Suibokuta/Sumi-e Drawing Lesson

Shading with Laying Brush Stroke

GRAPE: One ball of grape needs two strokes. Remember the first touch will look forward. Enjoy the emboss balls. In this step, you learn the "Laying Brush Gradation" technique. First put a brush laying on paper, the brush shape with shade will be left, if a gradation brush was made correctly. Like rainbow stroke, a stand stroke pulls out sumi ink by the order you dip in the ink pod, whereas a laying stroke cast the ink in simultaneously, Suppose sumi ink to logic, the stand stroke is "the left brain logical stroke", a laying brush stroke is "the right brain stroke". With this technique, you can enjoy the sumi-e shading technique. Try it :)

Sumi-e Perspective with Gradation

Bamboo: In sumi-e paintings, the light and shade is the way for perspective. With one dipped brush, you can get five stages of gradation. This is gradual perspective, In bamboo painting, you learn deeper technique. Piling lighter layer down on.

Bamboo Leaves : Think this way: Long maple leaves are "Bamboo". When you start to stroke down, take a breath in one second, then start moving a brush. Bamboo leaf is pointed so stop the move one moment at the place you put a brush on paper, then move. That makes swell. In bamboo drawing, five leaves are one set.

Trunk of Bamboo : Like grape drwaing, you need shade with one brush. When you draw, pull your elbow up. This might be unusual for you, but it gives you steady position and steady strokes which is necessary for growing fast plants like bamboo. Bamboo look like the pile of cans with small wings. For expressing this wing, don't move two seconds before you move your brush. The lower can is longer than the higher depending on what height you stand.

Twigs : Two twigsis out of each wings. Brunches alternatedly pull out, the right side of wing and then the left side. Bamboo twigs are carving down, never turn upward.