What is Sumi-e Painting?

Sumi-e is the Japanese term for a black ink and wash style of painting that developed in China during the Sung dynasty. (960-1274) It was developed and popularized further by a sect of monks called the Chan. The Chan were influenced by the Chinese folk religion of Taoism, which emphasizes simplicity and harmony with nature. Sumi-e was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks in the mid-14th century and highly embraced and expanded upon by the Zen tradition. Japanese sumi-e painting tends to push the limits of the art form in its vivacious brushstrokes and can be almost expressionistic in nature.

          

In an old Chinese legend, an artist named Zhang Seng You 張僧繇 was asked to paint a mural in a temple. He painted several dragons but left out the pupils from their eyes. The Abbot asked him why. Zhang explained that if he painted the pupils, the dragons would come alive. When the Abbot insisted, Zhang proceeded to paint the dragons’ eyes. As soon as he finished the pupils on one of the dragons, it roared to life and flew away in a thunderous flash of lightning!

This story embodies the philosophy of Oriental sumi-e. The goal is not simply to reproduce the appearance of the subject, but to capture its soul. To paint a horse, the sumi-e artist must understand its temperament better than its muscles and bones. To paint a flower, there is no need to perfectly match its petals and colors, but it is essential to convey its liveliness and fragrance. Oriental sumi-e may be regarded as an earliest form of impressionistic art that captures the unseen.

In its process and overall aesthetic, Sumi-e emulates the revered qualities of nature, such as contrast, harmony, vitality and simplicity. The art of brush painting, aims to depict the spirit, rather than the semblance of the object. In creating a picture the artist must grasp the spirit of the subject. Sumi-e attempts to capture the Chi or "life spirit" of the subject, painting in the language of the spirit

I love to teach sumi-e painting  to children and non-artists. The simplicity and ease of the media and serenity of the process always promises a rewarding experience for everyone. Go to my website at http://outsideartlessons.com/artwrkforadults.aspx or http://outsideartlessons.com/artwrhshpkids.aspx to see the next sumi-e painting class time. I try to offer them at least once a month.

 
(bottom: painted by Megan, 6 years, top: painted by Morgan, 10 years)