Mayhall, Yolanda. The sumi-e dream book; an impressionist approach to the art of Japanese brush painting.

Watson-Guptill. 128p. illus. index. c2003. 0-8230-5023-8. $21.95. JSA

Beginning with a concise history of the Japanese practice of sumi-e--literally "ink picture"--the author explains that her subject is "dream journey painting," in which the artist paints a story based on memories or imagination. She links this description to the efforts of the scholar painters of both China and Japan. Mayhall is particularly focused on Hokusai, the famous and prolific artist who produced some of the most memorable woodblock prints of 19th-century Japan, including "The Great Wave at Kanagawa" and views of Mt. Fuji. Primarily a step-by-step painting manual, the book includes advice on how to approach the practice of ink painting; what tools to use; how to create the brushstrokes that make up the traditional forms of bamboo, orchid, chrysanthemum, and plum branch, collectively known as The Four Gentlemen; and how to use color and brushstrokes to create painted compositions.

Mayhall includes 100 color and 25 b/w illustrations, most of which are her own compositions. Her language reflects her strong interest in Zen and Taoist philosophy, which will be attractive to many students interested in the art of the Far East, although perhaps a bit too "new-agey" for some. Whatever the reader thinks of the writing style, the lessons and suggestions presented here are both clear and inspiring. Rhonda Cooper, Dir., Univ. Art Gallery, Stony Brook, NY