Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
THE LONDON CHINESE BRUSH PAINTERS’ GROUP Newsletter
www.londonchinesebrushpaintersgroup.co.uk
APRIL 2015 MAGGIE CROSS CAMELLIAS AND SMALL BIRDS
Maggie told us that the Camellia (cha hua 茶花 – tea flower) was a very important flower to the Chinese and
had been written about for thousands of years. It was said that although the flower was very beautiful, it was considered unlucky for a bride to wear a Camellia in her hair as the bud took a long time to develop into a flower it indicated that the bride would not be able to have children. The flower can be double, semi double or single petalled. The structure of the flower has one dominant area. Place the first layer of petals, then the second layer are placed in between these. Do not make too even and make sure the flowers are at different angles. The direction of the stamen indicate the angle of the flower. Using Xuan paper and a dark (wolf) brush, Maggie said she used three different reds, to get the coral colour of the flower she said that scarlet was a good yellow red with carmine or peony as a blue red, then finally rouge. Start by loading ¾ of the brush with scarlet, make sure the brush is fully loaded then add the carmine or peony to ½of this, then, tip the brush into the rouge. Maggie said to remember that the mix of colour on your palette has a lot of water in it so will dry lighter than it looks on the palette. To paint the flower, the tip of the brush is pointed towards the middle of the flower, Maggie used a dab and drop brush stroke to get the water mark at the outer edge of the petal, then tip the brush with the rouge, dab the brush on the palette after this so you don’t get a distinct stripe and lay the second layer of petals between the first layer making sure you come from the centre of the flower. If the contrast is not dark enough you can add a darker line as long as the flower is still damp.
LEAVES You can use ink or you can add a touch of indigo, or you can add some gamboge. To make a more sludgy colour you can use the dark yellow hue. Using a fairly dryish brush, load with the lighter colour to ¾ of the brush then tip into the indigo, dab the brush on your palette or you will get a stripe. Holding your brush at a slight angle the point of the brush as the central line. then using the tip of the brush paint the other half of the leaf leaving a thin space between the two halves for highlight.
Maggie said she always found it easier to paint the birds at this stage, and then you can make sure that the birds are sitting on the branch. She found that if you painted the branch first you could find it difficult to get the birds seated properly.
Leave a space between the petals, the paint will run into the space and it will still give the effect of the petal being either in front or behind. Leave the flower to dry before adding the stamen.
2
Maggie said she always started painting the bird at the beak and eyes, then the head and wings, these are made up of strokes similar to leaf strokes. Add the legs and claws when the branch is painted. Birds have four claws, three pointed forward and one to the back. The middle claw was usually the longest. Maggie painted her birds in ink, but said if you were using colour burnt sienna and dark brown were good colours for sparrows. Add the line for the tummy and before the wings become too dry add dots of the darker colour. Do a second bird facing the first. If they face in different directions the painting will not look right. Then add the tail following the line of the body, be careful to make sure that it balances the bird, the tail is made up of three strokes the middle one being the longer, When you have finished the bird you can add the branch for the camellia, when you are placing the branch think about where you have put your leaves and make sure they can join to the main branch in a logical fashion. It is all too easy to end up with a floating leaf or flower!! Make sure the birds look well balanced or they will look as if they are falling off the branch. In the afternoon Maggie talked about long legged birds such as heron, egret and crane. She showed us a variety of her paintings on various papers.
Maggie showed us how to use a hake brush for effective washes. She said she marks her hake brushes on one side and only uses it for colour, the other side she just leaves clear, the mark reminds her which side is loaded with colour. She started by spraying her paper as this gives a softer finish to the wash. She laid the colour then immediately softened the edge with the non colour side of the brush. Don’t take the wash right up to the subject but leave a slight gap and the wash will run up to the line. Maggie said this method was good for thicker papers such as Mulberry or double xuan, but you have to be careful if you use single xuan as it might tear. Maggie said that Chiswick House in West London was a good place to go and study camellias; it has the oldest bush in England. Kew is also a very good place to view camellias. Maggie showed how she rumpled the paper lengthways and used the creases for creating reeds. You can also use this method to indicate the large untidy nests that herons build. If you crease the paper horizontally and use blues and greens and a touch of purple it will indicate water. Large Wading Birds Egrets – these are white with lots of fluffy feathers
The geese are painted on Mulberry gold flecked.
3
Taking off from the Nest
4
Herons 蒼鷺 Cāng lù are grey with a long dark head feather
Maggie started with the heron she said to think of an S shape when drawing the neck, this gives a good shape to begin with. She said you c0uld use charcoal to loosely sketch the bird before you start painting. Starting with a dark brush and xuan paper, Maggie started with the beak, the middle line is longest, and the eye is placed just above this. The top line of the beak is shorter and the bottom line is the shortest. When you are satisfied with the beak, you can draw the head and neck in a pale tone, the neck slightly widens where it meets the body and wing. Study the photocopy to get the right proportions. I make the neck twice the length of the head and the body is also twice the head.
