There are many people who find Chinese brush paintings to be some of the most understated, beautiful paintings in the world. Depicting subjects such as people, birds, flowers, and landscapes, these paintings represent one of the oldest styles of art to exist in the world today.

• Chinese Brush Paintings
• All About Chinese Brush Painting
• Brush Painting Resources

The Origins of Chinese Brush Painting

Though Chinese brush painting has a history of over 6000 years, it really blossomed around 221 BC during the Eastern Jin dynasty, when painting was pursued by the rich who had a lot of leisure time. From 220 to around 581 AD, art became popular because people began to appreciate its beauty. During this time, the “six principles” of Chinese painting were introduced and were used all the way up until the 1300s, when people began to paint real subjects like trees and flowers. The 1600s brought an explosion of free brush art.

• History Of Chinese Painting
• Origins Of Painting

Brushes

The major instrument in Chinese brush painting is the Chinese ink brush. Originally, Chinese painting brushes were made of animal hair such as goat, hare, or fox hair because the hair of these animals was suitable in producing brushes that were soft and stringy at the same time. These brushes hold up against pressure very well. Harder brushes are made from brown wolf hair.

• Chinese Brushes

Ink

Instead of oil or acrylic which is popular in Western art, Chinese ink is used in Chinese brush painting. Originally the ink was made from a mixture of pine soot and animal glue. It usually comes in the form of thick black sticks and used in combination with an ink stone. An artist will wet the ink stone and then grind the ink brush on the stone, wetting the stick, and making the ink run so that it can be used for painting. It’s very different from the printer ink used today.

• Chinese Ink (pdf)
• Ink Sticks

Paper and Silk

Anytime something was written down or painted in ancient China, it was done on silk paper. However, silk paper was quite expensive so only very important documents and paintings were done on paper of this kind. After the Chinese invented the early form of paper in the first century, it became much cheaper to write or paint. It was made from hemp waste mixed and beaten and poured into a mold.

• Invention Of Chinese Paper

The Use of Color

Color is important in Chinese brush paintings – or rather, the lack of color is important. Few Chinese painters used color because they view ink as a substitute for color. The focus of Chinese brush paintings is on the shade of black ink used and color is only included to embelish certain features, especially when it comes to flowers. This gives Chinese brush painting a minimalist appeal, accentuating the idea of Zen Buddhism.

• Use Of Colors

Composition and Space

Composition in Chinese paintings is very distinctive and different from the developed rules of perspective in Western art. Many paintings depict a shifting perspective where when you look at the painting, you seem to be looking in many different ways at once. Many artists also tend to depict the “spirit” of their subject rather than its exact shape. The white space behind the subjects in many paintings was left empty on purpose to maintain this composition.

• Painting Characteristics
• On Brush Painting

The Use of Calligraphy and Seals

The Chinese believe that calligraphy, painting, and seals all complement each other. It is for this reason it is common to find them all together in a single painting. Calligraphy is meant to stress a special arrangement between the structure of a painting and the brush strokes used to paint it. Seals, a stamp that makes an imprint in red ink, were originally used to depict an artist’s signature but evolved into a type of artwork. Many seals were assumed to be an integral part of the painting because the artist formed it just for that painting.

• Brush Painting Examples (Includes Calligraphy)(pdf)
• Chinese Seals
• A Look At Brush Painting Key Terms

If you look at a Chinese brush painting on a wall, you may not initially realize its complexities. There is much to learn about Chinese brush painting and it's elements, much of which many people find fascinating.


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