plate no. 1245
Lychee fruit
Qi Baishi, 1940
study guide
est. 4 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the outline of the basket and the general arrangement of the lychees.
- step 02
Using a fine brush, outline the basket weave with light gray ink.
- step 03
Add darker ink to define the shadows and details of the basket.
- step 04
Use a larger brush to dab red ink for the lychees, creating a textured effect.
- step 05
Add lighter shades of red to some of the lychees to create depth.
- step 06
Add small stems to the lychees with a fine brush and dark ink.
- step 07
Practice the calligraphy separately, then add it to the left side of the painting.
- step 08
Add the red seal(s) to complete the composition.
color palette
primary · red · black
secondary · gray
Mix black ink with water to achieve varying shades of gray. Dilute red ink for lighter tones.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·ink wash
- ·calligraphy
- ·contour drawing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details
- →Using too much water and making the ink bleed
- →Not practicing the calligraphy beforehand
- →Making the basket too symmetrical
materials
surface · rice paper
required
- ·Chinese calligraphy brushes (fine and medium)
- ·Chinese ink stick or bottled ink
- ·Red ink
- ·Watercolor paper or rice paper
- ·Water container
- ·Felt mat
- ·Paper towels
- ·Palette or small dish for mixing ink
optional
- ·Ink stone
- ·Weights for paper
Use good quality ink and paper for best results. Practice brushstrokes on scrap paper before painting.
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