Sumie, Ink Brush Painting Workshop

This black ink painting art, Sumi-e, was originally started during the Tang Dynasty in China.
Sumi-e was introduced to Japan in the Kamakura period, 12-14 Century as Zen culture, and became popular among Zen monks.

Sumie(墨絵) means Ink Painting. It’s also called “Suibokuga(水墨画)”, literary means Water Ink Painting.

Sumi-e uses not only lines but also the expression of blur, uneven paint and gradation by black ink. One of the distinctions between western art and Sumi-e is focusing on what the painter feels beyond the subject. Representational western art fixes the light source, on the other hand, Sumi-e doesn’t draw it in the background.

The subject Bamboo is one of the basic subjects of Sumi-e. Using shading and tonality techniques with dark and light dark ink helps to express the perspective. There are some white spaces to express the background.

It is said “The Sumi, black ink has five colors.” Can you imagine the colors from this artwork?

Let’s draw the Basic theme, Bamboo on workshop!