Sumi-e

Sumi-e is Japanese ink painting done with a brush and black ink on thin absorbent paper. Sumi-e is a traditional Japanese ink painting technique that emphasizes simplicity and the beauty of nature. The term “sumi-e” translates to “black ink painting,” reflecting its primary use of black ink on paper.

Key Characteristics

  • Monochromatic: Sumi-e primarily uses black ink, although variations may include subtle shades.
  • Brush Techniques: The art form relies on expressive brush strokes, where each stroke is definitive and cannot be corrected.
  • White Space: The use of negative space is crucial, as what is left unpainted holds as much significance as the painted elements.
  • Natural Themes: Common subjects include bamboo, flowers, and landscapes, often inspired by nature.

Project Goal:

Practice sumi-e techniques creating your own images. Using at least 3 values of ink, dark, medium, & light. Also make use of in brush blending.

Why?

Learning gentle control of the shape and placement of a brush lets you put paint where you want it, in the shapes you need. Learning to control the brightness (value) of paint is needed to create the illusion of reality

Shape Painting

Project Goal:

Create a paint using only shapes of color with no blending using 2 colors and two values.

Katherine Corden Bellisario (b. 1991) is a contemporary artist based in Traverse City, Michigan, where she lives with her husband and three young children. Known for her casual expression of the figure, her work is characterized by bold shapes and an unexpected use of color. She attributes much of her influence to her art teaching mother, who introduced her to the world of art at an early age, as well as her background in studying anatomy while pursuing her first career as a physical therapist. Her lifestyle and creative work have blended over the years, and much like mixed paint, the two have become inseparable.