Monday, April 20, 2020

Reply To: How would i paint my name in Chinese grass style calligraphy.

You cannot use always the same style of calligraphy to sign or to write other things on your paintings. Sometime, you have to use xingshu, sometime xingkai, sometime caoshu. But if you want to have a good calligraphy, even to write few words, you need to study calligraphy and begin by the beginning. I don’t think that you may only “copy” a model of the calligraphy of your name and do a calligraphy that looks well if you have not an internal feeling and experience of calligraphy. Another advantage : if you study calligraphy, your painting will become better. Chinese calligraphy and painting have the same root : 書畫同源 ! #CaoShu #CursiveScript

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/2VpY0F2 to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2yv9z57

Reply To: Can brushes be stored long term in a roll?

Yes, you can keep them even several years if they have been put inside when they are dry and the hair in order but take care to the insect that like to eat the brushes hair. Then, you may put them in a closed place and put near some products that insect dislike, like for the clothes.

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/34OX1BE to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2RX6iT0

Reply To: Reason behind owning a lot of seals

It is exactly what you said. They are 2 categories of seals. The first one is for signing but you cannot use the same for a small or a large painting. So you need to have several of different sizes and shapes. The second category is for expressing a meaning, a feeling or a circumstance. Than you can have many. #MeaningBehindSeals #Seals #Signature

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/2VIHK18 to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2RTbHds

Reply To: brush for cursive script, semi-cursive script

It depends which style of cursive or semi-cursive you want to practice. Zhao Mengfu, Liu Gongquan, Mifu, Su Dongpo or Wang Xizhi used different kinds of maobi. It is difficult to say that one is good for all of them ! #CalligraphyBrush

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/3blltNk to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2VO7WqY

Reply To: ”Slender Gold” (瘦金体) style brush?

You can use a thin and long rabbit or “wolf” hair (zihao or langhao). I practiced this style and you can visit my website here :
http://calligraphie-peinture-chinoise.com

Or see one example of my calligraphy here:

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/2VJ913x to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/3cw66lt

Thursday, March 26, 2020

”Slender Gold” (瘦金体) style brush?

I’ve discovered ”Slender Gold” (瘦金体) style of calligraphy and want to ask which brush hair/combinations would you recommend? I suspect a sharp point weasel style would do it, but I’d like to ask if that would seem good to try.

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/2JhIkNl to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2xJWLpV

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Reply To: Mounting paste

Hi,

I do all my own backing/mounting including very large works.  I also teach simple mounting on wood and canvas with much success.

There are a number of ways depending on who is your teacher or what book/video you consult.  Henry Li’s are good so you can’t go wrong there.

For small pieces (8×10 and smaller) I use Nori paste or make my own with cornstarch.  For very large pieces which require an initial backing, I make a flour-based paste.  If you have used good quality ink (preferably ink stick) and Chinese or Japanese colours (tube, pan or granules), you should not have to worry about the water damaging the painting. These substances are made with a glue that renders the ink and colours permanent when dry. However, if you like to use watercolours made in the Western tradition,  you can spray them with a fixative made for watercolour artists. Be aware though that this fixative can sometimes discolour the delicate washi (rice papers) so use with a light hand and caution. Test it first always on practice pieces.

Below, I have attached some recipes (home-made pastes) and a mounting method for you to try.  My advice is – just try it! The alum water approach is also good by the way.  PS  RE: rather than glass, use plexiglass. Safer.

Best of luck to you!  Sincerely, Heather

[Disclaimer:  This method was passed along to me by a fellow artist. I have rewritten them and changed a few things based on my own experience. Some knowledge and experience regarding the treatment and handling of paintings on rice paper is assumed, and as such, I take no responsibility for any errors or problems with artwork that may occur during or after using this method.  Good luck!]

How to mount onto a Wood (Box) Frame

Materials & Tools:

Wood frame – usually made from birch, and either regular depth or gallery depth
Rice paper a little larger than wood frame
**Acrylic medium of your choice
Your painting – preferably with the paper slightly larger than the finished piece will be
Acid-free paste (see recipes)
2” to 3” clean hake brush for paste – reserve for paste only!
2” to 3” clean hake brush for use with acrylic medium – reserve for medium only!
Spray bottle filled with water – for fine mist
Method:

Ensure wood frame surface is clean and dry
Lay your painting on the wood frame where you would like it to sit and gently fold down edges to make a slight impression
Paint a thin layer of acrylic medium on frame to alkalize the surface & let dry
Spray mist a piece of plain rice paper to relax paper
Spread acid-free paste on surface of wood frame and use wax paper to smooth it starting from center outwards, then along edges, etc. Remove air bubbles and wrinkles gently. Cover with a piece of wax paper and let dry under some weight
Mist your painting to relax the paper, keep track of where you wanted it to sit on the wood frame (fold lines)
Spread paste on surface of wood frame and smooth painting on it to remove air bubbles and wrinkles without being too rough or the paper will pill – let dry
Optional:  spread a thin layer of clear acrylic medium, preferably one that has UV protection, over the finished mounted painting
The finished work can be framed in a float frame or left unframed. Some ideas for finishing without additional framing include painting the sides with acrylic paint (black, white, etc.) or covering the sides with matching paper using the same glue process. Don’t forget to put your name, date and title of work on the inside back! Best to write these details on a piece of paper and glue it on the inside.

