Chinese Brush Painting- How-To Part 3- Ink

I’v decided to switch these entries to the written work area, as they seem to fit better here as non-fiction work…

Ink sticks [mo] are primarily made up of glue combined with soot or lamp black.

It’s not expensive, so buy a large stick, which will last a long time, and provide the blackest black marks.

Note: you can use bottled ink, but I find the colour not intense enough…that being said, I have found some bottled inks to be o.k. if want to practice brush strokes….

To grind ink, you will also need an ink stone [yan], which must be strong and non porous…a round one with a cover is best.

Since the Ming period the ink made from lamp black has been preferred over the other types…it has a deep blue black colour, with a slight metallic sheen…it gives my paintings that added edge that the cheaper inks will not produce.

Before I begin to paint I prepare the ink…...it is a time for contemplation and to reflect on past scenes…...in fact it’s an extremely important stage in the whole process of Chinese painting, and is considered to be a sacred rite.

Put a little water on your stone with your brush, and using a firm circular movement, grind the end of the stick until you have a thick black ink on the stone. Do not leave the stick unattended in contact with the stone, as it will bond to it. At the end of painting, wash and wipe your stone completely.

Ink used without additional water leaves a dark dry brush mark, so it should be diluted in four small containers with a little water, to produce different shades, from deepest black to pale grey.
To get this result you need to add a little of the ink from your stone to the containers, [I use my brush for this] with a small amount of water to get the right shades. Then you’re ready to start to paint.

The ink stones and even the sticks are works of art in their own right, and you can easily get carried away buying the most heavily carved stones and gold embellished sticks…all this adds to the whole incredible experience that is Chinese Brush Painting.

See pictures of some of the tools on my website by clicking on the image below…..

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landscape, art, painting, ink, media, mixed, chinese, janis, card and oriental