CHINESE PAINTING: METICULOUS PAINTING VS INK WASH PAINTING

 

 

Chinese painting is an ancient and profound art form with a long history, enjoying worldwide renown for its unique painting style and techniques. The term "Chinese painting" originated in the Han Dynasty, as people of the Han Dynasty considered China to be the center of the universe and thus referred to it as "Zhongguo," meaning China, and its painting as "Guo Hua(国画)," or simply "national painting." Chinese painting originated from ancient sacrificial and decorative patterns, initially serving the purpose of reflecting people's lives and emotions through artistic expression, gradually evolving into an independent art form with the development of society. It mainly refers to scroll paintings created with a brush dipped in water, ink, and colors on silk(绢), Xuan paper(宣纸), or silk(帛) and mounted for display.

Inkstone/砚台：An inkstone is a tool used in traditional Chinese art to grind ink sticks into ink for calligraphy and painting.

Colors/颜料：Natural mineral-based colors used in traditional Chinese painting.

 

The subjects can be categorized into figures, landscapes, flowers, birds, etc., and the techniques can be divided into realistic and expressive. In terms of content and artistic creation, Chinese painting reflects the ancient people's understanding of nature, society, and the associated realms of politics, philosophy, religion, ethics, literature, and art.

The development history of Chinese painting can be traced back to ancient times, undergoing changes and developments in different dynasties, gradually forming two major mainstream schools: ink wash painting and meticulous painting.

 

METICULOUS PAINTING (Gongbi/工笔)

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Meticulous Heavy Colors (工笔重彩)

 

Meticulous painting(Gongbi/工笔) is one of the mainstream schools of Chinese painting, characterized by meticulous detail and accurate realism, showcasing the aesthetic concepts of traditional culture. Meticulous painting portrays the objective world through delicate lines and rich colors, mainly including subjects such as landscapes, flowers, birds, and figures. The technique of meticulous painting emphasizes the handling of brush strokes, lines, and colors, known for its neatness, meticulousness, and precision. Meticulous painting can be classified into four categories: meticulous line drawing (工笔白描), meticulous light colors (工笔淡彩), meticulous heavy colors (工笔重彩), and boneless meticulous painting (没骨工笔), each with its own unique forms of expression and techniques.

 

Meticulous Line Drawing/ 工笔白描

 

The earliest existing meticulous painting in China dates back to the Warring States period in the 3rd century BCE, represented by "Maidens with Phoenixes" 《龙凤仕女图》and "Figures Riding on Dragons." 《人物驭龙图》， "Maidens with Phoenixes" is depicted in monochrome with a combination of single lines and surfaces, featuring a flat layout. "Figures Riding on Dragons" outlines the figures with single lines and emphasizes the sense of solidity using shading, marking the earliest example of direct coloring in Chinese meticulous painting and the earliest work employing light colors in Chinese meticulous painting. The emergence of light colors and shading methods holds significant importance in the history of Chinese painting techniques.

 "Maidens with Phoenixes" 《龙凤仕女图》left side, "Figures Riding on Dragons." 《人物驭龙图》 right side

 

INK WASH PAINTING/水墨画

Ink wash painting is another mainstream school of Chinese painting, characterized by profound artistic conception and poetic richness, pursuing the aesthetic effect of the coexistence of reality and imagination, embodying the philosophical thoughts of Chinese culture. Ink wash painting expresses objective phenomena and inner emotions through the application of brush and ink, mainly including subjects such as landscapes, flowers, birds, and figures, each with its unique artistic characteristics and expressive methods. The technique of ink wash painting emphasizes the use of ink tones, the depiction of lines, and the interaction between ink and water, known for its freedom and vividness. Ink wash painting is a distinctive painting art form of the Han Chinese, utilizing painting tools and materials with ethnic characteristics (brushes, Xuan paper, and ink) to portray images and artistic conceptions. Its characteristics primarily lie in two aspects: firstly, regarding tools and materials, ink wash painting achieves a harmonious and vivid artistic effect by blending water, ink, and Xuan paper, showcasing features such as the interplay of wet and dry, thick and light ink; furthermore, the fusion of ink and Xuan paper creates a unique effect of ink penetration, with ink as the main material adjusted by the amount of water to produce various ink densities (dark, light, grey), depicting different layers of intensity. Secondly, in terms of artistic expression, due to the fusion and penetration of ink and Xuan paper, ink wash painting excels in depicting characteristics resembling but not exactly like the objects, known as imagery. This imagery effect stimulates rich imagination in viewers, aligning with the aesthetic ideal of emphasizing artistic conception in Chinese painting.

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Xuan paper/宣纸
Traditional Chinese paper used for calligraphy and painting, made from the bark of the Qingtan tree, known for its smooth surface and absorbency.

 

CONTEMPORARY NEW CHINESE PAINTING

In contemporary times, Chinese painting has continued to develop and innovate, with many artists combining traditional techniques with modern aesthetics, driving the modernization of Chinese painting. Contemporary Chinese painting has established specialized programs in major art academies, nurturing a large number of outstanding artists and scholars. Meanwhile, some contemporary Chinese painters such as Ting Liu and Xiaoyi Tang represent the new trends in Chinese painting, conveying the traditional spirit and modern expressions of Chinese painting through their works.

Ting Liu employs traditional ink media to depict the contemporary essence of Eastern women. Her Chinese ink wash paintings break away from traditional creative techniques, consistently exploring modern self-expression through the meticulous perspective of women, deeply contemplating the reflection of women's growth in social reality.

Ting Liu

 

In Xiaoyi Tang's exploration of Chinese painting, she integrates tradition with contemporary expression, cleverly finding a delicate balance between capturing the essence of nature and delving into the complexity of inner self. Choosing silk as the canvas creates a tactile experience, adding depth to visual narration.

Xiaoyi Tang

 

In conclusion, ink wash painting and meticulous painting, as two major schools of Chinese painting, each have their own characteristics, collectively showcasing the unique charm and profound heritage of Chinese culture. As an important component of Chinese culture, Chinese painting will continue to demonstrate its unique artistic charm and cultural value on the world stage. Through the exploration of ink wash painting and meticulous painting in Chinese painting, we gain a deeper understanding of the origin, development process, and contemporary trends of Chinese painting, expecting Chinese painting to continue to flourish and inherit the essence of Chinese culture in the future.