How to learn to paint on rice paper

Drawing on rice paper - Sumi-e – the kind of painting that originated in China in the X century during the song dynasty, and in the XIV century this art has penetrated into Japan. Sumi-e in Japanese language means "mascara" and "painting".

You will need

• - a sheet of rice paper;
• - mascara;
• - thick and thin brush;
• - suzuri or ceramic saucer.

Instruction

1. Prepare everything for drawing. Pick up the sheet of rice paper. It is handmade, it is preferable to paint, as paper absorbs water in a special way. Paint and ink for it is very well spread, creating the necessary color transitions. You can also purchase rice paper roll. It is factory production, has more smooth surface and very wet from the paint, so under the sheet, it is recommended to put plain paper for watercolor.
2. To draw the required minimum of 2 tassels with rounded edges: thin to prosowski details and thick to draw the main lines. The bristles of the brushes can be of goat, boar, or marten, while synthetic products are not suitable for painting Sumi-e. New brushes pre-tender. Dip them a few times gently in a saucer of water. After use, carefully rinse and dry the brush in a horizontal position only. You can use them to draw again only after complete drying.
3. Traditionally, the ink is ground in suzuri - specially processed stone in the shape of a circle or rectangle. The block of mascara RUB off on the stone's surface with water droplets. Fill with water deepening from one of the walls of suzuri. For sale even in specialized art shops of suzuri happens very rarely, you can instead use a ceramic saucer, not varnished.
4. Ink for Sumi-e painting. is in the form of rectangular sticks, which are made from pine charcoal, ground into powder, and adhesive. Rubbed the ink on the surface of suzuri mixed with water and it turns out the paint. Drawing on rice paper is also suitable liquid ink, which is sold in bottles or ordinary watercolor paint. When mixed mascara, or black paint with a different amount of water produced different shades from light gray to deep black.
5. When everything is prepared, begin to exercise. Dip a brush in clean water so that it completely soaked. Then dip it vertically into the paint medium colors. And then tip in dark ink.
6. Attach the brush to the rice paper and make a slanted line with the same pressure on the brush, you should get a line with different shades. Then try to put lines with stops, with a margin of a hand, pressure on the brush. To increase the width of the line, in motion, press the brush harder. To make it lighter, raise the brush so that the bristles just touch the paper. Draw the main lines of your picture, and then draw a few details with a thin brush.