Chinese Brush Painting through the Seasons

Chinese brush painting is a traditional style of painting that has evolved over many centuries. Artists use ink and colour pigments to paint onto rice paper or silk.

An important characteristic of this kind of painting is holding and directing the brush in the right way to produce strokes that are delicate and refined. The four co-authors of this book Sun Chenggang, Ning Xiangying, Ning Jialu and Miao Hongbo are particularly gifted proponents of this style, which has connections with traditional calligraphy.

Chinese brush painting typically includes themes such as birds, plants and flowers, landscapes, fruit and vegetables and fish. This book explores these themes through the four seasons, with the peony depicted in spring, the lotus flower in summer, the vegetable harvest in autumn and the bamboo bud in winter. Many of the subjects are symbolic and have connotations of good fortune, auspiciousness, good health, a long life, a good harvest, a flourishing family, wealth even immortality!

Explained in the introduction to each project, the symbolism is followed by clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrations. There is a short section at the beginning of the book describing tools, materials and techniques to help readers achieve the almost ethereal beauty and delicacy of this style of painting.

Book Contents

Introduction 6
Tools and materials 8
Basic skills 12

Spring 14
A Fortune in Bloom 16, Loquats 19, Bringers of Spring 24, Good Ripe Fruit 26, Orchid Portrait 29, Rest in the Plantain Shade 32, Wisteria in Purple 35

Summer 38
Green Leaves, Morning Glory 40, Wishes for Prosperity 43, Lotuses in Summer 46, Reflecting on the Lotus 49, Grapes 52, Lotus Fan 55, Begonia 58, Landscape 61

Autumn 64
Full of Autumn Light 66, Heavensent Seeds 69, Autumn Harmony 72, Double Blessings 75, Festival Feast 78, Crab in the Plantain Shade 81, Garden Bounty 84, Clear Spring, Shaded Scales 87

Winter 90
Blossom in the Bitter Cold 92, Camellia 95, Sweet Flag, Sweet Cherry 98, Good Wishes and Long Life 101, Farmhouse Flavour 104, Goose in the Reeds 107, Good Fruit for a Good Life 110