How to Paint Flowers With Chinese Ink
- 1). Research what type of flower you would like to paint. In Chinese art, flowers have different meanings and symbols behind them. Choose one that is significant to you. Commonly used flowers in Chinese art are: chrysanthemums, signifying luck, lotuses, meaning purity and orchids, signifying fertility.
- 2). Pour each bottle of ink into a small bowl. If, when finished painting, you have ink left over, you can easily pour it back into the bottle for safekeeping.
- 3). Dip the paintbrush first into the black bowl of ink, then wipe the brush on the sides of the bowl, in order to remove all but a faint trace of black ink. This will remove much of the ink but leave enough for the other colors to show through. Follow by dipping the brush into a bowl with any color of ink. Wiping the brush on the sides of the bowl is unnecessary here, as the ink will not be dark enough to obscure the black color. The mixture of black ink and another color will add depth to your painting. Modern Chinese painters utilize multiple colors on the same paintbrush, which adds a naturalistic feeling to the finished product.
- 4). Paint the stem of the flower onto the rice paper in one brushstroke. Carefully add leaves to the stem. Complete the outline of the flower by adding sprouts and petals.
- 5). Fill in the flower with whatever color of ink you desire, keeping in mind that traditional Chinese flower paintings use natural, subdued hues such as black, brown, green and gray. Allow to dry completely, which may take up to several minutes, depending upon the thickness of the ink.