Our next project will be focusing on japanese ink drawings. However, instead of ink, we will be using black acrylic washes. Ink wash painting, also known as literati painting is an East Asian type of brush painting that uses black ink—the same as used in East Asian calligraphy, in various concentrations. Ink wash painting uses tonality and shading achieved by varying the ink density, both by differential grinding of the ink stick in water and by varying the ink load and pressure within a single brushstroke. Ink wash painting artists spend years practicing basic brush strokes to refine their brush movement and ink flow. In the hand of a master, a single stroke can produce astonishing variations in tonality, from deep black to silvery gray. Ink washes focused on emotion and spiritualism in landscapes, plants, and animals.
Below is an example of ink wash strokes with different amounts of water added. The more water you have, the lighter the shade. The less water you have, the darker the stroke. If you have no water an only paint, your stroke will be black with lots of texture. When you see texture peeping through your ink stroke, it's called flying white.....
Below is an example of ink wash strokes with different amounts of water added. The more water you have, the lighter the shade. The less water you have, the darker the stroke. If you have no water an only paint, your stroke will be black with lots of texture. When you see texture peeping through your ink stroke, it's called flying white.....
For this assignment, your illustration subject will be your chinese zodiac animal in a landscape. You can check your chinese zodiac in the link below. The landscape can be bamboo, cherry blossoms, or mountains. You first have to sketch out your ink wash on a normal piece of paper. This sketch will be made with ink, so you can practice with the medium. I want 3 different ink sketches. 1 drawing out of the 3 will be chosen for the final project. You will only get 1 piece of paper for the final.
As for the medium, you will be given a small amount of black acrylic for this assignment and a tub of water. You will not get globs of black paint, because it's very unlikely that you will use all of it, since you are diluting it with water. For making the strokes, you will be given a brush. The brush will be used for the wash and to find your grey values. 10 minutes before class is over, you will clean up your materials and put them away. You will create a lather of soap in your hands and wipe the brush back and forth to get all the paint out. The paint tends to be trapped in the middle of the brush and if it dries the brush is ruined. You are only allowed to leave my classroom when you check off the materials with me.
Points for final: 25
Points for 3 sketches: 15 (5 points each)
Start date: January 11th
Due Date: January 22nd
As for the medium, you will be given a small amount of black acrylic for this assignment and a tub of water. You will not get globs of black paint, because it's very unlikely that you will use all of it, since you are diluting it with water. For making the strokes, you will be given a brush. The brush will be used for the wash and to find your grey values. 10 minutes before class is over, you will clean up your materials and put them away. You will create a lather of soap in your hands and wipe the brush back and forth to get all the paint out. The paint tends to be trapped in the middle of the brush and if it dries the brush is ruined. You are only allowed to leave my classroom when you check off the materials with me.
Points for final: 25
Points for 3 sketches: 15 (5 points each)
Start date: January 11th
Due Date: January 22nd
3 1/2 more weeks until the semester change. Next semester you will have to choose your theme for 12 illustrations. Have that ready for February 1st!