Week 12

Demonstration Art

From a print by Kose Shōseki (1843 - 1919). See discussion.

Calligraphy, Sketches and Demonstration Painting

Calligraphy

There are two Japanese words this week for those who want to practice their calligraphy. The first, written in kanji, is shinten (heart dot). Note that the first kanji character (actually two characters combined) is written in a script-style of writing. Go to unit A3.3.1 Japanese Calligraphy (Shodō) for information about Japanese calligraphy styles. All of the calligraphy styles I've used this semester have been written using the kaisho style. That is the style used for the second and third kanji characters below. The first character combines two styles. The first four strokes (they look like they are just two strokes) are in the gyōsho style. The next three strokes (it looks like just one) use sōsho.

The next word is shinbijumu (Cymbidium), written in katakana.

Sketches

There are four sketches this week. The first two provide instructions for the proper way to paint the kind of narrow leaves that Cymbidiums have. The first of these shows the nail head & mouse tail technique (teitōsobibyō), a means to render flat, narrow leaves realistically. See also the sketches at the bottom which show some multi-leaf combinations.

The next sketch shows the classical stroke sequence and style for painting flat, narrow orchid leaves of the type that Cymbidiums and some other orchids have. That includes shunran orchids which are one of the shikunshi subjects.

Here are two relatively simple sketches for practice. The first is a Cymbidium blossom.

The next is a Cymbidium stem bearing multiple blossoms.

Demonstration Painting

Words of wisdom.

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