The Four Gentlemen

Sumi painting originates from the old Chinese Nanga School. Tradition dictates that the student first becomes familiar with the strokes that create the Orchid, Chrysanthemum, Bamboo, and Plum. In the following videos Master Green Jade (Tomi Ito Levin) demonstrates these traditional painting stokes.

Bamboo

The Bamboo shows the student how to handle the brush in short vigorous strokes.

Plum

The Plum is more complex, it requires the practice of line drawing as well as thick strokes for branches, thus giving the beginner a chance to try out both wet and dry techniques.

Orchid

The first paintings are of the Orchid, which gives the beginner a fine opportunity to practice the line drawing of its long and graceful leaves and thus develop the important skill of free-arm movement.

Chrysanthemum

The Chrysanthemum, of course, is the hardest of the four. It combines all that was taught in the first lessons and introduces the technique of shading, which is an essential element of Oriental painting.