Asian painting. (Cover Story).

Inspiration

A recent trip to Japan made me realize the need to increase my students' knowledge of Asian art and culture. I combined the expression of brush painting and carving utilitarian pens out of bamboo into this two-part project.

Problem

Part I: Students will understand the basic principles of brush painting and create two large value study images that reflect bamboo.

Part II: Students will create an aesthetically beautiful drawing instrument utilizing a piece of bamboo.

Materials

Part I

* 12 x 18" (31 x 46 cm) newsprint paper (practice)

* 18 x 24" (46 x 61 cm) white vellum (final)

* Black India ink

* Bamboo brushes in various sizes

Part II

* Bamboo (fresh cut plants)

* Utility knives

* A variety of materials, such as colored embroidery thread, fine craft wire, feathers, colored string, metallic markers, etc.

* Wood burning tool

* Wood glue 

Process

Part I

In Asian brush painting, each stroke of the brush has significance. Since brush painting requires the artist to make one mark and lift the brush before making another, one can easily see if any correction is made. This style of working is very formal and demanding. Personal expression comes in the composition and the overall balance.

The basic painting technique requires holding the brush vertically, not allowing your arm to rest on the table. Use black ink diluted with a small amount of water for a rich black. Add more water for gray values.

To begin, paint a series of vertical strokes, pausing and lifting the brush completely off the page. Each stroke of the brush will represent the individual segment of bamboo stem. In between each segment, add a brush-stroke that looks like a horizontal "Z." This will emphasize the division in the structure of the bamboo. At these junctures two smaller branches emerge. Add leaves to the ends of these small branches in sets of three. Paint each leaf with one downward brushstroke. Overlapping leaves and shades of gray creates depth and a more natural look.

Use watered-down black India ink and bamboo brushes to begin the practice stage. Use less diluted black ink for the darker values on the final paintings. Consider the balance of thick and thin, light and dark, and positive and negative shapes on the overall composition. Asian bamboo paintings show simplicity and understanding of negative space. Use a light tone for the bamboo in the background, darker values or black for foreground images. Note: The value of the stem is also the value used in the smaller branches and leaves.

Part II

Have students hold and observe the structure of the bamboo. Bamboo is segmented and naturally breaks every 6"-10", (15-25 cm). At these natural breaks, two small branches emerge. These breaks have ridges, which become natural places for the human hand to hold. Have students choose the length and thickness they want.

Show the structure of both a regular metal pen nib and a bamboo pen. Have students begin by using a utility knife to cut the end of their bamboo into the shape of a pen nib. This is done by first squaring off the rounded form of the two sides followed by undercutting the bottom side. Then the top is narrowed and pointed. A slit is made to allow the ink to flow. A small hole is created with a knife at the end of the split to prevent the bamboo from splitting further. Also, use a knife to refine the final shape of the bamboo nib.

Once the pen is cut, test it for its workability. Have students aesthetically personalize their pens using a variety of other materials. For the final presentation, students should develop a creative way to hang up their drawing implement. Visual presentation is critical to many Asian cultures; don't miss the opportunity this final step represents.

Evaluation

Part I

* Does your work reflect a visual balance of black and gray values?

* Do you see the significance of applying each brushstroke and not retouching?

* After understanding this technique, did you feel confident about applying brushstrokes to the paper?

Part II

* Does the drawing instrument actually work? Have you demonstrated that?

* How is the pen you created aesthetically attractive?

* What materials other than bamboo did you use?

* Is your pen so visually engaging that someone else would want to reach out and pick it up?

Results and Observations

Part I

A great deal of practice on newsprint was necessary before the students felt ready to go on to their final paper. They observed their own progress and success based on the criteria of balance of thick and thin shapes and of light and dark value study. Some students were amazed at how difficult the painting technique was in the beginning, yet all were pleased with their increased understanding of the process and improved results.

Part II

There was great enthusiasm for actually creating a pen and even more when they realized the pen worked. Even though one pen was required, most students created two or more pens as they worked through the carving and personalizing stages. Some students bent a branch of thin bamboo to create a loop for hanging their drawing instrument. Other students cut a hole or used string or wire to hang their pen. Angled branches also created a device for hanging. Students used varied materials to personalize their drawing implements. A woodburning tool was used for incised lines and designs.

Follow-up Activities

Have students select a postcard or image of Japanese or Chinese art to use as motivation for creating a Haiku poem. After the Haiku is written, students use their pens to write to final draft copy on a 9" x 12" (23 x 31 cm) sheet of white vellum. They should consider the placement of words in order to have space to illustrate their image. Students should create a new image based on and motivated by their words, not by the postcard. Their illustration of the Haiku maybe done in watercolor.

Conclusion

Designing pens presented a fun yet challenging way for students to explore their ability to create their own drawing instruments. The illustrated Haiku was a very successful conclusion to this project because it utilized a creative writing element and an illustration, therefore making practical use of the students' newly developed pens. These two projects and the follow-up activity offered students an appreciation for both painting and materials as well as the subtlety of Asian art.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places.

Ken Vieth is an art teacher at Montgomery High School in Skillman, New Jersey.