The legs come from the centre and are slightly trousered with feathers. The legs need to be strong enough to hold the bird up. These birds have three toes, the middle one being longer than the other two, the fourth toe
5
is behind. If you are not confident in doing these you can put the bird in water and make ripples round the leg to give the feeling of movement.
EGRETS 白鷺 Báilù Again, Maggie started with the beak and eye, she said if you study the beak the lower line does not go quite to the tip of the beak. Maggie used the mulberry paper. She said she was using the smooth side as it gave a smoother line. Using a mix of indigo and ink draw the outline of the birds head. The head is tucked in. Using a little Acrylic
Ink, but do not use too thick a tone or it will look plastic. Use a stronger tone for the feathers on the head streamers and body. The breast is very feathery. Use gamboge for eyes and beak. Legs are like herons they need to be strong enough to hold the bird up. The leg is drawn in two parts using a pause to indicate the knobbly bit for the knees. Add the feet and claws. If you do not want to use claws put ripples round the legs. Maggie only placed one leg, she indicated the other with claws appearing from the body. To finish the painting you can add willow or another waterside subject. If need be you can add a stronger white to the back.
6
Cranes 鶴 Hè Cranes are an important bird in the symbolism of Chinese painting, they signify longevity especially if put together with pine. Start with the beak and eye, cranes have a layer of “mascara” round the eye. Outline the head then neck which widens where it meets the body. The black feathers come from under the wing rather than on the tail, when the bird is at rest it tucks these black feathers in. To finish the bird – it has a black stripe down the neck Add the beautiful red head in carmine and go slightly under the eye. Then using a sponge add some foliage at the top of the painting. There is also the crowned crane which has a crown of feathers on top of its head.
7
Following our very successful Exhibition, Maria wanted to share her framer with us. She recommends David Mitchell 28 Loampit Hill Lewisham London SE13 7SL Tel: 0280 469 0078 Fax: 0280 469 3260 David: 07958 688290 Lee: 07977 298939 Closed on Sunday and Wednesday There doesn’t seem to be a website to contact. If you use this service or if anybody else has information of suppliers and framers to share, please let me know your findings for our next exhibition in the Newsletter.
FORWARD PROGRAMME OF WORKSHOPS
Workshops start at 10.30 prompt and finish at 4.30. Anush has now sent out the list of workshops and tutors for 2015. There are a few and tutors that have to be confirmed. An email will be sent out as soon as possible with the information as soon as it has been confirmed.
8
May 9, 2015 Kaili Fu June 13, 2015 Virginia Lloyd-Davies July 11, 2015 Kaili Fu - Seal Carving August 8, 2015 Eric Ng September 12, 2015 William Cai October 10, 2015 Lei Lei November 14, 2015, Maggie Cross December 5, 2015 Xmas Party Bookings for workshops are organised by Anne King – she will not accept cheques at the workshop or on any other course she attends, they need to be sent by post to Anne at 44 Molasses House, Clove Hitch Quay, SW11 3TN. I am pleased to tell you that we have a very large library of Chinese painting books which is kept in the cupboard in the hall. These are a gift from one of our founder members, Jean Smith. Jean has been painting for a long time, but now finds travelling very hard, so is unable to attend the workshops, but she still likes to read the Newsletter and hear news of members and what we are up to. If you are borrowing a book from the library please remember to sign it out with the date you take it out, your name and the date you bring it back. I would also ask you to take great care of these books and make sure you bring them back as other members may be waiting to borrow them. Please remember you can enter your paintings on the website, you can either send a photograph of your work to Carry Gorney or if you arrange with her she will photograph your work at a workshop. Carry’s email is [email protected] Don’t forget to check on the website to view your work. You can view all our Newsletters on our website www.londonchinesebrushpaintersgroup.co.uk Tea and coffee is free at the workshops but individual donations to the Animals Asia charity and Starlight would be welcome
Starlight brightens the lives of seriously and terminally ill children to distract children from the pain fear and isolation they can often feel as a result of their illnesses
Animals Asia work to free the lovely Moon Bears kept in barbaric conditions in the ‘bile farms’ in China and South East Asia. They also provide sanctuaries for these beautiful animals.
9
If you have any articles, dates for exhibitions or courses etc. for the newsletter please send them to Judy at [email protected] 020 7603 9588 The images in this newsletter are the copyright and property of the artists and should not be copied without the permission of the artists. Please remember that the images contained in this newsletter are for practice and belong to the artist, if you copy them this should be acknowledged. We also ask you not to pass this newsletter on in any form to non members. The committee members are; Anush Sarkissian (Chairman and Treasurer) [email protected] Stella Steveni (Treasurer) [email protected] Anne King (Committee member) [email protected] Hakima Fosdike (Membership Secretary and Events organiser) [email protected] Judy Wright (Newsletter editor) [email protected] Norma Kennedy (Committee member) Bianca Deegan (Newsletter editor)
