates for teaching Chinese Brush painting.  The "come-on" is to lure people to paint a fish with a scant few strokes and thus fulfilling the minimalistic presentation of "Asian art".  What they don't realize is this is just a gimmick and not a lesson.  The emphasis should be on the Bi-Fa..... how to start and finish and what parts of the brush does one need to pay attention to.  The result is a painting with all the lines in the right places, but shows no distinctive characteristics of a controlled brushstroke at all ( remember the calligraphy Te?).  This is fine as a means  to spark a person's desire to learn Chinese brush painting, but not an end. Being able to play "Chopsticks" on the keyboard does not make one a piano player, anymore than the person teaching it a piano teacher.

Qi Baishi (1864 - 1957) is a world renowned Chinese Brush artist.  He was born a peasant, became a carpenter, then taught himself how to paint.  He also worked on a few fish paintings.  In one, he actually wrote the following on the painting,

It is difficult to paint meticulously and be lively at the same time.  The difficulty lies in using  just a few strokes to capture the shape and attitude of the subject matter.  This fish exemplifies the masterful employment of ink tone, the superb brushstrokes, motion and energy.

How is this fish compared with the fish in the "how to" book?


to be continued

What is Chinese Brush Painting, an artform of lines

A Chinese artist in the 6th century indoctrinated the 6 canons of painting:

1. Rhythm
2. Strength in brush strokes, reflectig the spirit of the artist
3. Fidelity to nature
4. Appropiateness of color
5. Composition
6. Learn by emulation

Thus Chinese brush work is an artform of lines.  It is the brushwork that evokes emotion rather than the object, as evidenced by the relative order of importance suggested above.  Such is the instinct of this eastern artform.

Bi-Fa ( method of the brush ) or Gi Bun Gong ( the fundamentals ) obviously pertains to mastering the brush.  For most Chinese of my generation, brush writing was still taught in school and we sort of took it for granted.  Brush penmanship however is another story.  Student of calligraphy are taught to study and emulate calligraphy by famous masters, in different fonts.  We use a "Te" (template) as our study material.  The goal is not to make a tracing of these brushstrokes but to study them and "read" the intricacies.  This is when we learn how to use the tip, edge and belly of the brush to effect different shapes.

I am going to use just part of a character here to illustrate my point:

In this example, we start at

1. with the tip of the brush, forming the thin sliver
2. traverse with even pressure and speed to form a line of uniform width
3. stop, and the right side edge of brush forms the straight edge here
4. lift brush towards 10 o'clock, leaving the little corner as evidence of the brushstroke, then bring
    brush down in a continuous loop to
5. start with the tip of brush again
6. traverse down with increasing pressure, to form a line with gradually thicker profile
7. stop, allow the belly to fill the delta at the 4 o'clock position;  the left side edge of brush forms the
    straight edge   
8. lift brush towards 10 o'clock, again leaving the little pointy corner as evidence, loop the brush in
    the air towards 9
9. start a new downward stroke, showing the tip of the brush

Calligraphy is like choreographed dance steps; one can make connections from one pose to the next.
Writing with a brush does not mean wantonly putting a bunch of lines together to form a legible character!

 sample of my calligraphy

to be continued

What is Chinese Brush Painting

What is Chinese Brush Painting?  I suppose this is a rhetorical question, or is it?

Can a painting done with oil painting brushes but carries a Chinese motif be called a Chinese Brush Painting?  How about doing Monet's Water Lilies using Chinese brushes, can the resulting work be called a Chinese Brush Painting?

In Chinese societies, one would use the term "Guo Hua" (Guo means national, Hua means painting; to paint) to describe traditional Chinese Brush Painting.  Guo Hua is done with a round brush, using ink or pigments, mixed with water and painted on Xuan(Hsuan) paper or Juan(silk).  The finished painting is signed off with seal(s) and mounted either on paper or silk and presented as scrolls, or more recently, in frames.

Aside from the perfect complement of the Xuan(Hsuan) paper as a writing medium, the Chinese brush shoulders perhaps the most vital role in the discipline of Guo Hua.  It has a round body that come to a point.  The mission is how to coordinate the strands of hair to the point, and with the belly of the brush to form lines with various thickness and shapes.  Chinese use the brush for their calligraphy; thus calligraphy and painting are firmly intertwined.  In fact, the Chinese often use the term to "write" a painting to describe the act of painting, and the audience is urged to "read" a painting.  This symbiotic relationship has led to the term "Shu Hua" (calligraphy, painting) to describe the 2 commonly linked art forms and exhibition halls in museums catering to the art of Shu Hua.

Bi-Fa (Bi means writing instrument, Fa means the method) describes the nuisances of mastering the brush.  Bi-Fa is also known as Gi Bun Gong (the fundamentals) in some circles.  Think of the fingers holding the brush as the A-arm of a car's suspension.  Our job is to load the brush with the correct amount of water/ink/pigment, with the help of correct camber angles and toe-in, apply suitable pressure and speed, such that the tip, or edge, or the belly of the brush, or combinations of such, form a desirable footprint on the Xuan or Juan.  In other words, keep the tire on the road, mitigating sand, gravel, sleet, rain or snow, taking into account speed and tire pressure.  Thus one can spin wheel, drive, skid, drift, brake or even induce wheel hop.  Sounds complicated?  Well, when we drive most of us have an awareness of whether the road is slippery, or if we have run over something and we instinctively adjust our driving to the road conditions.  We are at ease because we know what our equipment can and will do.

In order to properly "read" a painting, the audience need to be equipped with some basic knowledge of Guo Hua so they can be literate in this subject.  Obviously Bi-Fa is at the center stage.  We demand artists to show calligraphic characteristics in their brush strokes.  Virtues  of the line, how ink or color is dispersed are all important.

This example shows lively ink tone, deliberate yet free strokes.  Ink should have 5 tones, and lines should demonstrate "Li"(strength).  This is the difference  between a motionless live snake and a dead flaccid one, even though both trace the same lines.

Examples of writing with different parts of the brush.  Whether this is an egret or heron is not important.  What is important is the brushstroke and the attitude.

(to be continued)