plate no. 1245
Lychee fruit
Qi Baishi, 1940
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students develop brush control and learn to simplify forms using expressive brushstrokes. It also encourages an understanding of negative space and composition.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
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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