plate no. 5640

Earthly paradise and sacred mountains

Tomioka Tessai, 1924

oilNanga (Bunjinga)landscapemountainsbuildingstreeslandscapefigureswater

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes and creating atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering intricate details with fine brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic mountain and building outlines.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted blue/gray to the entire mountain range, creating a base tone.
step 03
Layer darker blues and grays to define the rock forms and create depth, focusing on the shadows.
step 04
Add details to the buildings using a fine brush and diluted red and brown inks.
step 05
Paint the trees and foliage with varying shades of green and brown, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Introduce lighter washes of gray and white to create mist and atmospheric perspective.
step 07
Add small figures and details to populate the landscape.
step 08
Refine the details and add final touches, such as dry brush texture on the rocks.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Chinese white · Burnt umber

secondary · Vermillion · Sap green · Yellow ochre

Achieve the various shades of blue by diluting Prussian blue with water and mixing it with Chinese white for lighter tones. Mix Burnt umber with Prussian blue for darker, cooler grays.

techniques

·Ink wash
·Dry brush
·Layering
·Pointillism
·Atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the spontaneity of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
→Using too much water and causing the ink to bleed.

materials

surface · Rice paper

required

·Chinese ink
·Chinese watercolor paints
·Chinese calligraphy brushes (various sizes)
·Rice paper
·Water container
·Felt mat
·Weights to hold paper

optional

·Palette
·Blending plate
·Reference photos of mountains

Use high-quality rice paper specifically designed for ink painting. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varying line weights and textures.

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