Art Literacy 20052006

1
Art Literacy2005-2006
2

• Art Around the World

China
3
China

• China is a large country in eastern Asia.
• It is the third largest country in the world and
  the has the biggest country population.
• Approximately a fifth of the world's population
  lives in China.
• The regions of the country range from some of the
  world's driest deserts and highest mountains to
  some of the richest farmlands.
• Because so much of the world's population lives
  in China it plays an important role in the
  history of the world.

4
History of Chinese Writing

• Throughout history, the Chinese have cultivated
  the Art of Writing, or Calligraphy.
• Starting around 4000 B.C. traditional Chinese
  painting has developed continuously over a period
  of more than 6,000 years.
• Chinese writing first appeared on bones and
  shells during the Shang dynasty (1850 - 1100
  B.C.)
• The script on this tortoise shell was written by
  brush, then engraved.

5
Following the introduction of Buddhism to China
from India during the 1st century A.D., the art
of painting religious murals gained prominence.
6
Figure Painting
Figure Painting developed beyond religious
themes to include paintings of historical
characters and stories of everyday life. A
common social activity was the composing of
poetry, as depicted in the above gathering of
gentlemen.
7
Landscape Painting
Landscape painting had already established itself
as an independent form of expression by the 4th
century. Then gradually developed into the two
separate styles of blue-and-green landscapes
and ink-and-wash landscape.
8
The blue-and-green landscape used bright blue,
green and red pigments ground from minerals to
create a richly decorative style.
9
The ink-and-wash landscape relied on vivid
brushwork and varying degrees of intensity of ink
to express the artists concept of nature, and
his own emotions and individuality.
10
Flower-and-Bird Painting
Flower-and-bird painting was separated from
decorative art to form an independent genre
around the 9th century.
11
Chinese brush painting is based on the principle
of chi yan, the belief in a life force that flows
through all nature and instills spirit and
harmony in all things.
12
The object of Chinese brush painting is not to
express the variation in shades resulting from a
source of light in a realistic way, but to
express the characteristics of the subject.
13
The artist can place seemingly unrelated objects
together, suspend object in midair, or omit the
background altogether.
14
The primary factors of composition are a) "host"
vs. "guest"--a painting must have a principle
subject or focus around which other subject
matter is arranged. b) The arrangement of reality
and imagination--the actual combined with some
imagination lends intrigue to a painting. C)
detail vs. simplicity--areas with lots of detail,
balanced with simplified strokes, make the
painting more pleasant to examine. A painter who
does not go through his careful selection process
might as well take a snapshot instead of creating
a painting. The composition in the essence and
structure of a painting.
15
The Four Treasures
The materials and equipment used in brush
painting are called the Four Treasures brush,
paper, inkstone, and ink stick. These four
elements combine to create the elegant, flowing
brush strokes that lend such unique character to
brush painting.
16
Brushes

• Chinese brushes come in many shapes and sizes,
  and are made out of animal hair. They have a
  unique capacity to hold more liquid than brushes
  used in other forms of painting.

17
Ink Stick and Inkstone
Ink sticks are usually made from the soot of
burned wood that is mixed with glue. The mixture
is poured into a mold and left to dry. To
prepare the ink for painting, water is placed on
the inkstone and the ink stick is ground until
the desired consistency is achieved.
18
The Paper
The best paper is known as Xuan paper. It is
made out of tree bark. The paper is treated with
a gluelike substance called size, which binds the
fibers together and gives paper its surface. A
lot of sizing renders the surface non-absorbent.
A lesser degree of sizing makes the paper very
absorbent. Absorbent paper is preferred for free
style brush painting.
19
The Seal
Traditionally, a finished painting is stamped
with a red seal or chop, a practice that dates
back three thousand years. The seal is an
integral part of the brush painting contributing
to its composition. Seals can depict the
artists name, a village, a proverb, a teacher or
a scene. The owner of the painting is also
entitled to place his or her seal on it.
20
The Artist

• Your workspace should be quiet and peaceful.
  Your paper should be in front of you with your
  tools to the right. Good posture is vital to
  Chinese brush painting, it is a reflection of
  your thoughts and feelings. Hold the brush
  between your thumb and first two fingers. Your
  arm should be relax but held firmly off the
  paper. Use sweeping strokes to allow the brush
  to work in all its grace.

21
Loading the Brush
Ready to paint!
Wet the brush
Remove excess water
Load the brush with paint
Drag brush into point
22
Practice Strokes
Twirls and wiggles
Wet dots
Dry dots
Thin Lines
Thick Lines
Thicker Lines
23
Bamboo Strokes
The bone stroke
Leaf Strokes
Bridge bone stroke
24
The Project