I have recently started Chinese brush painting at the Lancashire University. The lecturer is a passionate Chinese man, a Professor at the Confucius Institute. He's passionate about Chinese art. The take home message last time was that we learn to work with what happens during the painting process. This means using very absorbent paper, loading up the brush with ink and applying to said paper with economical and confident strokes. This can mean loading up the Chinese calligraphy brush with ink and splattering it all over the paper. I may not have this entirely right but it seems that you can then make use of what has happened and impose some sort of order on it. The ink splats might look a bit like a fish in which case, add fins and a tail. Some more blots might resemble the distant mountain range in which case add trees our trees and possibly a more focused foreground. The following offering might look like faltering strokes of someone who has not mastered the use of the medium (his words, not mine) but thanks to this Chinese perspective I can say confidently that the back watery smudges are a small mountain range and the forward blots are boats, a bridge and possibly a tower.
Its a tricky technique. His main criticism was that I went over the same area again and again. That hit me hard for that is exactly what I do. I responded with,' I do that because I did not get it right the first time - I'll keep doing it until I feel I've got that bit right'. He said nothing which spoke volumes.
I have taken on board that there is nothing to be ashamed of in making use of what happens during the painting process. You are one or should try be one with the Tao. What is unfolding is what is meant to unfold and what ever happens is okay (paraphrasing a little). The Western way of thinking about this is in terms of happy accidents. I make frequent use of happy accidents though I am seldom happy at the time.
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