Autumn Leaves

This picture "Autumn Leaves" is created primarily with free brush strokes. I especially like its sense of movement. The blowing wind is such a defining feature of the autumn season. I actually created this in two stages, years apart. I first did the flowers and the foreground leaves, as a kind of play. The results were surprisingly attractive. Then I put it aside and forgot all about it. Years later, it re-surfaced, and I finished the composition by putting in the background leaves, balancing with the calligraphy.

This year, I started to teach at the Community Centred College for the Retired in Burnaby, BC. Two sessions of 8 lessons have taken place. The second series was devoted to landscape. We had a lot of fun. The students are enthusiastic and have made much progress. They tackled the various elements of landscape, and then put them together in a picture. I believe it is important to go through the entire process of creating a landscape. This way, the students appreciate the process and how the individual elements are used.

Here is a picture I created in stages during the class. I use basic standard techniques for this picture. Basically, the space is created by stacking layers upon layers of landform from distant to near. The composition is based on a painting by Huang Jun Bi. First we need to study the composition and identify the various layers. To start, use medium to light ink to outline and texture the mid- to near- distance layers (trees, rocks...). (The far distant mountains come later in the wet wash.) Next use darker ink to sharpen the near layers. Color the elements in terms of their innate color, as well as light and shade. Use fluid line of light ink to do the flowing water. Repeat the process of sharpening, color glazing, texturing. The near should be darker (warm color) and the distant light (cool color). The water has color, but leaving the white (no color) is critical. Then a wet-in-wet treatment put in the distant mountains and the cloud/mist. This wash is repeated to build volume. The goal is overall unity in the picture. The whole process takes time and patience, as the paper needs to dry between the stages. This standard technique forms the entry point for more advanced free-style methods.

I believe that a goal of art is trancendence. By achieving a sense of depth, we transcends the 2-dimensional paper. The next level would be a sense of life, or movement. This is harder to achieve or to describe. This mist and flowing water in this picture have some of that. Generally, a freer or looser style is more conducive to life. I'll touch on free-style methods in future.

Canal

Near Suzhou are numerous villages and towns crisscrossed by canals. Such places as Zhouzhuang are now famous tourist attractions. As a subject matter, it is a fine example of how water and reflections can create interest and mood.

To render the reflections require repeated patient washes. I hope I was at least partially successful in bringing life and movement to the water.

Scotland

Years ago, I visited Edinburgh and was struck by its stark beauty. The signature castle dominates the skyline. It was full of a nostalgic mood. I love the ancient stones, the nearby seascape, and even more castles -- Stirling Castle, Castle Campbell. Here is a representation of all those...

The Upper Rhine

I was invited to do a demonstration at the Morris County Art Association in 2005. In the one-hour time-slot, I was able to finish the first draft of this picture -- basically all the elements were there, but the color intensity was only one-layer deep. I liked the result, and was able to finish the rest by further color washes and touch-ups.

This picture reminds me of some scenery in a trip I took in Switzerland years ago. The upper reaches of the River Rhine cut through deep gorges -- the interplay between idyllic villages and rugged landscape made its impressions. I was later able to further appreciate spectacular river gorge scenery when I took a cruise along the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges region. This work is an amalgamation of feelings from both trips.

Pine & Peak

This composition uses heavy ink strokes, and provides effects more in line with traditional Chinese ink painting. The ink dominates the picture. Only some lighter strokes for the distant peaks, and a minimal wash are needed to finalize the picture.

Landscape

In this landscape composition, I try to depict a quiet landscape with a very minimal brush work. A series of broad strokes creates the overall flavor of the mountain land form and the shore. Touch-up by ink lines and dots crystallize the edges, strengthens the space and brings out the depth. Free-style strokes give the boats. Wet-strokes provide the distant mountains. Wet-in-wet wash unifies the pictures and gives the mood.