Chinese Brush Painting

The Very Beginning

For Christmas I got this set, so eventually decided to try it.

It had a practice sheet that lets one use plain water to practice brush strokes, then dries again to be re-used – a handy thing.

One is supposed to grind ones own ink from this stick, not an easy procedure.

The included book gives step-by-step instructions for a handful of paintings, starting with this leaf piece...

....then a seahorse – with pattern included.

Then there was the lotus boom and dragonfly (I see now I never finished the vertical leaf)....

Then I tried this bird lesson.

Obviously my strokes are not very Chinese, but it was interesting to try. I like the look of Chinese painting and might incorporate some ideas into my work. I do not think I will devote the required time to mastering the strokes, but a class some day..... maybe.