Asian ArtAsian Art

Alanda Alanda KohlKohl

In Japanese sumi means “ink”, therefore sumi-e means drawing with ink. Like many other forms of Japanese art sumi-e was adopted from the Chinese where examples from nearly four thousand years ago have been found. The Chinese believed that sumi-e was the perfect example of Taoist beliefs( the circle of live, the path we live.) These ideas were passed on when sumi-e was introduced to Japan and was accepted as the principle that a few simple brushstrokes could express anything in the world including earth, sky, and the many creatures sharing it all with us. Introduced around 700ce the first examples of sumi-e emerged in Japanese art, displaying the crisp style adopted from China. Sumi-e soon developed into a refined art, only practiced by Scholars, monks and the men and women of the emperors court. calligraphy and drawings were combined on a single scroll. This became a popular style and combined the kinetic strokes of calligraphy and the fluid motion of sumi-e. Japan suddenly inhaled foreign culture which meant that the traditional Japanese arts were to soon be forgotten. A Japanese scholar by the name of Tenshin Okakura, and an American philosopher named Ernest F. Fenollosa Reevaluated sumi-e for its exquisitely artistic qualities and introduced it to foreign countries and sumi-e has adapted into what it is today.

The Four TreasuresThe Four Treasures

• To begin sumi-e you need to know what the four treasures are. These are the items that you will need the most to begin painting.

1. The ink (sumi).2. The inkstone

(suzuri).3. The brush (fude).4. The paper (kami).Sumi usually comes

from an ink stick and is ground into a thick carbon compound.

The Four The Four Treasures(cont.)Treasures(cont.)• The ink is ground by putting a The ink is ground by putting a

few drops of water into a few drops of water into a suzuri and carefully grinding it suzuri and carefully grinding it in a large circular motion until in a large circular motion until the ink is the correct the ink is the correct consistency for the type of consistency for the type of paper you’re using.paper you’re using.

• Fude is made with a number of Fude is made with a number of different types of animal hair different types of animal hair including sheep, including sheep, horses,rabbits, squirrels, and horses,rabbits, squirrels, and other random creatures. The other random creatures. The bristles are cut to five different bristles are cut to five different lengths with the sturdier lengths with the sturdier bristles on the outside and bristles on the outside and shaped into a cone. The shaped into a cone. The bristles are then attached to bristles are then attached to bamboo handel.bamboo handel.

• The suzuri is generally fairly The suzuri is generally fairly small and has a shallow end small and has a shallow end called the land and the shallow called the land and the shallow part is the ocean.They often part is the ocean.They often have carved designs on them.have carved designs on them.

• Kami is very important for Kami is very important for obvious reasons *cough obvious reasons *cough cough*. There is a variety of cough*. There is a variety of different paper ranging from different paper ranging from the handmade xuanzhi to the the handmade xuanzhi to the machine made gasen-shi. My machine made gasen-shi. My personal favorite is gasen-shi personal favorite is gasen-shi because it handles well with because it handles well with quality sumi.quality sumi.

Other supplies you may need are: a dish of white ceramic Other supplies you may need are: a dish of white ceramic for mixing different shades of black, a hissen; a white for mixing different shades of black, a hissen; a white container devided into three sections used for cleaning container devided into three sections used for cleaning brushes, a fudemaki; a bamboo mat used for storing your brushes, a fudemaki; a bamboo mat used for storing your brushes, a long heavy paper weight, and a piece of felt or brushes, a long heavy paper weight, and a piece of felt or other soft under your paper so you don’t stain your work other soft under your paper so you don’t stain your work surface.surface.

The four gentlemen are the four items that you need to be able to paint in order to master Sumi-e.

1. Bamboo- it represents strength, vitality, and resilience. A gentleman of integrity and strong morals.

2. The plum- it represents hope and rejuvenation. A gentleman of grace, modesty and perseverance.

3. The orchid- it represents beauty and intensity. A gentleman of purity, refinement and who lives modestly.

4. The chrysanthemum(or mum)- it represents moral strength, and fortitude. A gentleman of nobility and grace.

• Though my main focus is sumi-e I also wanted to incorporate other types of Asian art beginning with animanga( the combination of the words anime and manga)

• Anime is a Japanese cartoon that is drawn using certain principals of art differing from those of typical American drawings or cartoons.The easiest translation of manga is a Japanese comic book. The technical term is a graphic novel. One of the main differences is that a manga book is read from the opposite side compared to our books.

Inuyasha

Full Metal Alchemist

Card Captor Sakura

Bleach

Sailor Moon

Fruits Basket

Thank you for watching my Sumi-e power point presentation XD

BOOKS

Okamoto, Naomi. Japanese ink Painting, The art of Sumi-e. Sterling publishing Co.,New York,

Kerrigan, Michael. Asian Art. .2006 The Foundry Creative Media Co., ltd.

Syoko, Shingo. Sumi-e The Art of Japanese Brush Painting. . 2002 The Ivy Press ltd.

Websites

Deviant art. http://dublee.deviantart.com/art/Kanji-Hope-3D-Lite-44196678 , http://x-seraphin.deviantart.com/art/Kanji-20426956 , http://laichro.deviantart.com/art/40000-hits-19047675

Japanese Hanging Scrolls

http://www.ukiyoe-gallery.com/scrolls.htm