Sumi Tigers

While on vacation, I had the opportunity to buy real sumi inks and brushes finally. Sumi actually goes by several names, Ink and Wash or Shui-mo Hua are included.

It is an interesting style. The ink makes it more difficult than other mediums while the brushes make life a lot easier. Sumi ink is harshly unforgiving, not so much because it's permanent-- that much you can say about "ink" in general-- but the ability to wash it down, which is encouraged by the style, means that you can work in gradients. If your washes are the wrong shape, or if you've gone too dark, or if you didn't properly blend your gradients, it will leave a noticeable mistake. The brushes on the other hand are wonderful. Longer, coarser, and more full at the base, they leave room to hold a lot of ink at once and to make long, graceful lines and shapes.

I just played around a bit today to get a feel for things. As usual I have taken a loose, wistful style of art and make it a bit too realistic, but I had fun in the process and I like the results. Tigers were an appropriate and practical subject, as you must use bold lines, thin lines, gradients, and motion all at once. I only wish I hadn't used sketchbook paper for this, as it clearly buckled quite a bit from all the liquid.

I. Sumi Tigers






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