In the Studio with… Marcy Von Kohorn, Vero Beach Branch

 

Studying Chinese Brushwork

My teacher, Diana Kan, studied with the great Chinese master Chang Dai Chen. In Greenwich Village, Kan taught the basics of Chinese brushwork as they have been passed down through the centuries.

Quality of brushwork is the primary goal, whether in the linear or mo-ku style. In the linear style, the artist uses carefully drawn ink outlines. In mo-ku, brushstrokes in ink or color, not outlines, form the composition.

To make ink, the inkstick is ground in a small amount of water, about a thousand times, in the inkstone. Ink, inkstone, brushes, and rice paper are considered “the four treasures.” It is said that a good painting is written. Starting with lines, students write pages of calligraphy. Ink can be splashed or dripped onto rice paper and enhanced with color.

The brush contributes to the magic. Made from rabbit or sable hairs, the brush is an extension of the artist’s will. It’s not held like a pencil, but high on the handle with a steady wrist.

Color has been used on silk since the 5th century in traditional landscapes to form trees, rocks, and mountains, either in detail or in p’o mo. In this technique, color is poured onto a silk board and can end up as an abstract or realistic landscape. Landscape is considered the most important subject and students learn by copying the masters. The use of perspective doesn’t exist in Chinese art.

The first thing a student learns to paint is bamboo. Stalks are painted first, then branches, twigs, and leaves. For plum blossoms — a symbol of hope — branches are painted boldly while the blossoms are pale and delicate. An orchid petal is painted with one stroke, with darker tones for the protective leaves. The chrysanthemum is the last of the “four gentlemen.” Two strokes form each petal, creating concentric rings, progressively longer. It is said that if you can paint a chrysanthemum leaf, you can paint anything.

The lotus requires the most advanced brushwork. Every part of the flower must be properly placed, beginning with the central seed pods. The lotus is cherished as a symbol of life and rebirth.