Use appropriate hanging hardware such as sawtooth hangers for small pieces, or traditional wire with eye hooks for larger works. There are quite a few options to hang artwork.

**Various brands such as Golden, TriArt, Liquitex, etc. matte or semi-gloss acrylic medium

TIP:  Use a permanent marker  to write on your mounting brushes: PASTE ONLY, MEDIUM ONLY.  Wash them well with warm water and soap. Keep them clean (away from paint, ink, etc.)

PASTE RECIPES

Ottawa School of Art 2020

Heather MacDonald, Instructor

Commercial Paste

Nori (Yasutomo brand) is a starch paste that is great for mounting smaller works. One jar lasts a long time!

Home-made Pastes

1.      Wheat paste – made with pastry flour (low gluten)

2.      Starch paste – made with cornstarch or rice flour (similar to Nori Paste)

These pastes are generally reversible (they can be undone with water) unlike white glue.

Wheat Paste

Traditional paste which can be made on the stove or in the microwave.

A word about Water:

If you want to be more archival, use distilled water to make your pastes.  At the very least, I use filtered tap water from the fridge.

Microwave Method

¼ cup pastry flour

1 cup cold water

Thoroughly mix the flour into ¼ cup cold water. Remove all lumps. Boil the remaining ¾ cup water and then slowly pour the flour into it, whisking/mixing as you do so. It should start to thicken up. Microwave it in 30 second increments until it is thick enough. Store in the fridge in a clean jar or airtight container.

Stove-Top Method

1 part pastry flour*

4 ½ parts cold water

* For example:   if you start with ½ cup of flour, then add 2 ¼ cups cold water.  This makes quite a bit of paste.  You may want to start with half this amount.

Combine flour and water with a whisk.  Stir out all lumps.  Place over low to medium heat.  Stir nearly constantly until first bubbles appear as it approaches the boil. If you don’t watch and stir, the mixture will stick to the pot and scorch.   Stir 30 seconds longer.  Remove from heat immediately or you will end up with a mixture resembling rubber.  Let cool, and paste away.  It can be thinned with water if need be. Store in a clean air-tight container in the fridge.  Keep it until it starts to smell bad.

————————————————————————

Starch Paste

Cornstarch or rice flour, when mixed with water and cooked, makes a smooth shiny paste that is strong when dry.

Microwave Method

Mix ¼ cup cornstarch or rice flour with enough cold water to make a smooth thick paste.

Stir in a cup of cold water and place in microwave for about 1 minute on HIGH power. Take it out and stir. As it thickens, be careful not to let it get rubbery.  Check it after each 30 second increment. It is better to take it out and check it after each increment..  You want to have an almost pudding-like thickness – the paste will take on a translucent, slightly shiny look.  Let it cool a bit – it usually thickens up even more as it cools off.

Strain out any lumps by pushing the paste through a sieve with a wooden spoon . Store the paste in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator when you’re finished.  It can keep for a while, until it starts to smell bad.

Use the same approach over the stovetop, again watching it so that it does not overboil.  Cook on medium-low rather than high heat, stirring constantly.  Try not to let it get too thick. If the paste gets VERY thick, it can always be thinned with water. As long as it doesn’t burn, it’s ok. Make sure it is not lumpy! #AlumPaste #GluePaste #Microwave #Mounting #Nori #Paste #WheatPaste

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/39AFxdB to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/3cH0Axe

中国加油 for China

On social media you will have encountered some collages or video clips of people/companies with one message to send out to mainly China who has been fighting against the Corona virus.

中国加油

加油  “jiā yóu”, literally means “add oil” but in a more common translation it means “courage” and this combined with 中国  “zhōngguó “  which means China.

As we are enjoying the art that originated in China, why not show our compassion and sympathy by writing these words in your favourite calligraphy style?  Share your calligraphy or painting art on the forum or Facebook page of Inkston to show your sympathy 🙂

  #China #Courage #SympathyChina #中国加油

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/3cIe3oD to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2hIZtF6

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Reply To: Huang Binhong (1865–1955)

Thank you for posting this very interesting essay. It is also great to have the illustrations.  There is a photo of a younger man standing with Mr. Huang and I believe it is the same man I saw here in Ottawa a few years ago. He came for a special event at our National Library and executed some huge calligraphic pieces for the audience. It was very special!

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/2IaRdaU to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/38gjis2

Reply To: “Dream of the Red Chamber” illustrated

Wish I could afford this book! Thanks for posting.

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/39gNSmA to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/3cr4IBx

Reply To: Love of Lanterns

Hi Elizabeth

Would love to see your lanterns!

Heather #HandPaintedLanterns

Visit the forum at https://ift.tt/2I5cKSy to join the discussion on Inkston Oriental Art Community Inkston Oriental Art Community » All Posts https://ift.tt/2TvwyUa

Monday, February 17, 2020

David Reid – Colourful Inspirations in Materials

Have you encountered difficulties when combining Western painting techniques with Chinese ones? I only use water-based inks on Chinese papers. The inks I use are Australian artist quality (and some European as well) water-based. The... #ChinesePainting #ChinesePaintingOnSilk #OilPainting #PaintingOnSilk #WaterColourPainting

Clic David Reid – Colourful Inspirations in Materials para más información Inkston

https://ift.tt/2SV0Bof published first on Inkston